January 2019

It is a new year.

It is now 2019.

The first generation
of the 21st century
has come of age.

They were the first ones who  became educated in the eras of No Child Left Behind & Common Core State Standards.

Educators have prepared them for both College and Career through some very challenging times in education and beyond.

Educators will continue to prepare students so they can have the required knowledge and necessary tools needed to succeed.

We look to 2019 as a year of educational growth and development for educators and students, parents and administrators, stakeholders and leaders, and all who believe in education.



Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2019.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

5th Annual STEAM Colloquium

On January 30th, 2015, the Contra Costa County Office of Education hosted the 5th Annual San Francisco Bay Area STEAM Colloquium.

MRCR Education attended this event for the third consecutive year.  It was, once again, a successful event, planned by Hilary Dito STEAM Coordinator at the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

Assembly Member Susan Bonilla
Addresses Attendees at the
5th Annual STEAM Colloquium.

From the continental breakfast, to the keynote speaker, breakout sessions, lunch with Assembly Member Susan Bonilla, and STEAM resource gallery & fair, the colloquium was filled with information, resources, and inspiration, for the attendees.

There were hands on activities, the latest information on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) & Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS), and lots of creative ideas, lesson plans and curriculum being implemented by schools and districts throughout the Bay Area.

Christine Lee talks NGSS
at a  Breakout Session.

MRCR Education would like to thank the Contra Costa County Office of Education and congratulate Hilary Dito for putting together such wonderful event.

We look forward to the 6th colloquium next year and hope to be once again a part of this event.  Listed below are some of the resources in attendance at the colloquium.  Please feel free to contact them and ask how you can collaborate with them in making STEAM education a part of everyday education.

Participants engage in "Volcanos
and the art of Student Sense-Making"

Partial list of participants in the 5th Annual San Francisco Bay Area STEAM Colloquium resource fair and gallery:

• Academy of Art University
• Art in Action
• Astronomical Society of the Pacific
• California Coastal Commission
• CalRecycle
• Community Resources for Science
• Diablo Valley College
• Industry Initiatives for Science & Math Education
• Integrated Middle School Science Project
• Peopleology
• Tynker
• UC Davis C-STEM Center

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator & Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

February 2015

As the second month of 2015 gets underway so does MRCR Education's continued commitment to STEAM Education.  For the third year in a row MRCR Education had the pleasure to participate in the SF Bay Area STEAM Education Colloquium.  This year marked the colloquium's fifth event, and it was a great success.  It has become quite clear that STEAM education in the Bay Area has, not only taken root throughout the education community, but it has also sprouted the interest of local businesses, community leaders, and elected officials.

STEAM Education is now more than an academic program, it is the cornerstone for a future economic development in which public-private partnerships will play a crucial role.  STEAM has also emerged as the bridge between the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as it can provide a wide range of possibilities for schools and their districts in the implementation of an interconnected multiple subject approach to curriculum development, lesson plans, and learning needs.

MRCR Education encourages you to learn and research more about STEAM education and how it can be implemented it into your classroom, school, and district.  Throughout the month of February, as we have done in past years, MRCR Education will share thoughts and ideas on STEAM education and the benefits it can bring to learners, students, teachers, and all stakeholders in the education of future generations.


Written by Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator & Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Formative Assessment

Formative Assessment is a continuous process that can:

1) Facilitate learning through the integration of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
 

2) Communicates data through feed back loops which connect students, teachers, administrators, educators, etc.
 

3) Allows for the development of a multiple instruction pathway.
 

4) Makes thinking visible.

A key to the success of Formative Assessment is a gradual implementation of this process, through a multitude of points designed to allow for learning modifications to take place.

Formative Assessment can be applied in California schools through the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and educational programs such as English Language Development (ELD), STEAM, HAST, etc.

At the 2015 Formative Assessment in the Classroom, the Curriculum, and the Culture of Schools conference, sponsored by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), a panel of education professionals representing various leading institutions (CRESST, IFL, SCALE, SRI, UC Berkeley, And WestEd) shared their insight on, and support for, Formative Assessment.

School, district, and educational leaders interested in introducing Formative Assessment to their sites, are highly encouraged to search for further information from the many available resources.

Formative Assessment is not anything designed or implemented to create or cause a systematic change in educational systems, or establish a one-size-fits-all education model, but rather work together through collaboration and innovations in the approach to education.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

January 2015

Welcome 2015!!!

The new year has arrived.  It is 2015 and soon the winter break will be over.  Students, teachers, and parents get ready to head back to school once again.  There will be many stories to exchange over what took place during winter break, the people, the food, the places, the holidays, etc.

As we begin a new month, and the new year,  it is a good idea to spend some time to plan ahead and get organized for the return to the classrooms.  There are 6 months left until the end of the year, and there will be plenty of events and activities that will fill up the calendars.  What fieldtrips will the class be embarking upon?  When will students be tested on the standards?  Are there any students who may be at risk of failing if there is no support made available for them?  These, and many other questions, will be in the minds of educators everywhere.

MRCR Education focuses this month on the 5th Annual SF Bay Area STEAM Colloquium on Friday, January 30th, 2015.  This event (STEAM Colloquium), presented by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, is a great opportunity for educators from throughout the Bay Area to learn more about STEAM Education, Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and many other topics.  Be sure to look for the MRCR table at the Resource Fair.  Follow the #steamcolloq hashtag on twitter for more info.

Hope to see you there!


Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.