I spent this last week at a training for the new educational common core that is being implemented in many of the states around the country. I really like many of the concepts that they are implementing. The Common Core is now going to require that we pull in much more informational texts, so that we are helping students to see more real world application to what we are teaching them. I think that this is going to really help students to reach a higher literacy level. In their English classes, it is going to be interesting to see how students take the Literature books that are being taught and find real world connection to those informational and supplementary texts. We also talked a lot about how much literacy is going to change in other subject areas. Those subjects are now going to also be responsible to include that component of literacy and teach their students to decode their own text from that specific subject matter.
How do any of you plan to make these adjustments in your own curriculum's? Do you think that this is going to be easy, or is there going to be a lot of change in the methods of your teaching?
I went to the same Core Academy training and it was especially fun because one of the presenters was one of the teachers I work with teaching English 11. Then, it was also fun to have our administrators come in on the last day. The new Core is definitely more rigorous, integrated with other subjects and infused with art which makes me REALLY happy! The argumentative writing will be a challenge but overall I see it as a positive improvement.
ReplyDeleteI also teach English 11. It is my favorite class. I am excited to make some changes this year with that class and add some supplemental material. I really think that this is going to do so much for students and thier reading levels since all subjects are going to make a push for more literacy throughout all curriculums.
ReplyDeleteAlicia,
ReplyDeleteI’m not an English teacher, so hopefully you won’t mind me posting on the site:), but I thought it was interesting, and wanted to comment on what you said about having to “pull in much more informational texts, so that [you] are helping students to see more real world application to what we are teaching them.” I just thought how that is a good idea, no matter what you are teaching. I know that when I bring more real world application into my lesson plans it seems to engage the students more. That’s why I like to talk about current events whenever I can, especially when they are somehow connected to a historical event of the past. That is one of the obstacles of teaching social studies, convincing the students that events of the past are actually important to them. I think we see that as adults because the government’s actions affect us more, and wars have a bigger impact on our lives when we are older, but teenagers have a hard time understanding that. Thanks for the post.
Devon Gosney
PS If you want to visit my blog for EDUC 6036 go to http://my.uen.org/myuen/242398
Devon,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your post!!I am so glad to hear that you are already doing some of these things in your classroom. I think that as we all get ready to make the changes to be in accordance with the new Core we are going to find a lot of things that we are already doing well in our classrooms. We are going to need to tweek some things here and there. It really is exciting. Thanks again.
Great question! I think there will be aspects of the common core that may be easier to implement than others. I teach third grade, and I am constantly trying to integrate literacy in all subject areas, as I’m sure most teachers do. I really like that we will be required to use more informational texts, and I agree with you that we are helping students see more real-world applications to the content we are teaching by using them. Informational texts are extremely engaging to students, and many of the formats I find as an elementary teacher are very user-friendly. By nature, informational texts not only resonate with students, they are very useful when teaching the writing process.
ReplyDeleteOur district gave us an implementation timeline at a spring professional development, which shows a gradual (but rigorous) change to the common core. I think it’s definitely doable, and will benefit everyone (teachers and students) in the long run. I am eager to start so I can find out first-hand what standards and objectives will be easier to transition to, and which will require a little more work. Regardless, I am happy to start this as we begin a new school year, so I can plan my year accordingly. Great post! :)