This Morning At Pine Tree Hill….

I was able to spend some time this morning at Pine Tree Hill.  I was really impressed with the work I saw going on in Linda Horton’s class and Mary Whitlock’s class.  Ms. Horton was making excellent use of manipulatives during her Math instruction.  The students were totally engaged!  (I wish there had been manipulatives when I was in elementary school!)  Ms. Whitlock’s class was studying fables and discussing the “moral” of a story.  Her students really had a nice grasp of the concept and were beginning to write their own fables.  Great stuff!

What is a “Basic Education” Today?

By Dr. Frank Morgan, Kershaw County School District Superintendent

Not long ago, I was talking with a community member who expressed the view that schools should focus more on “basic education.” I hear this a lot. But what is a “basic education” for students who are going to live and work long into the 21st century? (Think about it, a five-year-old student in kindergarten today will be my age, 55, in the year 2058.) Is a “basic education” the same for today’s students as it was for my generation, or my parents’ generation?