Regions of the world

One of the great things about Geo-Centric Learning is that daily worksheets and explorations take place in the context of regions of the world. Students learn about current events, ecosystems, types of government, and arts while discovering countries of the world.

When students look at math or science or social studies within a region of the world, it brings learning to life!

What about national and state standards and the common core?

Geo-Centric Learning is correlated to national standards, not state standards. Those standards are noted at the top of each worksheet. And a correlation exists to show the spread and coverage of national standards throughout each grade.

National standards for learning are nothing new. Each subject area has national standards, generally developed by groups of teachers such as The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Lately, national standards have received much press with the implementation of The Common Core for Math and English/Language Arts. And more recently the controversial Parcc and Smarter Balanced Testing initiatives have made headlines. 

This curriculum does include The Common Core standards for math and English, however, this curriculum does not endorse their implementation or the testing initiatives. The mathematics presented in this curriculum, in particular, is taught in such a way as to cover The Common Core, but is also taught in a traditional algorithmic manner. My career as a writer and editor for math and science curriculum has given me a unique perspective into these trends. 

If you have a question about how the standards are used in this curriculum, please ask. There is a contact box on the front page of the blog. I would be glad to answer any questions!

Links to standards:

National Geography Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

National Standards for Social Studies Teachers

National Standards for Foreign Language Education

National Core Arts Standards

National Standards for Music Education

National Standards for Health Education

The Common Core Standards for Math and ELA

ISTE Standards for Technology Education

National Council of Teachers of English Standards for English and Language Arts

Finding a curriculum for your child

It's challenging to find a curriculum to meet all of the needs of your particular child. Most children have areas of strength and areas of weakness. Most educational curriculum is designed to hit that middle ground. Admittedly, there are children in the middle, but most are not in the middle of one grade level for all subjects. This curriculum is not the answer to this dilemma. There will always be a need for modifications, but the design of Geo-Centric Learning is such that students have easy entry and "go-beyond" capability in one location.

Another advantage of Geo-Centric Learning is that it's engaging. To learn math within the context of learning about Uganda or learn economics while learning about French Polynesia is something that will keep students interested and curious. Geography and countries of the world are the contextual backdrop for learning music, art, and technology in addition to core subjects.

When a child figures out that he can direct his learning and that he can keep going down a path, initiative turns into a lifelong-learning habit. When a child can choose to go deeper, the door opens to authentic learning. Encourage your child today!