An Exhausting HALF of a Year!

In some ways I can't believe that the school year is nearly half way over and then in other, I can't believe how long a half of a year can feel like.  I remember teachers complaining when we were tied to the district adopted curriculum and they felt like they were being restricted.  Now, with Common Core I feel like I am in a boat with a tiny paddle.  Partially, I believe the change is impacted for me because I switched grade levels.  However, when my daughter witnessed a teacher friend of mine lose it and break down crying, she looked at me and said "See Mom, everyone must feel like you do!". She was right and while I don't want to see someone cry, it made me feel less crazy.  So, I have tried to pinpoint certain sources for my overwhelming feelings and these are the two I have chosen to work on:  resources and grading projects.

There are many resources out there for Common Core.  I have found some quality sites and I should be satisfied.  The problem is that I continue to search for something better constantly...looking for that magic bullet site that will be the answer to everything Common Core.  As a result, I waste time looking and then I get frustrated because I don't have enough time to plan.  So, have decided to refer to a handful of sites with LearnZillion being my main source.  If the greatest site in the world pops up, I am sure I will hear of it.

Math teachers have really been spoiled because we have never had lengthy writings to grade and our projects were minimal.  Furthermore, math usually has right and wrong answers that are less subjective.  But now, I am not grading only their answers but how they answered the question and their rationale behind the method.  This seems to take tons of time.  Combine that with knowing the kids and I struggle with interpreting their responses because I know that this student is worried about losing his home, etc.  So, I need to rely more on rubrics that are given out prior to the project and have the students help me with grading.  This can also be a reciprocal teaching experience.

Hopefully, these two changes will have a significant impact on the second half of the school year and allow me to focus on the opportunities Common Core brings to education.