I was at a party last night and met a lovely 16-year old who told me that she wanted to be a teacher. A high school teacher. My response was simply "Ew.". I have never had any desire to work with older children for a number of reasons, which, I would imagine, is probably similar to the reasons most middle/high school teachers don't want to work with the little ones. However, the reason my new young friend gave me was such:
"I want to teach high school because I want them to actually be able to do the stuff I want them to and to understand. I just don't want to give them, like, worksheets and be a babysitter."
My initial reaction was to scream (mostly because I had just survived my first week as a first year teacher). Instead, I just smiled and stated that she might be surprised at what little ones could do.
With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, many elementary teachers (myself included) are finding what works and what doesn't in real time. Many of the counties in Maryland are just now beginning to fully implement these new standards into elementary schools. In my opinion, CCSS are a good idea. Why shouldn't the standard be universal for what students need to learn? We, in the 21st Century, are a global economy and we need to begin teaching students in a way that is reflective of such. 46 states and the District seem to agree and have adopted the Common Core as the new standard they will follow.
The main focus of the CCSS seem to be to emphasize more real-world scenarios and applications. Students are taught the skills needed to succeed in both college and the workforce. There is a heavy emphasis on critical thinking, problem solving, non-fiction texts, and using an 'evidence-based' approach to learning. This isn't the same 1st grade I was in. This is a much deeper and investigative classroom in which I act as a facilitator rather than a lecturer or (cringe) babysitter. I hold ALL of my students to the same high standards.
With new standards, the need for reformation of assessment becomes blatant. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) is coming down the pike. This new assessment is to align very tightly to the CCSS. The focus is shifting to applying the skills rather than the content learned through school. Can you reason? Can you deduce? Can you find evidence based from the text?
After all, these are the skills used in the workforce.
While there is still a place in education for memorization in order to fully understand a concept and rely less on technology, students no longer need to carry around a dusty old primer. Or even a shiny new iPad. Instead, students should be able to solve their problems using the tools they have around them in a real-world setting. School should not be isolated and the skills needed to navigate this ever-changing world should be taught explicitly.
This week, I taught my students about collaboration. And manners. And comparing and contrasting. And predictions. All much needed, real-world skills. I'm changing those small people into people who know how to think and problem-solve in real time. I'm doing this so that when my new friend does become a high school teacher, she will receive students who understand what she's saying and how to do 'stuff'. Because I wasn't just a babysitter and we did a little more than worksheets in 1st grade.
