If we truly want students to "meet us half way" than we must provide them with opportunities to question the world around them, which includes questioning what happens in the classroom.

There is great debate regarding the Common Core State Standards. To be perfectly honest, I'm lost in all the back and forth. Yes, switching over to new curriculum has been expensive and time consuming. The training, if districts were able to provide it, has only added to the expense. It was another unfunded mandate under the belts of school districts. Those issues have created a hardship for schools.

The CCSS come at a time when teachers and administrators are suffering under the weight of accountability, and that is unfortunate, because the 6 shifts of the CCSS have the potential to have a positive impact on schools and that should not get lost in the political debates. Those Six Shifts are:

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