ePals(R) Announces New Common Core Implementation Center
Free Professional Learning Community Offers a Flexible One-Stop Online Resource for Teachers Seeking Communication Tools, Complex Language Arts Content and a Secure Learning Environment for Students
WASHINGTON, DC, Nov 09, 2012 (Menafn - MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --ePals Corporation , an education media company andthe world's leading safe social learning network, today announced itsnew free Common Core Implementation Center (CCIC). In a time whenschool districts are cash-strapped, the CCIC is designed to meeteducators' needs with a broad range of flexible online communicationtools and rigorous project-based learning resources that will enableteachers to teach and students to learn the new Common Core EnglishLanguage Arts State Standards.
Tools for Immediate Common Core Implementation Although formalimplementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is notscheduled to begin until 2014, the nation's teachers say they areeager for research-based tools and resources to begin preparingstudents to master the standards now. As teachers embrace the shiftof focus from "teaching to the test" to developing the higher orderreading and writing skills needed for college and career readiness,the CCIC provides practical tools for teachers, students and familieswith a broad and diverse set of implementation resources, including:
--Access to CCSS and a list of aligned activities, including everything
from social media comments, to book reviews, to long-term literacy
mentoring, with accompanying activity time estimations, from 10
minutes to a full-year
--A variety of safe informal activities, such as point-by-point
comparisons of political candidates around the world, that enable
students to gain perspectives, share and discuss ideas with peers in
other locations
--Easy ways for classrooms to find each other and collaborate around
Common Core content, with subject, grade-level and project-topic
search capabilities
--Rich content on multiple levels across a range of subject areas that
students can access for homework, research, and pleasure. Examples
include explorations of biographies of founders of the U.S.
Constitution, famous world explorers, and more
--Engaging topics and reinforcement for theme-based, evidence-based and
opinion writing pieces
--A self-directed Common Core professional learning community --
including direct access to articles, best practices from master
teachers, grade- and subject-level connections with colleagues in
Teacher Talk, communication and implementation tips, lesson ideas,
access to experts in remote locations, and more
Research-based Resources and Tools ePals' online platform isspecifically designed to facilitate vigorous project-based learning,as specified by CCSS, by providing customizable project-based lessonsand access to challenging material from a range of respected contentproviders (e.g., National Geographic, Smithsonian, Cobblestone andCricket magazines).
A number of the resources of the CCIC are based on ePals' In2Bookscurriculum-based eMentoring program, the 2012 Codie Award winner forBest Reading/English Instruction. ePals' In2Books has documentedincreased student motivation and achievement in the elementary gradesthrough authentic collaborations around reading materials of thehighest quality and self-paced, teacher professional learningresources. Teachers report that collaborative learning partners haveincreased motivation for all students, but in particular strugglingwriters and English Language Learners (ELL).
"ePals started the Common Core Implementation Center because teacherswill be the key drivers of Common Core implementation," says NinaZolt, ePals co-founder and Chief Learning Officer. "We want everyteacher to have immediate access to Common Core experts, theopportunity to share their own work and to participate in theevolution of a learning community dedicated to making exemplaryCommon Core implementation engaging and practical."
About ePals Corporation ePals Corporation is aneducation media company and the leading provider of safe sociallearning networks (SLN). Focused on the K-12 market, ePals offerselementary and secondary school administrators, teachers, studentsand parents worldwide a safe and secure platform for buildingeducational communities, providing quality digital content andfacilitating collaboration for effective 21st century learning.ePals' award-winning products include: the ePals Global LearningNetwork; SchoolMail(R)365; LearningSpace(R); In2Books(R), a commoncore eMentoring program that builds reading, writing and criticalthinking skills; and popular children's educational publishing brandsincluding Cricket(R) and Cobblestone(R). ePals customers and partnersinclude the International Baccalaureate, Microsoft Corporation, DellInc., IBM Corp., National Geographic and leading school districtsacross the United States and globally. ePals serves approximately800,000 educators and reaches millions of teachers, students andparents in approximately 200 countries and territories. Visitwww.epals.com. For In2Books, visit www.In2Books.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Sue Hanson
Media Relations
ePals PR
Phone: (763) 657-0987
sue@susanhanson.com
Will Jarred
SVP, Marketing & Corporate Communications
ePals Corporation
Phone: (703) 885-3400
wjarred@corp.epals.com
SOURCE: ePals, Inc.
mailto:sue@susanhanson.com
mailto:wjarred@corp.epals.com
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