Ch. 3-5

The point that meant the most to me in these chapters was the DO, KNOW, BE idea. It shows what being a teacher is truly about. It is not just about the students knowing what the curriculum says, and being able to tell you about it, but it is what they do with it. It is very encouraging to read about it and see that it is possible to make that much of a difference. Having such a goal in mind makes any lesson planned more powerful because there is a true purpose besides just passing a test. If the teacher has a passion or drive for the topic, the students in turn are more excited about it, see the reason for learning and how it applies to them, which makes it easier for them to connect to. Through this I see the greater reason for having a "so what" to all things done. Having the students connect things learned, or what they will learn to other things would be a good way of grabbing their interest and giving them ownership of the information.
In decoding and analyzing standards, I like how they put it into the DO/KNOW/BE format where KNOW are nouns, DO are verbs, and BE is attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Going through standards in that way seems much more beneficial in the long run for the students, because it would be easier to see what is important for the teacher. Knowing what the standards are really asking and what parts are most important is essential to teaching effectively.
It makes sense to teach units and assess in the way the book states in chapter five. Having things cross subject matters connects the information in a real life setting, while covering more material at one time. It seems like it would be more difficult at first setting up these units and assessments, but once you have them, they can be used interchangeably with small adjustments to fit the needs of the current assignment. Having the entire day of learning connecting and working together toward a common, known goal allows for topics to be discussed at greater depth, while still covering the information needed. I believe that using the discussed format to teach from would instill a greater purpose in the students and motivate them to learn, because they are interested, not just to pass a test.