8. What are the most important ideas in my academic standards?
Interesting.
Now if this means focusing on the state standards, there are several that I feel are "most" important (though, aren't they all, really?"). The standards below come from the 11th grand strand of the standards.
Reading Literature:
Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. (I think this skill is basically the bedrock for learning, especially in a rich liberal arts curriculum. If you can't make sense of a novel or short story, you don't have the basic skills to make sense of a lot of what goes on in the world. Perhaps, this explains why we have the problems we do!)
Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. (This is vital, I think, in helping the reader see how the author is manipulating them (and all authors manipulate their readers). If students can't begin to see point of view or purpose, then they are just meandering along for the ride rather than being truly active learners.)
Reading Informational Text:
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. (Vital. If I had the time, I'd bring in texts from various sources, perhaps the KKK, certainly Phylis Schlafly, and the Tweets of Michael Moore to analyze them for their arguments and then rip them to shreds for their lack of reasoning on just about all levels. Or I would love to sends students out on Facebook and have them bring in some of those ridiculous posts that fools share about Obama, Busch, the NRA, or PETA. Then I'd have them look for lack of evidence and then steer them to snopes.com to see how they determine validity).
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. (I would argue that in our 1:1 environment and our media drenched society, this is an absolute must. The days of writing a simple five paragraph persuasive theme are at an end. I mean if you're at a company or if you are selling something (whether you're an engineer trying to 'sell' your concept for a new carburetor your company or if you're an ad designer trying to 'sell' your design to a customer or if you're a teacher trying to 'sell' your lesson to your students, the odds of you writing up something and reading it to them are slim. Instead, you would be far more effective in your 'sell' if you presented it to the various audiences in an aesthetically pleasing multi-media format where you are able to integrate and evaluate the various content necessary to persuade your audience in a diverse media format).
Writing:
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (I know I said that the days of writing a five paragraph theme are over, but the skill is still a good one to have. I believe firmly that writing is thinking. When you learn to shape your writing - or best of all, when you learn that writing has many forms - you can add those to your tool box that allows you to more diligently shape your thinking too. It's also a must for students to find and sift through evidence. As one of my favorite profs, Austin Saret from Amherst, says: "opinion is easy. Analysis is hard.")
Write narratives and other creative texts to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. (this is vital because it shows students that there are other ways to shape and structure their writing. Plus, it often is where kids first fall in love with writing. I don't know of too many youngsters who love to write research papers or letters to the editors. But I know many kids who will write a story in a nanosecond. Plus, I've had numerous students write creative multi-genre research papers - and though they're often the longest pieces students will ever write (the record is 76 pages, but most easily hit the 20 page range), students love them. When I poll them on what they both liked the most and learned the most from - the persuasive essay, research paper, and narratives come and go, but the MGRP usually shows up on top).
Use a writing process to develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, drafting, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (this is the bedrock of writing. Students need to have the veil of writing lifted so they understand that writing - just like learning or thinking - is a process. Authors don't just sit down and write a novel on the first take.)
Speaking, Viewing, Listening, And Media Literacy:
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. (again, if we're going to have active learners and critical thinkers to keep this democracy going, we're going to need citizens who can view a variety or resources and test their credibility and accuracy. Again, our pop culture and 24/7 news stations run counter to this. I seriously doubt any one of the far side of either political end watches CNN or Fox News and really thinks about credibility or accuracy. I believe people only watch Keith Obermann or Rush Limbaugh because they want to hear exactly what they want to hear without having to think critically at all. The same is true with the stupid posts on Facebook that are shared (and I'm guilty of this too. I often share them just to see who I can piss off or who responds to the ones I share!)
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaboration with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. (I believe if you watch just about any debate on TV or interview on any network, this standard is sorely missing. When was the last time you saw a liberal take a conservative's idea and actually accept it and then tweak it to improve it and send it back to them to see what they think of the modification? Never! That's not how our political climate works. Instead it is the sole purpose of either party to simply stick a wrench into the spokes of any idea that is the opposite of their political party. This is why I enjoyed texting ideas with my former student, Aaron, last summer. He is a conservative, and I'm a liberal, but we respect each other mightily and he'd send me something on the dangers of unions. I'd tweak it and ask him to look at the issue from this point of view. Then he'd do that and respond with, "Well, what about this?" Then I'd say, "I never thought of it that way." When was the last time you ever heard anyone on a news show say "I never thought of it that way before?").
However, if "What are the most important ideas in my academic standards?" means my personal most important academic standard, then it's easy: students must find their passion, develop their 'why,' and become remarkable at their passions.
I'll break it down.
Students must find their 'elements.' That means they must find what skill or job or area that they are most passionate about. As Sir Ken Robinson puts it, one is in their element when you not only do what you love, but also when what you are good at enriches your life and provides you with a living. I'm living proof of this. And given the recent study that 80% of Americans are not passionate about their jobs, this is vital.
Students must develop their 'why.' This comes from Simon Sinek. If you find your why (your cause or mission or calling, then it will help you discover not only your element but also other dimensions of your element). My why is simple: I want to instill in students the self-esteem and confidence that my 9th grade English teacher, Mrs. Christianson, instilled in me the day she read one of my stories to the entire class. It was the first time I really felt proud of myself for something academic. And it gave me confidence and changed how others viewed me. I wouldn't be a teacher if it weren't for that moment. I want to do that for my kids.
Finally, students need to be remarkable. This is Seth Godin. I am an English teacher who lives his cause. So I have my element and my 'why' down. But what makes me 'remarkable'? What is it that separates me from the other English teachers in the area? My passion. My fearlessness when it comes to technology. My research? The culture I'm able to create? All of these are what help set me apart from other English teachers. I'm not being cocky. I know very well all of my colleagues have various skills and abilities and passions that make them remarkable in different ways than I am. That's what we need more of in education today.
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