Monday was a pretty normal day, if you call a day "normal" in a second grade class. It amazes me that even though teachers have free time while the students are at specials, its not really free time. I know that every time our students go to specials we are doing something. Monday I had the opportunity to stand at the copier, making copies of homework for the next two weeks. My CE and I stood there talking like we always do when we are alone. We began to talk about math curriculum in the classroom, and how I am to do it when I begin to student teach.
My CE explained to me that in one of her meets last year that they discussed with all of the second grade teachers to follow the pacing guide and not to worry about mastery. As I hope all of you would feel I was somewhat concerned. Many times we have been told to modify our teaching instruction so that it may reflect what our students need to grow. She told me that they were to follow the pacing guide, and they were told that the students would catch up. My CE then explained that this meeting took place because they were going back and focusing on mastery and not completing the pacing guide that had been planned for them.
As I said this concerns me because it has been drilled in us to make sure the students are picking up what we are throwing out. I explained to my CE that I would have to make sure that mastery is happening in the classroom, as well as following the pacing guide. Standard one of the NCPTS explains that we take responsibility for all students' learning. My CE told me that the people that created the pacing guide that work in the main office have not been in a classroom for a long time, and do not understand that Common Core is so much more in depth than what they were probably teaching in the classroom.
I am reminded of a quote by Ernest Hemingway, "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." Hopefully some of you other student teachers are gaining the knowledge needed to get you through student teaching, so that you are able to apply it to your career. I know now that I am going to have to create lesson plans that not only follow the pacing guide, but remain with what I have been taught and making sure that the students are mastering the skill that is being taught.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteThis is something that really drives me insane. We are supposed to teach our students x amount of information in a given school year and we are praised if we get through it all. For people, like the ones who called the meeting, they don't seem to care if the students understood all of the information, they just want to make sure we "taught" it. We need to be more concerned with learning in the classroom and less getting through the curriculum.
Taylor,
ReplyDeletePowerful words here. I am proud of the way you hare handling this conversation! We can teach the pacing guide all the time - but (as you said), if students are not internalizing the information, what are we really doing? You will need to continue to be "delicate" with this conversation. Be professional but know that mastery of the concepts is your goal.