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Standards and Accountability


In my service learning placement, I would consider mathematics to be the most pivotal subject taught in our fifth grade, as the state standards require every student to display an introductory level of algebra and geometry prior to entering sixth grade. As a result there are more hours dedicated to these subjects. Due to my busy work schedule and my long commute from Salt Lake to Orem, I am only able to help on Monday and Wednesday. The classroom's guidelines for history and social studies are based on memorizing states and capitals, while art is still included with our literature reviews and weekly music instruction. The students display a rigorous understanding and appreciation for science, which I wish I could attend more.

I plan on teaching history and social studies and would consider the state standards compliance pieces to be helpful. If I am teaching at the high school level, I will plan for my students to be prepared for the ACT and/or SAT. With education legislation I had a discussion with my teacher concerning No Child Left Behind and Every Student Succeeds Act. The latter gave more power to the states and less to the federal government, which explains the conservative backlash and a rise in charter schools in Utah. I remembered some parents, among my own family and relatives, coming away with confusion over Common Core, some of which was based on paranoia and conspiracy theories. 

Ideally, I would like to introduce the standards to my students on a weekly basis. However, in my experience, students could not care less on whether grades are standards-based or not, and only want an A. When given the option, they would rather have a good grade than learn something.

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