Teaching Practices Essay -- Education, Politics

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role that state standards play in the classroom. The topics that I will include in this paper will be an overview of the usage and role that state standards play in the teaching and learning of students and a summary of a discussion with my guiding practice teacher about standards and data from observing him. In addition, I will analysis how my guiding practice teacher uses standards to help instruct his students. Furthermore, through the lens of the reflective cycle, I will reflect on the intelligent action I plan to incorporate into my future classroom. Role That State Standards Play in the Teaching and Learning State standards impact the way that teachers’ instruct in the classroom in a control manner. The standards are state mandates for the topics that need to be cover in the class. The standards serve as an outline of topics for the teachers to teach to the students. They are uniform instruction of a subject that covers all public schools in the state. Additionally, the standards should provide a structure-learning environment in the classroom. Standards help teachers by providing an outline of instruction for the class. Falk (2000) suggest that â€Å"the capacity of standards to provide guidance toward and images of possibility of what quality work can be; the opportunity that standards present to initiate collective conversations and inquiry about shared values, purposes, goals, and expectations† (p.164). Standards help the teachers find a starting point for an instructional lesson. Standards also help to create uniform instruction across the district as well as the state. According to Ravitch (1991), â€Å"[curriculum] must teach the core democratic values that enable ... ...learning as the students need (p.234). While teaching my lesson, I must be present in the moment. I do not need to be thinking about the last class period, next period, or what needs to be done for tomorrow classes. I need to focus on the instruction that on the class that I am teaching to help them be successful. Another intelligent action, I would include in my classroom is feedback. I would include structure feedback in my lesson. At the end of instruction, I would ask the students what they have learn today in class. I would do this as a way to assess their learning and see what the students receive from the class lesson. Additionally, I would ask the students what could I have done better in class or what they believe did not work in class. This would help me plan future lessons to know what work with the class as well as what did not work with the class.