Letter From The Principal: On Standards

Editor's Note: Patch publishes the weekly or monthly letters from Parkway School district principals with permission.

“Standards drive critical elements of the American educational system—the curricula that schools follow, the textbooks students read, and the tests they take. Similarly, standards establish the levels of performance that students, teachers, and schools are expected to meet.” (Partnership for 21^st Century Skills Common Core Toolkit)

As a parent, do you know what educators and the media are referring to when “standards” for learning are referenced? “These learning goals or standards should stipulate precisely what students should know and be able to do as a result of their learning experience.” (Thomas R. Guskey, “Helping Standards Make the Grade”)

Take for example this 8^th grade Common Core Writing Standard: [Students will know and be able to . . . ] Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Most standards are often written in a general or vague format and need to be broken down or “unpacked.”

In many respects, this is similar to the recipes my grandmother would share with me. Since her recipes were not written down, she would give me general amounts of ingredients—a pinch of this, a pinch of that—and if the recipe called for baking, there usually wasn’t a time written down. I had my memory of her cooking that made clear to me what the “standard” of perfection should look and taste like, but getting there was (and continues to be) a challenge.

Now, look at the same 8^th grade writing standard that I shared with you. Notice how this time, it has been “unpacked” to provide the learner more guidance for achieving this standard:

The learner will write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. [To do this . . . ] The learner will introduce claims from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

Ree Drummond, also known as the Pioneer Woman, is the exact opposite of my grandmother. Where my grandmother was a bit vague on measurements and cooking times, Ree is specific and she goes into great detail as she “unpacks” and breaks down her recipes for achieving the “standard.” Check out her recipe for Spicy Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms!

Standards make clear what students should know and be able to do as a result of their learning, but these standards should be considered the “floor rather than the ceiling.” Meeting standards demonstrates proficiency, but moving beyond proficiency should be a goal for us all.

After all, when I cook recipes—whether they are my grandmother’s or a professional cook’s—it is always a challenge for me to “put my own spin” on the recipe and “make it my own.”

Let’s support and encourage your child in not only meeting the standard, but exceeding these expectations!

Next week I will share the differences between norm-referenced standards and criterion-referenced standards.

Let’s have a great week of learning!