Prioritizing Standards for Depth

Last week, we talked about prioritizing vocabulary for instruction. You also likely have a wide range of standards you are expected to teach. In his book, Rigorous Curriculum Design, Larry Ainsworth recommends we do the same with standards.  Prioritize which ones need the most attention.  He provides six criteria to consider:

            ♦  Endurance—Will this standard or indicator provide students knowledge and skills that will endure throughout a student's academic career and professional life? 


            ♦  Leverage—Will this standard provide knowledge and skills that will be of value in multiple disciplines? 


            ♦  Readiness for the next level of learning—Will this standard provide students with essential knowledge and skills that are necessary for success in the next grade level? 


            ♦  School—what students need to know and be able to do at each level of learning. 


            ♦  Life—what students will need to know and be able to do to be successful after the end of school. 


            ♦  Tests—concepts and skills that are most heavily represented on external, high-stakes assessments. (Ainsworth, pp. 53–54) 


How would prioritizing your standards help you improve the depth of your instruction?