Standard-Based Enviroments

Dear Mark,

It's very stressful for all new teachers to design a standard-based classroom or so they think. Once you stand back and look at your room I am sure you are already well on your way to have a successful standard-based classroom. Here are some key factors in ensuring that you are providing your students with a standard-based classroom:

• You need t0 know how to access the standards. Here in MCSD we use the MCSD website (www.mcsdga.net) and click on the link For Staff. Then click on the GA Performance Standard link, subject and grade level. Hint if you are wanting to copy & paste the standards make sure you click on the I looking icon at the top or else it want let you select what you want.
• Once you have located to standards you need to print several copies so that you can use them when creating lesson plans. It's very simple to copy, cut & paste the standards from the website into your lesson plans. I can come by and show you how.
• Use one of the list of standards you printed as a checklist to check off the standards as your students master them.
• Make sure you post all of the standards so that your students are aware of what standard they are learning. (Here are some ways to post them: power point if you have an aver key or smart board, on chart tablets (takes awhile to make), or magnetic sentence strips to go on the whiteboard.
• Always begin and end each lesson with discussions on the standard(s) you are covering. Explain what each standard means and why it's important for the students to learn and most importantly relate the standard to the students.
• Assess the students only on the standards that were taught.
• Make sure that you make learning fun and meaningful with using the standards.

I hope that I have been helpful. Let me know if you need any more help or if you would like for me to come to your room to help you set your classroom up for a successful standard-based environment.

We are all so happy to have you here.

Your Friend,

Lindsay Luther