Presentation for Professional Journal Article Critique By Ryan A. Kay

Critique on Article titled: Helping High Schools Meet Higher Standards By Kathryn H. AU Background information on the author The author is founder and chief executive officer of SchoolRise. The author gives the strong impression that she is an expert on educational standards-based reforms in high schools in the United States of America. The author states that she is a literacy educator and researcher.

General information about this Article The topic of this article is centered on how high schools should transition into implementing the new standards set by Common Core and related recommended academic standards that focuses on promoting career and college readiness. This article outlines how the principal, teachers, and the liaison team members should work together to make the necessary changes in order for the students to be successful in meeting the goals and standards set fourth by the Common Core.

Author’s main idea and key points Rising Standards The author states that the article is “to comment on the U.S. policy environment under college and career readiness and the Common Core and to offer recommendations about how high school literacy leaders such as the principals, curriculum coordinators, department chairs, resource teachers, and others can help students and teachers alike meet ever-rising standards The author describes and explains that her team’s research shows that for the high school to succeed in most have a strong infrastructure that consists of a “supportive principal, a key curriculum leader, and a liaison team Three Pillars The author describes three pillars and steps to effectively position “high schools to meet the rigorous expectations of college and career readiness and the Common Core

How the article is relevant to teaching in general The article is relevant because it discusses what teachers need to do to meet the new academic standards, goals, and objectives that are being placed on the students as a measure of their current and future academic success. It discusses what teachers need to do to be successful in creating a collaborative teaching environment which allows them to successfully implement strategies to promote student academic success. The article emphasizes the total buy in needed from all high school teachers regardless of subjects taught for the school to meet the expectations of college and career readiness that their students need to meet. It also gives keys to how the teachers can be successful in the implementation of the new Common Core standards.

How the article relates to your field experience The article foreshadows what my high school and eventually every high school in Michigan must adhere to in order to be successful in getting our students to be proficient in meeting these new academic standards outlined by the Common Core educational initiative. In my high school for example, we are being asked to in our professional learning communities that are divided into us teachers and the subject area in which we teach. In my social studies PLC we collaborate on how we can incorporate more effective reading and writing exercises into our daily and weekly teachings. We have used strategies and reading and writing tasks such as guided highlighted reading, writing tracker, opposing viewpoint responses, and more in order to not be so content driven in our instruction and teachings. My high school also has a school improvement team that oversees our professional learning community and monitors us teachers to make sure we have proof and evidence that we document in blackboard of our students close and critical reading samples.

Strengths of the author’s main points Outline of Success Examples of what to do Good background info The author does give a strong outline of what schools need to be successful in meeting the standards of the Common Core initiatives. She also gives examples of what to do and not to do in order for teachers to effectively implement these changes to their teachings of the students in the classroom. The author gives good background information to why these changes are happening and why teachers need to take Common Core seriously and to modify how we teach.

Weaknesses of the author’s main points or support The author like many self-proclaimed educational reform experts fails to give advice and guidance to teachers. An example is, if a high school does not have an effective leader as a principal then what can teachers do to overcome that obstacle in order to be successful meeting these Common Core learning standards. She also fails to mention what are the consequences of high schools and teachers if students do not meet the new standards of academic proficiency under Common Core. The author talks about educational policy and advocates what high schools must do but she does not give a manual for success but she instead gives a not so highly detailed road map for success. Teachers, administrators, and local school boards need very specific instructions on what students need to do in order to meet the academic expectations that are being placed on them.

Examples of how the author supported her main points The authors refers to her home state of Hawaii and specifically a suburban Hawaii high school. She also mentions the three versions of the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and how the high schools in Hawaii uses the HCPS to “reflect incremental improvements than major shifts” in implementing the Common Core Standards. The author refers to working with teachers but does not give specific information on how much actual time that she has worked with high school teachers and staff in implementing these Common Core standards. She does give some examples of what she did with teachers in order for them to understand how and why these standards should be meet by the students by doing various learning activities.

What I learned from this article I learned that us teachers who like it or not, must be prepared to implement Common Core fully in our high schools by changing the way we teach regardless of subject being taught. I am even more aware of the fact that I and my fellow teachers will be held accountable by our student’s success in meeting these Common Core standards. The article also gave me information on what my high school can attempt to do in order for us to make a smooth transition into Common Core.