Common Core State Standards

I chose to focus on the Common Core State Standards for ELA. I think that these standards apply to the general goals of education as it relates to English as a subject matter. It also points out that we, as educators, are trying to develop students who are college and career ready while also being functioning and literate members of a modern society. To me these are the basic goals of education, though they are not the only ones.

I think I can differentiate instruction in order to cater to different learning styles in many ways. For instance, some people will learn better through a video than through listening to audio of a play or story. Also, I believe that students can act out scenes from plays and novels to make them more personal and relevant. While there will always be certain standards to meet, teachers can use their own creativity to foster the creativity of their own students. For instance, required reading versus reading where students have a choice usually represents  a sharp contrast in the interest of the student. Students generally dislike required reading because it is things they have trouble relating to or simply find boring. It is my job to make these required readings and writing activities relevant and exciting. If a story's language or content seems outdated, I need to find a way to make it relevant and exciting to people of all backgrounds in order for them to complete the tasks necessary to meet these standards.