Exceeds ideas

I have recently been told that Exceeds options need to be ONLY about the standard that is being assessed, and that it is not an exceeds if the student goes to the next year's standards to push himself to a higher level.  This seems to me like a very linear way to examine the idea of Exceeds.  It occurred to me in our discussions in our meeting with other arts related teachers, that couldn't exceeds be the way a student might take the standard and apply it in a different way towards another standard.  Here is an example of what I am talking about.  A student does a project in printmaking in art.  Then the student has a different project to do which addresses a different standard, such as creating a sculpture.   The student takes what she has learned in printmaking and on her own uses that skill while she is also creating a sculpture.  This is an exceeds, I believe, because it is a creative and new way of applying one skill to another newer skill.

Another example of this might be that a student has learned all the notes of the treble and bass staff.  What if they took that knowledge and applied it to a composition standard, and learned how to play a piece that they have composed as well.  Why are we not allowing school to mirror the world we live in more readily?  Just because it is too hard to calibrate?  Please!  If a student wishes to take an idea or a concept to its furthest level, it should not only be allowed, but also encouraged.  If we don't mirror life, then what message are we trying to send to our children about lifelong learning?

Also, why are we so rigid about next year's standards and the year after that?  If a student has met the standards in sixth grade, then can't that student just move on to the standards of another grade?  And why is that NOT possibly exceeds?  Why are we giving students a message that going beyond, is only staying at their grade level, when if they are truly gifted, they should very much be encouraged to exceed the standard by going to another grade level to do it.  Just my two cents for the third week of school!