Close reading of Common Core

I am doing my close reading on the Craft and Structure portion for 11-12 grades of the Reading Standards for Literature 6-12. The section I am doing is found on page 38.

Significance:
The one thing that jumped out as being made significant is the work of William Shakespeare. The Common Core says in parentheses to include "Shakespeare as well as other authors." Clearly, Shakespeare is significant because he is named and singled out as a significant author to examine when looking at "language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful." Also, that very quote places significance on how language should be noticed. Language should be "fresh, engaging, or beautiful," and it is up to CCR 11-12 graders to determine such language.

Practices:
This part of Gee's discourse is hard for me to understand, but the way I do understand it is easily described by Gee as the "chicken and egg question." The way the Common Core addresses this, in my interpretation, is "Do we talk about word choice, authorial intent, point of view, etc. because they are part of Reading Standards?" OR "Do we call them Reading Standards because they include discussions about such topics?" I think thinking about these questions, and similar ones, can make us question why we teach the things we teach. Is it because they are part of reading standards or is it because they are important skills that they become part of reading standards?

Identities:
This portion of the Common Core is identifying students to whom this applies as students in "Grades 11-12." So, we could ask, "What does that mean: are these students physically 11th and 12th graders?  Are these students intellectually at an 11th-12th grade level? Do these students have the prerequisites and background information to be successful in an 11th-12th grade classroom?
Because these students are on the brink of entering their careers or college, they are also identified as nearly College and Career Ready. By meeting the Reading Standards listed, they will be CCR.

Relationships:
The Common Core is definitely trying to establish a relationship based on academia. This relationship is being formed primarily with teachers and administration. It is the authority on Reading Standards for 11-12 grade students to which teachers and administrators must answer. I think it can be a good thing or a bad thing that this does NOT emphasize a relationship between teachers/administrators and students.

Politics:
This passage places social good on a CCR student. This student, in 11-12 grades, should be able to proficiently do everything listed. This includes determining word meaning, etc., analysis of word choice, impact, etc., and more. Also, a cultural capital is assumed by mentioning Shakespeare as a particular author whose work is an example of "language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful."

Connections:
The Common Core seeks to make connections between multiple facets of a written work. It desires CCR students to be able to start with basic understanding of literature then make connections from what they read to what is implied or meant as well as what the author intend the text to mean. I think this part of the Common Core is one of the best and potentially most effective. Connections are so important. What would make this part of the Standards more effective is to emphasize a need for students to connect the things in literature to life--to make emotional connections. Hopefully, though, this is something a good teacher will do without it being required in the Common Core.

Sign Systems and Knowledge:
The language used in the Standards definitely privileges English speakers, as it is written in English. Also, it privileges those with cultural capital, as I mentioned before, with an assumed knowledge of Shakespeare. The language is also directly connected to the language of academia, which not everyone would understand. It is written with a fairly specific audience in mind and would be inaccessible to some populations.