Massachusetts Department of Education

Appendix D. Criteria for Evaluating Instructional Materials and Programs²

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  your style as a teacher, and how you might want to choose materials and strategies;
  
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  who your students are, and what they want to learn;
  
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  how to pull together materials that will help you meet your objectives.
  

Remember that one bad day in the classroom or one frustrated student does not make you a bad teacher.

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  How would you describe your relationship with your students?
  
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  What expectations do you have about your students’ readiness to learn? Are your expectations realistic?
  
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  Do you know your students’ study habits? Have you talked with them about the things they need to do outside of regular class sessions?
  
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  Have you been direct and honest with students about how long it will take them to reach their goals?
  
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  Do you think you have students who will never reach the goals they have set for themselves? How do you handle this?
  

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, only honest and dishonest ones. These are the kinds of issues that will affect the climate of your classroom and your students’ progress; too often, we don’t consider them until we’re faced with a dilemma. Taking the time to think about your expectations before a problem arises will help you to handle difficulties more calmly and professionally. Once you’ve taken the time to figure out your own approach to teaching the language arts, you need to consider the needs, expectations, and beliefs your students bring to the classroom. Try answering the questions above as you think your students would answer them, then ask yourself these additional questions.

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  What are my students’ approaches to learning? Do they have both short-term and long-term goals?
  
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  How long have these students been out of school? How do they describe their past school experiences?
  

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  What do you think your students need to learn?
  
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  What do your students think they need to learn?
  
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  What kinds of materials are you comfortable using?
  

Although your students are in your class because of their general skill level, each of them will have a different profile of strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know those profiles will help you make decisions about the skills you want to focus on in your class.

Likewise, students may have some very specific reasons for attending your class beyond the general improvement of their literacy or their desire to earn a credential. The more you can address your students’ specific goals, the more motivated and open they will be. Your attentiveness to and respect for their goals will help you establish a level of trust that will allow your students to move beyond their comfort zone, helping them to take the risks necessary for significant strides in learning.
Finally, consider what materials you are comfortable using. Do you want worksheets, or do you prefer to make up questions yourself? What kinds of readings will your students do? What language or situations, if any, would make your students uncomfortable in a classroom setting? You also need to consider what materials your program makes available to you, and how much time you have to look for additional materials. A mix of materials and teaching strategies is often helpful in teaching students with different learning styles.
These questions are a jumping off point. Planning and implementing curriculum will challenge and occasionally frustrate you, but as was noted in the previous section, when your lesson takes off and your students get more involved and excited than you ever would have hoped, you will find that the effort has been worthwhile.

Appendix E. Massachusetts Common Core of Learning³

The Massachusetts Common Core of Learning supports all Department of Education curriculum development efforts, including both K-12 and Adult Basic Education. To quote from the Massachusetts Department of Education website, “The Education Reform Act of 1993 called for statewide curriculum frameworks and learning standards for all students in all core academic subjects. During the first year of Education Reform (1994), the Common Core of Learning was developed to identify the broad educational goals for all students.”

Thinking and Communicating

Read, Write and Communicate Effectively

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  Read and listen critically for information, understanding, and enjoyment.
  
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  Write and speak clearly, factually, persuasively, and creatively in standard English.
  
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  Distinguish fact from opinion, identify stereotyping, and recognize bias.
  
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  Read, write, and converse in at least one language in addition to English.
  

Use Mathematics, the Arts, Computers and Other Technologies Effectively

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  Apply mathematical skills to interpret information and solve problems.
  
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  Use the arts to explore and express ideas, feelings, and beliefs.
  
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  Use computers and other technologies to obtain, organize, and communicate information and to solve problems.
  

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  Make careful observations and ask pertinent questions.
  
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  Seek, select, organize, and present information from a variety of sources.
  
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  Analyze, interpret, and evaluate information.
  
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  Make reasoned inferences and construct logical arguments.
  
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  Develop, test, and evaluate possible solutions.
  
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  Develop and present conclusions through speaking, writing, artistic, and other means of expression.
  

Gaining and Applying Knowledge

Acquire, Integrate and Apply Essential Knowledge

Literature and Language

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  Read a rich variety of literary works including fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction from different time periods and cultures, relating them to human aspirations and life experiences.
  
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  Analyze implications of literary works, and communicate them through speaking, writing, artistic, and other means of expression.
  
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  Know and understand the development and structure of English and other languages and how learning another language fosters appreciation of peoples and cultures.
  

Mathematics, Science, and Technology

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  Know and understand major mathematical concepts such as measurement, estimation, quantity, probability, and statistics; and explore the relationship of mathematics to other areas of knowledge.
  
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  Recognize and use patterns, construct mathematical models, represent and reason about quantities and shapes, draw accurate conclusions from data, and solve, justify, and communicate solutions to problems.
  
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  Apply the fundamental principles of the life sciences, physical sciences, earth/space sciences, and the science of technology to analyze problems and relate them to human concerns and life experiences.
  
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  Investigate and demonstrate methods of scientific inquiry and experimentation.
  

Social Studies, History and Geography

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  Know and make connections among important historical events, themes, and issues; recognize the role the past has played in shaping the present; and understand the process by which individuals and groups develop and work within political, social, economic, cultural, and geographic contexts.
  
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  Synthesize and communicate information about important events and fundamental concepts in Massachusetts, United States and world history, including historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers, and the Gettysburg Address.
  
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  Know important information regarding the physical environment and understand concepts such as location and place, critical features of a region, demographic trends and patterns, and the relationship between people and the environment.
  

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  Know and understand the nature of the creative process, the characteristics of visual art, music, dance, and theatre, and their importance in shaping and reflecting historical and cultural heritage.
  
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  Analyze and make informed judgments regarding the arts.
  
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  Develop skills and participate in the arts for personal growth and enjoyment.
  

Health

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  Know basic concepts of human development, mental health, sexuality, parenting, physical education and fitness, nutrition and disease prevention, and understand the implications of health habits for self and society.
  
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  Make informed and responsible judgments regarding personal health, including avoidance of violence, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, teen pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases.
  
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  Develop skills and participate in physical activities for personal growth, fitness, and enjoyment.