Beginning with Standards

Standards based education is a hot topic among educators and this 4-part series produced by the New York City school district to help its teachers, students, and parents with the transition provides an excellent introduction to the concept. Taking the viewer into the classroom, while a teacher's voice-over explains what is happening as methods are being demonstrated, the first volume, Reading and Writing in the Early Grades, focuses on reading and writing skills in kindergarten through second grade. Volume two, Reading and Writing in Elementary School, carries the program through the remainder of elementary school. Volume three, Literacy Across the Middle School Curriculum, shows the program being implemented in the middle school grades in a language arts class as well as a mathematics class. Finally, the fourth volume, A Parent's Primer, provides an introduction to the concept for parents. In addition to doing a solid job of explaining the benefits of the standards based program, the titles include contacts for those who would like additional information. Relevant volumes are recommended for parents and educators exploring this topic as well as college elementary and secondary education programs. Aud: C, P. (L.Stevens)