Re: State standards

Posted by Cindy on 1/20/07

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I will try to explain your two-part question from a CA point-
of-view.

We need the standards because they are the expectations
established for learning at that grade-level. Example: One
standard in CA 5th grade is to be able to + - fractions using
like and unlike denominators and simplify the answer.

If I correlate this to a roadmap - then my students each begin
at a different starting point, depending upon prior knowledge,
basic understanding of math, etc. All of them need to reach
the final destination of knowing how to + - fractions and
simplify answers regardless of his/her starting point.

Once you have them you create a year-long pacing guide using
the curriculum and resources adopted by your state and
supplemental material you incorporate into your lessons. You
take this year-long pacing guide and break it down into "pit
stops" like on a car race. Each pit stop is essentially a
place to evaluate whether each child has mastered the required
knowledge necessary to get to the end of the race.

The way I do this is to consider necessary knowledge each
child needs to be able to learn this standard. I test X
skills, division skills, and regrouping. Then I place that
math standard in the year-long pacing guide at the appropriate
location so I can be assured that I will have brought each
student "up-to-speed" in the required prior skills/knowledge.

There are a multitude of standards in each subject. We have
reading, writing, English language conventions, math,
geometry, algebra, social studies, and science. I have to
make sure my students have mastered the 5th grade standards by
the end of the year. As I stated before, this means I
may/probably have to teach some lower grade standards in order
to teach my 5th grade standards. I schedule the learning in a
year-long calendar so that the process develops on prior
knowledge and sequential learning. In addition, it increases
in mental dexterity and becomes more challenging.

I hope I answered your question.

Posts on this thread, including this one

• State standards, 9/11/06, by Lara.
• Re: State standards, 10/18/06, by Joe.
• Re: State standards, 1/20/07, by Cindy.
• Re: State standards, 2/12/07, by they are useless.