NU student reads to ESL children from G.J. Mann as part of 'Standards for Santa Week'

Chelsea Riedl, a 2010 Niagara University graduate currently pursuing a master's degree in literacy instruction, reads to ESL (English as a Second Language) students from Geraldine J. Mann Elementary School in Niagara Falls.

The activity, which took place at NU Tuesday, is part of the College of Education's annual "Standards for Santa Week." Held Dec. 5-9, the "12 Common Cores of Christmas" will be designed to exhibit how a themed learning experience can be utilized to generate and share knowledge.

All of the holiday ornaments adorning Christmas trees inside the Academic Complex's Glynn Family Atrium feature information on national common core standards, an initiative related to the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition. The standards were adopted by New York in July and, by fall 2012, English Language Arts and math "shifts" will be implemented into the curriculum.

"Standards for Santa Week" was instituted at Niagara six years ago under the notion that all of the program's activities and decorations would be based on New York State Learning Standards.