Assignment: Application: Literature Review Step II

For

this

week’s

discussion,

the

question

still

arises

if

adopting

a

set

of

standards

limits

or

improves

education

for

all

students.

This

question

will

be

answered

through

the

lens

of

a

classroom

teacher.

Using

the

Common

Core

State

Standards

(CCSS)

as

an

e

xample,

as

a

teacher,

I

may

have

mixed

emotions

towards

adopting

a

set

of

standards.

During

the

adoption

of

CCSS,

teachers

were

not

provided

with

a

trial

period

to

measure

the

effectiveness

of

CCSS;

this,

in

turn,

did

not

provide

teachers

with

concrete

evi

dence

that

the

CCSS

were

designed

to

execute

their

goals

intended

for

student

success

(Laureate

Education,

2014c)

.

As

an

educator,

I

am

going

to

wonder

how

a

set

of

standards

will

support

the

needs

of

my

English

Language

Learner

(ELL)

students.

For

ELLs,

i

t

is

imperative

that

instruction

builds

upon

students’

academic

English

and

social

English.

Acquiring

knowledge

of

academic

language

is

essential

for

ELLs

because

it

is

related

to

standards

-

based

curriculum

in

math,

science,

social

studies,

and

language

ar

ts

(Colorín

Colorado,

n.d.)

.

For

Special

Education

(SPED)

students,

I

would

have

to

work

closely

with

SPED

teachers

to

provide

instruction

that

reflects

the

exceptionalities

of

my

students.

Raising

expectations

for

all

students

is

a

positive

in

that

suppor

ts

must

be

used

to

ensure

such

goals

are

attainable

for

all

students.

For

instance,

professional

developments

can

be

provided

to

teachers

where

they

can

learn

how

to

apply

instructional

strategies

that

reflect

the

goal

of

CCSS

and

the

needs

of

students.

Ho

wever,

concerns

arise

in

preparation.

When

adopting

a

set

of

standards,

an

emphasis

on

the

resources

needed

for

SPED

students

must

be

known

and

accessible

to

teachers.

Without

this,

the

expectation

of

wanting

all

students

to

be

college

and

career

ready

may

not

follow

-

through

effectively

(Laureate

Education,

2014a)

.

I

believe

the

information

provided

in

documents

5

–

8

of

this

week’s

resources

provided

reliable

sources

because

as

a

teacher,

I

am

going

to

wonder

how

teaching

these

standards

will

look

like

in

a

classroom

with

ELL

or

SPED

students.

Through

these

resources,

I

learned

how

ELLs

academic

language

can

be

supported

using

Tier

2

instruction

that

promotes

higher

-

order

thinking

skills,

critical

thinking

skills,

and

problem

-

solving

skills

with

additional

supports

provided

in

their

home

language

(Laureate

Education,

2014b).

Additionally,

I

learned

the

importance

of

collaboration

between

general

education

and

SPED

teachers

when

ensuring

instruction

aligns

with

students’

academic

needs

to

promote

student

succ

ess

.

The

next

steps

I

might

take

to

follow

up

on

this

information

as

a

teacher

would

be

to

determine

what

resources

are

provided

to

teachers

so

that

they

can

periodically

assess

student

achievement

throughout

the

year.

With

the

adoption

of

CCSS

came

change

s

in

high

stakes

testing.

Issues

with

CCSS

and

testing

were

that

tests

were

developed

before

standards

could

be

implemented

to

reflect

if

student

knowledge

gained

from

standard

-

based

instruction

aligned

with

assessments

(Laureate

Education,

2014c).

Flanner

y

(2019)

emphasized

how

the

CCSS

must

go

hand

and

hand

with

appropriate

student

assessment

(Flannery,

2019);

this

assures

that

curriculum

provided

reflects

the

end

of

the

year

assessment

goals.

To

level

-

the

-

playing

field

for

all

students,

teachers

must

ens

ure

that

students

are

continuously

meeting

objective

goals

that

will

be

reflected

on

end

of

the

year

assessments;

this

cannot

be

done

if

proper

measurements

of

student

growth

are

not

apart

of

their

on

-

going

evaluation

of

progress

.

For this week’s discussion, the question still arises if adopting a set of standards limits

or improves education for all students. This question will be answered through the lens of a

classroom teacher. Using the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as an example, as a

teacher, I may have mixed emotions towards adopting a set of standards. During the adoption

of CCSS, teachers were not provided with a trial period to measure the effectiveness of CCSS;

this, in turn, did not provide teachers with concrete evidence that the CCSS were designed to

execute their goals intended for student success (Laureate Education, 2014c).

As an educator, I am going to wonder how a set of standards will support the needs of my

English Language Learner (ELL) students. For ELLs, it is imperative that instruction builds upon

students’ academic English and social English. Acquiring knowledge of academic language is

essential for ELLs because it is related to standards-based curriculum in math, science, social

studies, and language arts (Colorín Colorado, n.d.).

For Special Education (SPED) students, I would have to work closely with SPED

teachers to provide instruction that reflects the exceptionalities of my students. Raising

expectations for all students is a positive in that supports must be used to ensure such goals are

attainable for all students. For instance, professional developments can be provided to teachers

where they can learn how to apply instructional strategies that reflect the goal of CCSS and the

needs of students. However, concerns arise in preparation. When adopting a set of standards, an

emphasis on the resources needed for SPED students must be known and accessible to teachers.

Without this, the expectation of wanting all students to be college and career ready may not

follow-through effectively (Laureate Education, 2014a).

I believe the information provided in documents 5 – 8 of this week’s resources provided

reliable sources because as a teacher, I am going to wonder how teaching these standards will

look like in a classroom with ELL or SPED students. Through these resources, I learned how

ELLs academic language can be supported using Tier 2 instruction that promotes higher-order

thinking skills, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills with additional supports

provided in their home language (Laureate Education, 2014b). Additionally, I learned the

importance of collaboration between general education and SPED teachers when ensuring

instruction aligns with students’ academic needs to promote student success.

The next steps I might take to follow up on this information as a teacher would be to

determine what resources are provided to teachers so that they can periodically assess student

achievement throughout the year. With the adoption of CCSS came changes in high stakes

testing. Issues with CCSS and testing were that tests were developed before standards could be

implemented to reflect if student knowledge gained from standard-based instruction aligned with

assessments (Laureate Education, 2014c). Flannery (2019) emphasized how the CCSS must go

hand and hand with appropriate student assessment (Flannery, 2019); this assures that curriculum

provided reflects the end of the year assessment goals. To level-the-playing field for all students,

teachers must ensure that students are continuously meeting objective goals that will be reflected

on end of the year assessments; this cannot be done if proper measurements of student growth

are not apart of their on-going evaluation of progress.