After reading the first chapter of Teaching to Exceed the
English Language Arts Common Core State Standards and the English Common
Core State Standards, I took note of two main themes. The first is the problem
of standardized tests. Teachers are having problems with teaching their
students only so the class can score well on their next major exams. When in
all actuality, the teachers should be instructing their students in a manner
that excites the class and makes them want to learn more about the
subject. In the first chapter of Teaching to Exceed, the author uses an
example of a teacher rushing through grammar lessons. This example was all too
relatable for me. In middle school and the later stages of elementary school I struggled
with my grammar because I hated each of the lessons. I felt like I was being
rushed and therefore became frustrated. As the text suggests, teachers should
never use this method of teaching! Instead, the teacher should take the time to
make the section of grammar they want to focus on for that day integrate with
another project that the class is working on (an essay for instance). This way
the students are learning about grammar while improving their paper.
Another theme that I noticed in the first chapter of the
text and the CCSS, is the struggle of taking a standard and making it into an
engaging lesson. Teachers are supposed to provide students with “I can”
statements for the class period, however there should be a learning process
that takes place before that student can actually do what the teacher (and the
state) wants them to do. For instance, a teacher cannot rush their students to
learn. They must take the time for discussion and questions so the whole group
can understand the concept and see how it connects to what they did the day
before, and how it will help them with their lesson tomorrow. It is important for
the teacher to find a way to make the specific standard into their own lesson
that will effectively help their students.
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