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K-State Today

October 30, 2013

Education experts shape content for new website

Submitted by Patrice Scott

Two College of Education subject matter experts lent their expertise for content on NBC’s Education Nation website, which launched at the Education Nation Summit in New York earlier this month.

The parent toolkit website was designed to help parents across the country support their child’s work in the classroom by tracking academic success and personal growth from kindergarten through high school. Parents now have grade-specific curriculum information and are armed with ideas that add interest to subjects and provide additional teaching resources. The website also offers tips for parent-teacher conferences.

Laurie Curtis and Lori Goodson, assistant professors of curriculum and instruction, contributed to the nationwide project. While designed for parents, Curtis believes this website is also an incredible resource for teachers working with students of all ages. She was initially recruited after being quoted in an article in The Wall Street Journal about parent-teacher conferences.

“NBC interviewed me for the content on the parent-teacher conferences section of the toolkit,” Curtis said. “Then they asked me to assist with putting the common core standards for grades 3 and 4 in parent-friendly terms, allowing parents to clearly see what they can do at home to support their child’s work in the classroom.”

Goodson’s role also focused on the Common Core State Standards. She reviewed documents and helped make the language user friendly.

“The National Council of Teachers of English recommended me to NBC as I serve on a number of its national committees,” Goodson said. “With my middle- and high school-level teaching experience, NBC asked if I would review language for English/language arts standards for fifth through 12th grades.

“I felt the project was valuable because parents need to better understand the Common Core State Standards as teachers implement them in classrooms and so parents can form a strong partnership with the schools.”