| Higher
standards:
Why
we
need
them
and
what
they
look
like
The
buzzwords
in
schools
across
the
nation
are
"higher
learning
standards."
Who
wouldn’t
agree
with
that
idea?
As
professionals,
business
owners,
workers
and
parents,
we
all
want
today’s
students
to
be
prepared
for
what
awaits
them
after
graduation.
We
all
see
the
value
of
matching
school
standards
to
the
demands
of
today’s
world.
But
what
happens
when
it
is
your
son
who
works
hard
in
Global
History,
yet
scores
a
failing
62
on
the
Regents
exam?
What
happens
when
it
is
your
daughter
who
is
putting
in
many
hours
and
still
not
keeping
up
in
English?
What
happens
when
it
is
your
teenager
who
needs
an
extra
year
to
pass
the
tests
and
graduate?
In
moments
when
you
wonder
why
your
son
or
daughter
must
struggle
in
ways
you
never
did,
remember
this
is
not
high
school
as
you
experienced
it,
nor
will
it
be
the
job
market
you
faced
upon
graduation.
Our
children’s
future
High
school
is
not
a
job
training
ground,
but
it
is
where
basic
skills
and
bodies
of
knowledge
create
a
solid
foundation
for
future
growth.
"Basic"
is
a
deceptive
word,
however.
In
the
world
today’s
children
are
entering,
understanding
computer
languages,
foreign
languages
and
high-level
mathematics
is
considered
"basic."
The
ability
to
synthesize
current
events,
scientific
data
and
the
written
word
is
fundamental.
Problem
solvers,
independent
thinkers,
people
who
possess
an
understanding
of
the
physical
and
social
world
around
them...these
are
the
qualities
that
define
the
ideal
citizens
of
the
21st
Century.
Jobs
that
require
college
degrees
and
professional
certificates
consume
an
ever-growing
portion
of
the
market.
Opportunities
for
less-educated
workers
are
mainly
in
the
service
industry,
where
it
takes
at
least
two
full-time
jobs
to
equal
the
pay
of
one
professional
position.
Educators
who
shaped
New
York
State’s
learning
standards
knew
all
this
when
they
pushed
forward
and
instituted
higher
graduation
requirements
for
all
students.
Higher
standards
in
the
classroom
Today’s
learning
standards
are
divided
into
two
groups:
content
and
performance
standards.
The
first
tells
us
what
students
should
know,
understand,
and
be
able
to
do.
The
latter
sets
acceptable
levels
of
acheivement.
In
practice,
these
standards
mean
much
higher
levels
of
participation
and
persistence
than
ever
before.
When
you
were
in
school,
you
probably
remember
using
primarily
two
sources
of
information:
the
teacher
and
the
textbook.
By
contrast,
today’s
students
are
turning
to
the
Internet,
personal
interviews,
newspaper
articles,
broadcast
events,
technical
manuals,
professional
journals,
public
documents,
and
more.
In
social
studies,
they
might
read
the
original
Declaration
of
Independence
from
the
1700s
along
with
the
Magna
Carta
from
the
1200s
and
make
comparisons
between
the
histories
of
separate
continents
and
separate
centuries.
They’re
drawing
conclusions
about
the
significance
of
prior
events
to
predict
future
trends.
They’re
accomplishing
this
independently
or
in
cooperative
groups
without
the
crutch
of
a
publisher’s
textbook
summary.
In
other
words,
they
are
thinking
for
themselves
rather
than
relying
on
others
to
do
it
for
them.
Not
only
have
classroom
expectations
changed,
so
too
have
the
means
to
measure
student
performance.
Whereas
high
school
grades
were
once
based
almost
exclusively
on
test
scores
and
papers,
students
today
may
be
required
to
design
a
database
or
spreadsheet,
provide
a
live
demonstration
of
their
skills,
or
submit
elaborate
projects
complete
with
charts,
graphs,
and
artistic
renderings.
Across
the
subject
areas
-
math,
science,
English/language
arts,
social
studies,
the
arts,
foreign
languages
and
physical
education
-
students
are
being
asked
to
analyze
and
interpret
information
electronically,
on
paper
and
in
practical
situations.
They’re
participating
in,
and
showing
mastery
of,
experiences
that
were
never
imagined
in
schools
20
years
ago.
What
can
I
do?
So
what
can
parents
do
to
help
their
sons
and
daughters
succeed
in
this
world
of
higher
learning
standards?
Of
course,
students
should
establish
a
good
record
of
school
attendance
and
healthy
patterns
of
eating,
sleeping
and
socializing,
but
there
are
other
steps
you
and
your
teen
can
take
together.
- Become
familiar
with
New
York
State’s
learning
standards.
They
are
available
at
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/home.html.
- Turn
to
a
guidance
counselor
to
understand
graduation
requirements
early
on.
- Ask
your
child’s
teachers
how
they
are
incorporating
learning
standards
into
the
curriculum.
Throughout
high
school,
individual
standards
are
hit
at
different
times
with
varying
expectations
for
performance.
- Treat
all
homework,
quizzes
and
tests
as
practice
for
Regents
exams
and
for
life.
They
are
significant
and
cover
content
and
skills
necessary
to
be
successful.
- Emphasize
the
importance
of
following
instructions,
listening,
observing,
paying
attention
to
detail
and
managing
time.
Show
your
teen
how
you
use
these
same
skills
in
your
work
and
personal
life.
- Remember
that
struggling
with
a
task
is
not
necessarily
a
bad
thing.
But
when
your
teen
does
struggle,
be
there
to
provide
encouragement
and
support.
Back to
previous page
|
