CCSS Reading

As this was my first exposure to CCSS, I want to communicate my initial feeling: happiness.

It made me exceedingly happy to see that, while there are standardizations, it isn't to where a particular state thinks the standard should be, but where the greater world says a student should be if he/she is to be ready for college. I remember feeling under prepared for college after high school, not because of workload, but because of the heaviness of the reading. I enjoy reading, but not court or law dispositions and I was never asked to in high school.

This also helps the teacher answer the "Why?" question. "Why do we have to read a Supreme Court decision?" "Why do we have to read 1984?" It will be nice to be able to communicate these things the first few days of school and say: "This is why. Your future depends on it."

It goes back to what I said in my last post. Five years after graduating, I don't care if they can tell me all about a story we read in class if they don't have the tools to be a better, well-informed, respective citizen. Preparation for life should be our main goal, and I am glad that the CCSS explains that so explicitly.