1、Preview Discussion1.What are your favorite memories of schools?What are the least favorite memories?2.Do you believe there should be a national curriculum for public schools?Why or why not?3.Judging by the title,what do you expect to read in this article?Fast ReadingSkim the text and pay special att
2、ention to the transitions among paragraphs.Consider what questions to come up with.e.g.What does“they”in S 1 of para.2 refer to?Try to list as many questions as possible.Q&AIdentifying and Summarizing Key PointsRead the text and finish Exercise II.The History of Common Core State StandardsTimePeople
3、/InstitutionAction/Opinion Results/Effects1990s1.U.S.SenateVoted 99 to 12.Against a set of national history standardsGeorge W.BushNo Child Left Behind2006-2007Arizona Gov.Janet NapolitanoWrote an initiative3.Having a strong focus on improving math,science education and the workforceThe History of Co
4、mmon Core State StandardsTime People/Institution Action/Opinion Results/Effects2008 Janet Napolitano Created a task force and released a report4.Serving as the building blocks of the Common Core State Standard and being adopted by 45 states and the District of ColumbiaRick HessMade comments5.The des
5、ire to correct the mistake of No Child Left Behind led to the creation of the Common CoreThe History of Common Core State StandardsTime People/Institution Action/OpinionResults/Effects2008NGA,CCSSO,AchieveProponentsMake sure the goals became a realityLinnCommentsIRA,NCTM,AFT,NEAGave inputMathematics
6、 Teachers from AFTGave feedback6.Input being taken very seriously in helping inform the revision of the standardsDemocrats and Republicans7.Expressed concerns with the standardsThe History of Common Core State StandardsTime People/Institution Action/OpinionResults/Effects20128.The Democratic nationa
7、l Platform in 2012Referenced the Common Core with encouraging states to 9.raise their standardsSupport from the White House hasnt actually helped.2013Barack ObamaTip-toed around the plan in his 2013 State of the Union Address10.Served as fodder for the federal overreach debateReading for Specific De
8、tailsRead the text again and finish Exercise III.Reflecting on Key PointsGeneral speaking,the support from central government to a specific set of standards will be very helpful in its implementation.Why do you think the author mentioned“the backlash and cries of government overreach”and used the te
9、rm“political football”?Group DiscussionWho should make decisions about educationParents?Professional educators?Elected officials?Specially appointed experts?Or the students themselves?Read the statements below and discuss the pros and cons of each.With whom do you agree?1.Parents:“They are our kids.
10、We know what is best for them.We should decide what they learn and how they are taught.”2.Teachers:“What do parents know?We are the ones with the special training.We should make the decisions.”3.Government officials:“We have the best view of the issues.We know the budget,and we understand the laws a
11、nd how they apply.Only we can make the best decisions.”4.University experts:“We have studied the problems and done the research.We should be consulted before any decisions are made.”5.Students:“It is our lives and education that are at stake.No decisions should be made without our advice and agreeme
12、nt.”Group Discussion Read through the two Text B entitled“Who Is Fighting for Common Core?”and“Who Is Fighting Against Common Core?”respectively.Taking into consideration the key points from either article,discuss your stance.Based on your discussion,write a thesis statement(in no more than 2 sentences)and list evidence to use.
