Common Core State Standards for Reading

I studied the reading literature and informational text standards for 8^th grade to get a deeper understanding of what each standard entailed and if the students in my classroom were up to par with the standards. I also read over the reading foundational skills for 5^th grade (the highest grade standard).

First off, I want to say that I am a fan of Common Core State Standards. I believe that schools all around the country should strive to meet similar goals. It would be convenient for students to move to a different state and not be far behind or ahead in the curriculum (easier on the teacher too). I also believe that the standards are broad enough that a number of classrooms can be at different levels of understanding while achieving the standard. Like the website states, “Teachers are thus free to provide students with whatever tools and knowledge their professional judgment and experience identify as most helpful for meeting the goals set out in the Standards.” Not all teachers are created equal. Some teachers will help their students to achieve the higher end of the standard, while other teachers reach the lower end. The gaps in the standard can be positive or negative depending on the work ethic of the teacher.

Reading, in my opinion, is the most effective way to gain knowledge. Looking over the reading standards, I was impressed to see the word “analyze” in almost every single one. This verb tells us that students should not just read, but they should reflect, examine and make connections to what they read. This skill is essential for citizens who live in the real world (real world meaning to have a job, or important responsibility.)

In the CCSS I also ran across some things I did not like. One in particular is the goal learners are supposed to meet by the end of the year. For 8^th graders, they are to read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of their grades text complexity band. I am not totally sure of what a complexity band is, but I do know that each book in a school library shows what reading level it is. Just because a student is in 8^th grade does not mean they are incompetent if they have trouble reading 8^th grade level books. The books are given a reading level based on the level of diction it uses. There is more to a fiction novels than vocabulary. Books at a 5^th grade reading level contain complex situations that cause the reader to think of a solution. These books can be about characters that are older than ten and experience problems that 13 and 14-year-olds do.  I am new to the whole education field but I hope the tools that are used for determining whether a student is with the standard are not solely measured by vocabulary.