Reply to Why, oh why, do the schools still ask students to read so much fiction?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]
 Anonymous wrote:
So, now the teachers will have to prove they have the kids reading. More regulation and more paperwork--and probably more testing.

It's not rocket science, people!

I can show that I'm teaching reading in my English class b/c I've used their MapR schools and matched levels to outside readings, for example. Or, if we're all doing Romeo and Juliet, doing some background research in leveled groups means that those in the upper reading brackets will be analyzing articles written at a higher level.

It's 
just 
good 
teaching!

Your lessons are evidence of purposeful planning.

my God, folks! - Stop commenting when you have no clue. Ask questions instead.  
 
 
[/quote]

So which non-fiction books are you going to have the kids read?  Remember they have to read more non fiction than fiction.[/quote]

No, that's not the case in English.  According to Common Core, teaching non-fiction also falls on the shoulders of the other content area teachers.  So the 60% is aimed at science, math, social studies, health, art, etc.

Non-fiction is an essay.  It's a speech.  It's a journalism article written in 1945.  I always use supplemental texts - including non-print (art, cartoons, music, videos) - as a way to provide background.  Furthermore, most research resolves around journal articles, primary documents, etc. (non-fiction).  Truman's speech on the bombing of Hiroshima is a brilliant piece to use to introduce argument, which, by the way, is not the same as persuasion.

Here's the problem.  We receive our information through news sources that aren't well researched.  So Suzie Boozie from the Midwest is getting her 10 minutes of fame by bashing the Common Core b/c she can't solve a math problem on a ditto that some lazy teacher xeroxed and distributed.

I'm a teacher in a large school system.  I've also written curriculum frameworks based on the Common Core standards.  So I am familiar with the ELA framework.  I recognize that non-educators don't have the time to comb through the framework.  Unfortunately, most people watch the news and believe everything that's broadcasted or written.  Much of what's out there is inaccurate.

Thankfully, as educators, we're focusing on helping kids develop critical thinking skills.  Sadly, however, I don't often see these skills in action in adults.

Educate yourself, folks - http://mdk12.org/instruction/commoncore/index.html

As a teacher, I'd rather deal with an educated group of parents than those who gravitate toward some slanted news source that airs stories written by poorly trained journalists.[/quote]

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