"The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Instruction in Grades 6-12"

As a teacher candidate, I have heard about the Common Core State Standards more than a few times. Though, up until this quarter, I haven't really put much thought into what they are and what they mean. This article really helped to give me a basis of what to expect when using the standards as a teacher. Honestly, I have heard a lot of negativity about the common core state standards.  I have heard many different teachers talk about how much of a pain they are and how they really are not even that important. After reading this article and having a chance to create my own lesson plans, I actually feel the exact opposite.  I think the common core state standards are extremely helpful. I think that they help us as teachers set expectations for our students.  Like the article says, the CCSS are not here to tell us "what or how" to teach, but rather they are used to "set goals for student learning."  If the CCSS laid out exactly what we were suppose to teach then I for sure would not like them, but since they are just giving us a goal to reach, or a "road map" to follow and we still get to create our own lessons, I think they are extremely beneficial. 

The idea of homogenization instruction really stands out to me.  I think it is important for me, and all other teachers for that matter, to remember that all our students are different.  They come from different cultures, different backgrounds, and they all have different learning styles and speeds.  The same methods and content should not necessarily be taught every single class.  I think this simply depends on the students needs in each classroom.  One class period might need reading that is at a higher level than another class period, or one class might be interested in a completely different type of genre than the class before them.  I think one of the most important parts of teaching is to keep the students engaged and intrigued.  We can do this by paying attention to their specific needs and building a relationship with them.  If we just use the same instruction and content over and over again  no matter what, then I don't think we are really paying enough attention to what the students need.  Obviously, this can be a hard habit to overcome, for sometimes it is easier to just use the same lesson for each class, but if we as teachers try to stray away from homogenization instruction, I think the outcome will be great. 

"Discussion as a Way of Teaching" Response

Stephen Brookfield's article "Discussion as a Way of Teaching" was an extremely interesting and helpful article for me.  I believe that this article could be very helpful for a lot of future and current teachers.  It explains how teachers can bring more discussion into the classroom.  As a student, and a future teacher, I find discussion to be one of the most important aspects to learning.  Not only does it make learning more fun and exciting, it also helps to promote further and better ideas for everyone. Hearing ideas from peers furthers the learning process and helps students to expand on the subject that they are learning. Personally, I love the idea "hatful of quotes" that Brookfield brought up in the article.  I have never seen this done, so I think it would be really interesting to try with my students.  Often times, the same few students are the ones who are raising their hands and participating in discussion, while the more shy students sit back and listen.  This activity would give every student a chance to say something, even if it just something short. I think this is a great way to hear from everyone, without taking students too far out of their comfort zone. 

Another part of this article that really stood out to me was the section on class participation.  Most teachers save some part of the grading scale to class participation, but what does class participation really mean?  This article helps to lay out the guidelines for good participation and I think this is important to utilize and know in my own classroom. Classroom participation does not just mean showing up to class, it means being engaged in the work, the discussions, and the other students ideas. It is important for all students to know the guidelines for classroom participation because not only is part of their grade, it is part of their learning and their success. I could see myself using the guidelines that Brookfield has laid out in my own classroom.  I would want the rules to be hung up for all students to see.  I think this could really help make classroom discussions more successful.