“Curricula are infinite– they always have been and always will be. Suggestions from anyone on specific content for ‘what every eighth grader should know’ demonstrate an ignorance of how infinite curricula are” (Brown, 2011).

Getting students ready for high school can denote many explanations, and more often than not it is understood as an idea to get students prepared by accomplishing required content standards and standardized tests that in turn ensures their success in high school, and on (Brown, 2011). So, what does “ready” imply and mean to us and other educators? Is it truly what’s best for students? Do we even know what they want and need to know and learn about? Of course, to some extent, we do. But we need to be actively listening to our students more and allowing them to have not only a voice but a say in the content they learn and how they learn it. We as educators generally know what students will be tested on, and while (unfortunately) there is no way out of standardized testing, the process could be made more enjoyable and worthwhile for them. Education shouldn’t be about how much students know and can regurgitate, but rather the meaning behind what they know and learn, and how it can all be applicable to their own lives in some way. Giving the students a responsibility to decide aspects of their curricula strikes me as motivating and I see it as a good practice of “getting the students ready” as it embodies implications of autonomy and personal reflection.