Session+3

1.Discuss the standard bands for Grade levels for K–8; grade bands for 9–10 and 11–12. The standard bands at the elementary grade level are laid out so that teachers know what needs to be taught each and every year. The bands at the high school are different than the elementary bands. You can see that there are many topics that overlap, year after year. This allows students in these grades to schedule the classes they want, but still meet the guidelines.

2. Discuss the importance on why the focus is on results rather than means. The state requires all school districts and teachers to teach certain topics in specific grade levels. By doing this, teachers can then determine the best way to achieve these goals.

3. What is the integrated model of literacy. Literacy should be taught across the curriculum, in all subjects. The integrated model shows how to accomplish this in any given subject.

4. Discuss why the importance of research and media skills blended into the Standards as a whole. The days the students using pencils and books to write reports or answer questions are over. It is important for students to learn how to research reliable sources and to use an array of technology to do so. The standards have to incorporate these topics to allow students to stay on top of our ever changing technological world.

5. Identify the shared responsibility by all teachers for students’ literacy development. As I have stated on previous lessons, every teacher in the district is responsible for the scores on state mandated tests. If students are not succeeding, it’s not because the English teachers or math teachers aren’t doing their jobs, it’s because the district isn’t doing its job. All teachers, no matter the subject area, have to develop student’s literacy. If not for the student’s success, but for the districts success.

6. Discuss the standards on the focus and coherence in instruction and assessment. The standards were written so that teachers and students know what their expectations are. Every teacher knows what needs to be taught and every student knows what he/she needs to learn. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t cover more than one standard per lesson. A particular lesson or until could cover a variety of standards.

7. Demonstrate the alignment of product pedagogy. Product pedagogy ensures that the lessons being taught by each and every educator meet the standards provided.

8. Discuss what is not covered by the Standards. The standards are just a framework of what should be taught and what students should know at the end of each grade. The standards do not include everything that needs to be taught in a certain area. For example, to achieve success in a certain topic, more than one item may need to be taught. I can think of many examples in math where a student needs to understand simple steps before mastering the topic as a whole.