Common Core State Standards

I agree with this chapter that Common Core State Standards are important, yet they should not be standardized. It is important to have a set of standards for all teachers. There are certain skills students should attain at certain grade levels. The standards should always be on the teachers mind when creating a lesson plan. In order for students to be successful the teacher should set high goals. Without any set of goals it is hard to accomplish anything. Standards should be implied in the classroom lessons, but they should not be the main focus.

Teachers should be accountable for teaching students these skills, yet there is so much a teacher cant control. Once the student leaves the classroom, the teacher can not make sure the students are getting enough nutrition, sleep, time to do homework, etc. That is why students should not  be tested as much, but have goals they can reach.

Even though standards are important, they should not be the main focus of how a teacher teaches. A teacher should have control over the curriculum and do necessary changes if needed. Teachers should choose curriculum based on the students needs. When all teachers teach the exact same curriculum, the classroom loses diverse instructions. Students are all different and learn at different paces, so it is important to address their needs.

Students today are different than students ten years ago. Todays students are more technologically advanced and have different interests. The teacher should keep changing the curriculum year after year and try to improve the students learning experience. Students in the 21st century require different curriculum.Unfortunately many teachers have fallen into the habit of standardizing instead of just holding high standards.

Common Core State Standards set high expectations in a classroom. Sometimes it is misinterpreted and can cause problems. Teachers should always have some kind of standard, but they should not standardize.

Discussion in a Democratic Society

I have had many good experiences with classroom discussions, yet I have also had some bad ones as well. Before reading this chapter I always wondered about what makes a class discussion successful. This chapter made a lot of good points and addressed my questions.

One of my main concerns was about the students who are quiet and let other students dominate the discussion. This chapter makes the point that not everyone is going to get chance to speak in a class discussion, yet its important to have a large amount of students to participate. It is really important for everyone to be respectful and mindful about what other students are saying. This way students feel more comfortable sharing with the class. Some students are naturally quiet, yet their opinion still matters and it is up to the teacher to get them involved in the discussion. A classroom discussion is best when students share different views, so it is important to hear from different students.

This chapter covers a lot of problems that can occur during a classroom discussion. The problems that I think could ruin a discussion is when students are ignorant or they agree with everything. It is important for students to pay attention to other students arguments and take them into consideration. Also students should challenge each other and be confident in their argument.