Professional Development – Uncommonly Common: A Thank You



I’d like to extend a thank you to the Friends of Schoharie Crossing for sponsoring both mine and Site Director Janice Fontanella’s attendance to the New York State Education Center’s Office of Cultural Education 2014 conference – Uncommon Approaches to the Common Core this past August 12th & 13th. 

While cultural educators have long engaged children as well as adults in the most fundamental ways, above all being to ask questions and seek answers, this gave us the opportunity to discover different methods of incorporating the standards within the Common Core in the development of programing here at Schoharie Crossing.  Additionally, those elements of standards that we have already contained within our site visit and outreach programs we may now better identify for teachers, administrators, school boards and other organizations. 

I believe it was also beneficial to represent NYS Office ofParks, Recreation & Historic Preservation among the attendees of other cultural institutions as well as educators and librarians as a source of learning in practicum with standardized modules.  The resources Schoharie Crossing may provide for learning purposes is astonishing, but the connection to those in the education community is a vital component.  Through attending this conference, Janice and I also established greater networking with those within similar cultural education programs. 

Most importantly however is a greater understanding of the Common Core and methods that others –whether they are educational institutions or museums & libraries – have developed to meet those standards while engaging children and fostering a sense of passion for learning and community. 

Again, Thank You to the Friends of Schoharie Crossing, whom used funds from patron donations and membership dues to further the mission of this site by paying for professional development that will better enable us to educate those that visit the site, and those we visit in our outreach programming.  

Best regards,
David Brooks
Education Coordinator
Ph. (518) 829-7516

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