# 2 Teaching to Exceed the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards

Let me begin by saying that I realize that Common Core is here to stay, but several teachers that I know don’t really like it and think that it is just making jobs harder for teachers and students. I know from reading this article that if done correctly, common core can be a benefit to all who use it. I agree with the author that it is important for students all over the country to have learned the same standards and skills in their respective classrooms. As a college student, I know that the skills I learned in high school are important for me as I continue my education. College professors expect students to have learned and mastered certain skills, and they don’t have time to re-teach what should have already been learned.

When I saw the Common Core Standards for the first time, my heart dropped. It seemed really overwhelming and confusing, but in the course of my practicum, I am learning that we can meet the “standards” and still have a diverse curriculum that meets the needs of teachers and students. The task of a good teacher is to take the standards they want to work on and find or create fun activities that incorporate the particular standard and draws the interest of the student. I think that some educators believe that the CCSS are put in place to regimen what they can teach, but they are meant to be helpful for teachers to make sure all students are learning the same things.

CCSS are not a regimented lesson plan, but simply a list all in one place of the skills students need to know to be successful in college or life outside of the public school system. Classrooms have different types of students who all have different learning styles and cultural diversity. There are many ways to teach standards that are interesting and fun for students, and I look forward to finding and implementing them with my future students.

# 1 Discussion in a Democratic Society

While reading this article, I really liked how the author explained that discussion was an important and valuable tool that if used correctly in the classroom can be an inspiration to teachers and students.  In most classroom settings there are a good amount of opportunities to witness the diversity of our students, both culturally and academically.  In my placement at Central Valley High School, I have three different preps.  I have Pre-AP, LA Basic, and regular english classes.  I count myself lucky because I have an opportunity to have discussions with students who span the entire spectrum.  I believe that discussion can be different for each group of kids and still be highly effective.  In my Pre-AP class, our discussions are different than our discussions in the regular English Class and different still in the LA Basic class.  While we can't all speak at once, there is an order of things, every voice is heard, and that is what the democracy in discussion is about.

Good discussions require participation from everyone.  I have learned that participation is more than just listening and throwing out the occasional random comment.  Participation requires active listening from both the student and the teacher.  In my placement I have learned that while small class sizes can seem easy from the grading standpoint, it is much easier to have a meaningful discussion with more students than less.  We recently read a poem by Sylvia Plath, and I was surprised and thrilled at the conclusion that students were making to the poem and modern life.  They had things to say that I never thought of and it is refreshing to be able to have a mature discussion about the poem with my students.  It is my goal to use the information from this article to enhance my abilities in organizing and facilitating discussions with my students as I get more practice in the classroom.

By the time I finished the article I came to a stronger realization that students can't learn as well in a lecture/note-taking environment as they can in an open discussion setting.  Students need to be able to listen and ask questions, and even to dispute a statement if they disagree.  Part of successful discussion includes investigating all sides of a particular issue. While engaging in discussion, participants need to be aware that their point of view may not be the only valid point of view.  It is up to the teacher to facilitate the discussion to make sure the debate remains moderate and under control at all times.    I realize that as teachers, we are tasked with making sure all voices are heard equally and that all students are encouraged to lend their ideas to the discussion.