Bringing Joy Back to Teaching

As Common Core Standards roll into our classrooms next year, a lot will change. That’s a good thing, trust me.

For the past few years, our California education system has been focused on trying to cram a ton of information into kids. Much of the information has been presented long before the child is capable of understanding the complex concepts being taught. To make matters worse, the state standards have forced teachers to move much too quickly through concepts, resulting in frustration for everyone. But that’s all about to change!

Soon, teachers will have room to breathe. Students won’t be required to know as many standards but will be expected to learn concepts to a deeper level of understanding. Fidelity to the curriculum/textbook may not be as important anymore. Teachers will be asked to work with their peers to ensure that lessons are more meaningful, yet still rigorous.  And do I dare say it?  Lessons will become once again thematic in nature. *claps hands in giddy delight before jumping on a soapbox* Listen up people. Life doesn’t happen in nice, neat, vacuum-sealed packages labeled with subject areas. Why should school be divided into orderly, hour-long isolated learning sessions? Enough said. *jumps off soapbox*

Now, it’s time to rethink how we teach. If our ultimate goal is to build a highly literate society of learners, capable of critical thinking, who are prepared to be tomorrow’s responsible leaders . . . then we’ve got a lot of work to do.

Students should end each day feeling competent in the skills they’ve learned, understand how and when to apply the skill, and why it’s necessary to master it in the first place. Nearly every job requires reading, writing, math, problem-solving, conflict-resolution, and inquiry and investigation skills. It’s up to teachers to build situations in which students must work collaboratively, as well as independently, to apply the skills they’ve learned to an unpredictable real-world situation.

I’m spending the rest of this year analyzing the assignments and lessons I give. I admit. I’m a lazy teacher from time to time. Worksheets are nice when you’re feeling a tad under the weather, but they don’t make for meaningful and relevant learning experiences. So as I ponder all this, I’m using a simple form to help me evaluate the quality of my assignments and lessons. Here is the essence of that form.

1. Is this assignment appropriate for the rigor of my particular grade level?
2. What do I want my students to learn academically?
3. What do I want my students to learn socially, emotionally, or physically?
4. What different subject areas can be embedded, combined and addressed in this lesson?
5. Does it require a multitude of skills to complete the assignment?
6. Does the assignment ask students to work together collaboratively or problem solve?
7. Does the completed assignment include an artistic or creative element?
8. Do the completed assignments match my expectations?
9. Do the completed assignments show a deeper level of understanding or analysis of the standards?
10. If not, can the assignment be adapted to make it a more meaningful assignment?

Let's pretend we're teaching a 1st grade unit about fall. Sorry my friends, but coloring pictures of leaves for fall is not a lesson in and of itself. Students could read fictional stories about fall and then read non-fiction articles about why leaves change colors and fall off trees. Students could sift through and classify actual leaves and study them under a microscrope. Which would in turn lead to further study of the colors of fall and how to artistically represent the leaves. Students could then brainstorm about the signs of fall and what happens during the season, which would lead to the making of a giant tree on the bulletin board. Each student could then write a personal narrative or an expository paragraph on a leaf. The possibilities are endless BUT the rigor must be appropriate for the grade which you teach. Leaf rubbings might be appropriate for kinder or first grade. Not for 5th. You get the idea, right?


So have fun with it. Brainstorm ideas with your friends. Glean ideas from the internet. Just make sure your assignments are rigorous, integrated, and meaningful experiences. Leave your ideas in the comments to share with new friends.