I decided to read the detailed English Language Arts Standards as created by the IRA as it plays a role in the Lesson Plans Portfolio. I also felt it should be read to see what was so different about these standards that I did not already know or use in my own lesson plans. My eyes were opened! Included in this document are 12 standards that should be considered by the teacher in the English Language Arts department. The standards go beyond the basic ideas of set induction, evaluation and strategies. It delves deeper into the objectives of a lesson with great focus on guiding and improving students' abilities.
The IRA standards have challenged my lesson planning to go beyond the taxonomies of Bloom and Krathwohl. While reading it I began to reflect on my lessons and the level at which they met any of the 12 standards and I must admit that they came up a bit short. For instance, standards 1 and 2 discuss the range of materials that students should read and I know that this is rarely met as the focus tends to be narrowed to the given texts. In some cases little exposure to material outside of the prescribed texts occurs. The reality is that many of the 12 standards are not purposely thought of or even developed in lessons.
I realised, from this reading, that lessons need to be better planned and students need to be challenged and exposed to a variety of readings, activities etc. if we are to truly prepare them for success beyond the classroom. One problem I believe is the treatment of subjects as separate entities. There is generally little collaboration across subject areas and curricula. For instance, an English teacher may not give an assignment which requires detailed research as say a History project .This limitation may prevent such standards as 7 and 8 being met in her classroom.
Essential to accomplishing the standards is the collaboration of subject teachers in planning curricula delivery. What do you think?
I believe that in looking at these standards we must also take into consideration our local context. While they are indeed beneficial, I think that in order for them to be effective in T&T, our curriculum must be downsized to facilitate and inculcate a love for Reading that goes beyond the aesthetic, especially in the primary grades. Most of the teaching done in the primary grades is done under the pressure of an over crowded curriculum, with little room to maneuver elsewhere. I am guessing that it may be the same at the secondary level, hence the reason for teachers narrowing the focus to the given text.
ReplyDeleteWhen you read the IRA Standards however,especially 1 & 2, there is a sense of teachers joyfully having the time to really nurture a love for reading in their students, in all its different dimensions.
With respect to treating subjects as separate entities, we cannot deny that in most secondary schools, there is a reluctance on the part of most teachers to collaborate across subject areas. However, many primary school teachers, especially if they teach infants and juniors, will relate how they find it necessary to integrate reading with other subject areas such as social studies and science, particularly if their students are below their standard/grade level in literacy development.
ReplyDeleteAt the secondary school where I teach,the English department has in the past, collaborated with the modern studies, visual art, music and drama departments with pleasing results. For example,as an English teacher, I have successfully staged calypso competitions where many of the items performed were composed in my class sessions. The topics were based on social studies content and the music teacher supported by "lending" me the music room where I could use its facilities to assist the students with their melodies and musical arrangements. The tape-recorded arrangements were then passed on to the Trinidad and Tobago Prisons Officers Band, who provided the musical accompaniment for the competition. In spite of these successful endeavours, getting all teaching staff to plan programmes of work and lessons collaboratively, continues to be an uphill battle. Could this be a reflection of teacher insularity? This has no place in education. If the status quo persists, IRA standards 7 and 8 may as well be thrown out the window at the students' expense.
I have read the IRA standards for English Language Arts which seem to place a great deal of emphasis on the development of critical thinking skills. For far too long our teachers operated as the sage on the stage (the repository of knowledge) instead of creating an environment where students were encouraged to find answers to questions. However within recent times there has been a shift towards recognising the importance of developing the critical thinking skills of gathering, analysis, and interpretation of data etc. This change I believe is reflected in the different curricula in the secondary schools.
ReplyDelete