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Westchester Educators Preview New Global History, Geography Regents

The Center for Professional Development and Curriculum Support this week hosted more than 60 teachers and administrators for a preview of the new global history and geography Regents exam. 

Southern Westchester BOCES participated in the panel.

Southern Westchester BOCES participated in the panel.

Photo Credit: SWBOCES

Based on the Grade 10 global history and geography curriculum, the exam will be administered for the first time statewide in June 2018. Steve Goldberg, a Southern Westchester BOCES consultant and social studies department chairman for the New Rochelle City School District, led the review. Goldberg also serves as the New York State Education Department’s Social Studies Content Advisory Panel chair, and leads the subcommittee that is re-designing the Global History and Geography Regents. 

Throughout the day, participants learned about the philosophy and methodology behind the new Regents exam. Among the major changes being planned is that students will complete multiple-choice questions based on primary and secondary source documents, and write an extended essay based on an enduring issue within the social studies. The new Regents Exam is based on the K-12 Social Studies Framework, which was approved by the New York State Board of Regents in April 2014. Participants said they found the program to be informative and timely. 

Jen Laden, the social studies department chair at Byram Hills Central School District, said it enabled her “to understand what skills are required to master the new assessment so I can help the vertical alignment of those skills from grades 6-12.” 

Jim Rinaldi, social studies department chair and middle-level social studies teacher from Rye City School District, said “having conferences like today’s will not only prepare us for the shifts in instruction but also for assessments coming in the future."

"We will re-tool what we are doing in the classroom so our students will be more successful and ready for the challenges ahead of them.” he added.

Goldberg's workshop is part of a series developed over the past year to support component school districts in the new K-12 Social Studies Framework.

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