Why I like Common Core

Parents always ask me if I like Common Core, and they are always surprised when I say yes. In fact, it happened to me even here in our district when I started this past fall.

Unfortunately, there is so much public rhetoric and "spin" around Common Core, that it is almost impossible to know what is true and what is propaganda. Parents often see ridiculous examples of math problems called "Common Core" and they worry about the future of education for their children.

The reality is, however, that we see bad implementation of new initiatives all the time. The good news is that Common Core are merely standards, and how we implement them is solely within our own control. Our old California Standards resembled school as most adults would remember it: knowledge building, skill practice, and content memorization. Common Core is taking learning to the level of applying those skills. To illustrate this, I will tell you a story of my own son's epiphany around Common Core.

Noa was in middle school. I can remember vividly Noa's constant questions of when he would ever need to use the skills he was being taught. Then, one day, Noa and his dad set out to build a simple half pipe skate ramp in the back yard. Quickly, Noa realized the value of solving simple equations, calculating slope, and plotting on a coordinate plane. He and his dad designed, planned, and constructed what would become a favored spot for Noa and his friends. "That," I told him, "is the promise of Common Core."

Of course, teachers cannot build half pipes in their classrooms, however we can strive to bridge learning to authentic application. In #NSDnow, we are doing this through the teaching of rigorous curriculum design units and engaging learning experiences. These approaches to Common Core implementation are critical to connecting standards with real life. To learn more about these units or experiences, I encourage you to reach out to your classroom teachers or even ask your kids!

When I ask a fourth grader, "why are you learning this?" I don't expect them to say, "I need to know this for fifth grade." Instead, if we implement Common Core correctly, they'll be able to express the relevancy of what they're learning... and that is why I like Common Core.

Stay Informed in NSD

Do you suffer from too much information overload? Do you wonder where to find information about our district and schools? What is happening in the National School District (NSD) now?

In this two-minute video clip, I talk to Yvette Olea from our Administration Office and ask her these exact questions:

First, I ask Yvette where the best place to get information about the National School District. Yvette tells me that our best resource is our website at nsd.us because it has many helpful links for parents and students, information about our schools, our child nutrition program, our Superintendent blog, and information about our Governing Board.

For information specific to schools, Yvette mentions a system we use called Peachjar. Anyone can sign up for Peachjar to receive electronic flyers about school events, breaks, and community information via email.

Finally, I ask Yvette how to find daily updates about what is happening in NSD. Of course, Yvette mentions our Twitter handle @NationalSD, our Instagram @NSDnow and my Facebook Page, Leighangela Brady–Superintendent (I follow back!). Yvette also encourages you to call our main number at (619) 336-7500 if you ever need anything and we’ll be happy to help in any way we can.

These tools can help you not only stay informed, but also follow our NSD story in real time.

Sharing Our NSD Story

This holiday break, while cleaning out the garage, I discovered a letter written back in 1943 by my Great Great Aunt Mary. It was addressed to my grandmother, Millie, and her sisters Dorothy and Wilma. My Grandmother and her sisters were just starting their adult life in Connecticut after being raised in an orphanage, and knew little of their family background. After a bit of research, they found Aunt Mary and reached out to her as a means of introduction and family connection.

Aunt Mary, who resided in North Dakota, had never met the girls, but wrote to them nonetheless with stories about their parents and relatives. She recounted memories from Thanksgiving of 1919, tales of my great grandparents’ courtship, descriptions of her current way of life, as well as her hopes, dreams, and desires for the future (specifically if Clarence would come through with the money for the gas iron that he promised her). Reading the letter, I was struck by the power of the written story, and the way that I felt transported to another time and place. I felt a connection to Aunt Mary, as well as a deep affection for my family.

This emotion inspired a desire in me to share the narrative of the National School District. As a new Superintendent, I have been out visiting schools, talking with parents, listening to staff, learning from students, attending community events, and enjoying getting to know our great city. Through this blog I hope to share these experiences with you and chronicle the story of our NSD family.

 My grandmother and her sisters reminiscing...