Standards standards standards

Observing in two very different classrooms over the past five months there’s a similarity I’ve noticed. Neither of my CT’s let the TEKS rule their classroom.  They follow the standards that are enforced by the state of Texas and their school but they do so with ease. They’ve mastered incorporating the standards flawlessly. In line with what we’ve talked about last week, having a sound lesson plan and units for the year makes it relatively simple to cover all of the TEKS. Personally, I feel like this will be a challenge in my first year of teaching or so. I think that it comes with having experience and familiarity with the standards. I haven’t explicitly asked my teachers how they view the TEKS and how they make sure they are included in their classroom but I wonder how much of it naturally occurs to them after years of working in public schools and how much of it is a conscious decision they make when they create their units.

            If there was an anonymous look at the standards put in place by the NCTE, Common Core and the TEKS, like a blind taste test of leading cola products, I think it wouldn’t come as any surprise that the NCTE standards were written by actual English teachers. The NCTE standards leave space for flexibility one’s teaching practices. It doesn’t emphasize grammar whatsoever. It focuses on skills linked with creativity and literacy with the goal of personal fulfillment rather than measurable skills like test taking. There is a major disconnect between the standards of NCTE and the TEKS and Common Core. The TEKS exude more of a “teacher-proof” quality. Who wrote these standards? I attempted going on a little Google adventure to find the answer to this question to no avail. The website for the TEKS is as obfuscated as the TEKS themselves are explicit and overly detailed.  I am really curious as to the authorship of the Common Core and the TEKS. I think that knowing who wrote these standards is as important as knowing who wrote the novel you’re reading. It gives you an idea of their motivations and goals behind the standards.  I’m sure my lovely professor or fabulous TA could enlighten me?