My Thoughts About The Standards:
Throughout the semester, we have systematically been incorporating the Common Core Standards into all of our assignments. There are procedures to follow and forms to use as a template. Along with incorporating these, we have also been watching videos of speakers who stress the importance of creativity and inspiration. This brings me to the first question asked, "What is the purpose of the Common Core Standards?" We have been constantly focused on being more creative in the classroom, and learning new methods in which to teach other than the general lecture method. Yet, when we get into a classroom of our own, the Standards will tell us what and how to teach the material. Part of what drives a person's passion about teaching is the constant learning, improving on what you know, and inspiring your students. How can we as future teachers expect to inspire our students, who will all differ in various ways, based on a set of rules for what they must learn and how they must learn it? This makes me think of myself as being more of a proctor for a class, reading off the material already laid out for me, instead of a teacher creating fun, and creative lesson plans that will catch my students' attention. I understand there must be an expectation of what a student should know in each grade. However, the Standards leave no room for "catch up," when a student falls behind. Not every student is going to be learning at the same pace or in the same way, so why we trying to teach them that way?
What is the purpose of the Common Core Standards?
What is the purpose of the Common Core Standards? According to the Common Core website, the purpose of the standards are, "to reflect the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers." However, they are assuming every student learns in the same way, at the same pace, and plan to be successful in similar careers. The standards are designed as a guide for teachers to follow for what they need to teach throughout the year. I will not discredit that it keeps a certain structure for classrooms, however for the students who are not at the same level, or have fallen behind, they simply slip through the cracks due to the fact teachers have no freedom when it comes to what they teach in their classroom. It starts a domino like effect; that student gets behind and more behind until they become frustrated with the overall routine of school.
Are the standards successful? The question of whether or not the standards are successful, is a debate among many teachers, students, and parents. I believe the structure and guidelines for the standards were created with good intentions, but many failed to consider the level of diversity surrounding students and their personal learning styles today. The "No Child Left Behind Act," was brought about to get teachers to "bring their students up to the "expected" level on their state given tests. However, since NCLB has been been introduced, fail rates of schools have risen. However, again for students who do not learn the same as others and fall behind, this will only pass them along to the next grade without adequate knowledge of the material needed to build upon in future subjects. I think of it like this, if I am teaching the class about Algebraic Equations, but some students did not learn how to divide and multiply, because they fell behind and were still passed to the next grade, should I not stop and reteach how to divide and multiply? These are both skills needed to build upon to learn Algebraic Equations. If I follow the Standards, that topic is not something I should be covering, so I have to move forward with the lesson. This again, is a domino affect. A student gets behind, but is passed anyway and goes downhill from there. Much like the Common Core Standards, I feel NCLB had good intentions, but the plan is not perfect. I feel the Standards and the NCLB, are a good guideline, or starting point, for education today. However, I feel both need to be improved upon. After all, trial and error is the basis for every good plan. Test your hypothesis (The Standards will bring students up to expected testing level), find the flaws in the experiment (not Every student leans the same or at the same speed), and alter the original plan to accommodate for the new realizations. It is simply basic Science when you think about it, and is an important part in being a successfully functioning society.
- As a future teacher, I am very excited to bring creativity and introduce PBL into my classroom. However, I feel restrained by the Standards. What must be brought to attention is the fact that our students are all different. They all learn differently, at different paces, and are interested in different things. So, how can we expect to have a general set of "rules" to=hat will accommodate them all? We must stop assuming what is good for one student is good for another. Students are not produced on conveyor belts and we have to stop treating them as such.
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