Dear Coleman Families,
I can't believe Veterans Day is already here! This year, my thoughts are particularly drawn to two individuals: my grandfather and Mr. Ray Fiuren.
What truly unites their stories is how their unwavering belief in humanity and the care of others guided their paths after their military service.
My grandfather went to the coal mining communities in Kentucky upon completing his service. He provided care to those dealing with complications stemming from working in the mines, driven by his deep conviction that all people should have the right to affordable healthcare and a strong and free education system.
Similarly, after Mr. Ray completed his time in uniform, he became a chef. Yet, he truly found his calling when he began volunteering and later working at Coleman. Mr. Ray's lived experiences have made him a beloved fixture at Coleman and within the wider community. He shares the same powerful trait as my grandfather: an unwavering belief in every single student.
The staff at Coleman is also fortunate that Mr. Ray hasn't entirely forgotten his second career! He often cooks for us and brews coffee every morning—a wonderful, daily reminder of his care for others.
Thank you, Mr. Ray and our Veterans for your service and your commitment to our community.
Classroom Mathematics California (CMC)
After a few months with our new curriculum, I wanted to highlight some of its key elements.
CMC curriculum offers a distinct approach to K-12 mathematics education, focusing on deep conceptual understanding, problem-solving, and robust discource.
CMC lessons are structured to span approximately one week and are centered around a single, powerful word problem and image. The weekly structure is broken down into distinct types of sessions:
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Explore: The initial session where students encounter the main problem.
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Develop: One to three sessions following the Explore phase, where students work on deepening their understanding and solving the core problem.
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Refine: One to two concluding sessions focused on solidifying and extending learning, and practicing skills related to the core concept.
CMC utilizes the Try-Discuss-Connect instructional framework to guide learning and discussion:
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Try: Students initially try to solve the problem, often working in pairs.
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Discuss: The core of the lesson, where students engage in meaningful partner and whole-class discussions about their strategies and solutions.
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Connect: The teacher facilitates connecting the students' various methods and ideas to the core mathematical concepts and formal vocabulary.
This framework is designed to spark meaningful discussions, strengthen students' conceptual understanding, and foster independent learning habits.
CMC emphasizes that students learn most effectively by solving problems and talking to each other. Having a conceptual understanding of the key concepts and explaining your thinking is central to both the class structure and the development of 21st-century learning.
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