Both the whole child approach and the Common Core State Standards "compel school instructional staff to develop and deliver effective, engaging instruction reflective of individual student needs and strengths." That's what we all want for our students, and we should expect nothing less. But the standards are undergirded by an "ethical core," and all educators should keep in mind that our ultimate purpose in teaching—indeed in creating schools in the first place—remains preparing the next generation to contribute to and improve our society. The Common Core State Standards are one dimension of delivering toward the aim of healthy students ready to be competent, thoughtful and informed citizens.
The standards are set up with plenty of room for creativity and connection, and encourage real-life opportunities for learning. The Ethical Literacy Learning Community approach and process helps teachers of any topic provide effective, engaging instruction that can meet students at their experience level and take them on amazing, inspiring journeys that will further understanding of the topic.
Our recent Making School Meaningful conference is a great case in point. Hosted at the Catharine Cook
