Lock Haven University Hosts Pennsylvania Core Summit
Last week, I participated in a summit at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania on implementing and preparing for the Pennsylvania Core Standards. In attendance were the institution’s president and vice provost along with faculty, deans, and other administrators from throughout the university. Administrators and teachers from nearby PK-12 school districts as well as representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Education also joined us.
Following my keynote presentation discussing the fundamental instructional shifts of the Pennsylvania Core, all vested stakeholder groups took part in a conversations addressing the impact of the standards on their programs and the supplemental changes necessary to enact to support implementation. Among the suggested changes were strengthening ties with the PK-12 districts to provide necessary clinical experiences for candidates and deepening core content knowledge of both in-service and preservice teachers. One great idea was for the university to host academies throughout the summer to provide training for PK-12 teachers and administrators.
I’m pleased to report that these conversations were quite robust, and all parties agreed to continue working together. This dialogue is an important step toward implementing the standards and a crucial component to ensuring a more aligned system.
For more information about the Common Core State Standards, see the following resources:
- National web site: http://www.corestandards.org/
- Info on instructional shifts and resources: www.achievethecore.org
- AACTE Resource Library (for AACTE members; search “Common Core” or other keywords)
And don’t forget our free webinar tomorrow with representatives from PARCC and Smarter Balanced, to help us understand the assessments’ implications for educator preparation.
Tags: AACTE in the community, advocacy, clinical preparation, content areas, events, program improvement, state policy
