One of the UDL guidelines encourages teachers to heighten the salience of goals and objectives with all students (Guideline 8.1). Although it’s scary to be transparent and share standards with students, it sends them a powerful message that you value them as learners, that you trust them to keep you accountable, and that you believe they deserve to know about their education.
At the beginning of the every school year, I provide my students with a copy of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). After each unit, we take out the CCSS, I make my argument about which standards we’ve covered, and then students grade the quality of my instruction. To do this, I turn the standards into “I Can” statements, and if students “can’t,” then I fail. It’s as simple as that. Although this practice may seem terrifying, it’s an awesome opportunity to incorporate the CCSS into your practice.
From the very first unit, scaffold the type of responses you’re looking for and use your feedback sessions as opportunities to teach additional standards. For example, when I make my case for the standards I’ve taught, students must “evaluate the soundness of my reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence” (CCSS,SL7.3) before they assign a grade. When they choose a grade and write comments, they must “establish and maintain a formal style” (CCSS, W7.1d) and use “logical reasoning and relevant evidence” (CCSS W7.1b). Each time students give feedback, I can use the authentic experience as a teaching moment.
Sharing standards with students doesn’t just make you accountable, it gives you an opportunity to teach them how to have a voice, advocate for themselves, and evaluate the quality of their education. That’s a lesson they will never forget.
Learn More!
- For information on all the UDL guidelines: http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
- For Common Core information: www.corestandards.org
- Dive Deeper and read UDL Now!
- Explore our flex-paced and facilitated, universally designed online courses
