Academic Content
Standards
"Clearly defined statements and/or illustrations of
what all students, teachers, schools and districts are
expected to know and be able to do."
What are these statements? What do they mean? Standards
describe the goals of schooling, the destinations at which
students should arrive at the end of the unit or term. For
example, most standards expect students graduating from
high school to be able to write for different audiences in
different formats -- things such as reports, instructions,
literary criticism, and persuasive and reflective essays --
and to demonstrate a command of standard written English.
Note that the standard doesn't prescribe how to get the
students to this destination -- that is determined by the
curriculum. Standards do not prescribe any particular
curriculum. Standards indicate what students should know
and should be able to do at different grade levels. The
teacher can choose whatever curriculum he or she finds
appropriate to help the students meet the standards.
Standards are the WHAT of education while curriculum
and instruction are the HOW.
For more on Academic Standards, please click here.