Standards, as Wong and Wong (2010) say, “form the core or backbone of the curriculum.” So, if you think of the curriculum as a body, standards are the skeleton on which everything else is built. It provides a solid structure to add on to and ensures that no matter how different classrooms might appear to be on the surface, they have the shared goals and are teaching the same information. Continuing with this metaphor, you could say that instructional objectives are the muscles of the body; they put the standards into action. Finally, …show more content…
276) and using a rubric or scoring guide goes a long way to doing just that. It clearly communicates to the students what is expected and how they will be evaluated, which allows them to make mindful choices about how they want to approach and complete assigned tasks. The goal of teaching is not to present students with trick questions or to surprise them with off-the-wall expectations, but to “help [them] discover the joy and fulfillment associated with learning” (p. 277) which is extremely difficult to do if they are constantly worried about and wondering how they can succeed. Another benefit of using rubrics and scoring guides is that they ensure the teacher is as fair as possible when grading student work. By evaluating assignments based on a straightforward, clear rubric the chances of a teacher’s personal feelings about a student impacting how they view the assignment is mitigated and kept in …show more content…
One of my favorite ways to use technology to engage students is through videos and songs to help them grasp difficult or unfamiliar concepts; this could be a rap about the Pythagorean theorem or a short film on life in Nazi Germany during World War II. Providing students with visual and auditory input in addition to traditional learning styles allows children of multiple intelligences to find aspects of the lesson they connect with and use that as a basis for their understanding. Another way that technology can be used in the classroom is through taking virtual field trips to far away places. Many museums around the world are now offering the opportunity to walk through their exhibits and experience everything they have to offer without ever leaving the school grounds. This is a great option for schools that are limited in the funds they have to take elaborate field trips or who are located in a community without art galleries and museums to take their students to. Finally, having students create their own videos, podcasts, songs, websites, or any other final product that is recorded and can be shared electronically can use technology. Turning the tables and placing students in the position to produce something using their imagination gives them a chance to work with their creativity and problem-solving skills while also making them consider