K-12 Curriculum Development

Michael Fisher maintains a website titled DigiGogy: A New Digital Pedagogy.
On the site, Fisher added Digital Bloom's, a visual representation that allows teachers and administrators to see how Web 2.0 tools can be used to support teaching and learning.  Fisher created this visual as a discussion starter and as a way for educators to relate the new tools to a taxonomy that educators have become familiar with over the past fifty years.  As I continue to learn about Web 2.0 tools, this visual will provide me with the opportunity to reflect on how each tool can empower students.

Bloom's Taxonomy was introduced to the world in a book titled, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain (1956).  Bloom himself considered the Handbook, "one of the most widely cited yet least read books in American education."

Note:
For an overview of Bloom's Taxonomy (1956) and the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (2001), visit the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching.

If you are not familar with Web 2.0 Tools and strategies for using Web 2.0 Tools in the classroom, visit Web 2.0 & Why We Should Change (David Warlick, Feb. 8, 2008).

Curriculum mapping is an ongoing process which asks teachers to develop curriculum goals, identify essential content, skills and concepts, and reflect on the taught curriculum.  Some school districts make the mistake of diving into curriculum mapping and attempting to complete a product.  When teacher teams become satisfied with the product, then the process is at risk.  If a principal or superintendent asks teachers to change their focus from curriculum mapping to test item development or writing across the curriculum, then teachers soon realize that curriculum mapping was a fad and is no longer "the main thing."

Andy Stanley wrote (1999) "Everybody ends up somewhere in life.  A few people end up somewhere on purpose.  Those are the ones with vision."  Can your school district afford for the teachers in one building to end up somewhere on purpose while the other schools work in isolation and each teacher determines what matters most for their respective classrooms?  Do all sixth grade English Language Arts teachers have a common goal or course goals for preparing students for the next level of learning?

Stanley suggests that teams answer the following questions related to "Vision":

Topic:  Curriculum Mapping

1.   Why must we see this vision through to the end?

2.   What difference will curriculum mapping make?

3.   What is there to gain?

4.   What is there to lose?

5.   What is at stake?

6.   Why should we attempt curriculum mapping?

7.   Why must it be done now?

8.   What do we lose by waiting until next year?

9.   What will we need to give up in order to pursue our vision for curriculum
      mapping?

10.  How does misalignment among team members or schools impact the overall
       vision?

Developing a vision for curriculum mapping is important for developing a common focus for all educators involved in the process.  Revisiting the vision will help educators clarify the purpose and allow educators to determine the next steps for curriculum mapping.  If student achievement is the goal, then we must identify the inputs and the process for aligning the work of teachers and teacher teams.  Does your school district have a vision for curriculum development or curriculum mapping?

References:
Stanley, A. (1999). Visioneering. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
On Saturday, March 13, the Obama administration released its blueprint for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which would ask states to adopt college- and career-ready standards and reward schools for producing dramatic gains in student achievement. The proposal challenges the nation to embrace educational standards that would put America on a path to global leadership.  Educators may read the Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the ESEA at Blueprint for Reform.

Common Core State Standards Initiative
As part of theCommon Core State Standards Initiative, the draft K-12 standards are now available for public comment. These draft standards, developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, seek to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.  The standards are open for public comment until Friday, April 2.  Click here to take the online survey.

Common Core State Standards Initiative FAQs

16 Finalists Announced in Phase 1 of Race to the Top Competition
States competing for Race to the Top funds were asked to document past education reform successes, as well as outline plans to: extend reforms using college and career-ready standards and assessments; build a workforce of highly effective educators; create educational data systems to support student achievement; and turn around their lowest-performing schools.  To learn more about Race to the Top, the sixteen finalists and how they were selected, and the timeline for distributing funds to states visit Race to the Top - Next Steps.

Additional Resources for Educators:

Ten Steps to Equity in Education - Policy Brief
Organisation For Economic Co-Operation and Development

National Education Standards: Getting Beneath the Surface (Free Online)
Education Testing Service (ETS) - 2009
By Paul E. Barton

A Test For Our Nation
The Huffington Post - Nov. 21, 2009
By Linda Darling-Hammond

Benchmarking for Success:
Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-Class Education 
(December 2008)

Comments regarding one of more of these documents are welcome.  The best way to play a role in education reform is to become part of the process.  While comments posted on this page will not help with education reform, K-12 Curriculum Development provides a forum for educators to share ideas, resources, and thoughts on issues which impact K-12 education.

Please read the documents listed in this article and make certain to take time to leave your feedback regarding the Common Core State Standards Initiative and the Reauthorization of ESEA.  Education matters and your voice matters as we seek to support all students and their right to a free and appropriate education. 

Curriculum gaps create a barrier for student learning and have a detrimental effect on students' opportunity to learn.  Gaps are created by a lack of communication among educators, varying implementation practices, available resources, and decisions about pacing.  According to English (2000), "Curriculum design and delivery face one fundamental problem in schools.  When the door is shut and nobody else is around, the classroom teacher can select and teach just about any curriculum he or she decides is appropriate" (p. 1).

All students should receive a guaranteed and viable curriculum (Marzano, 2003).  If the received curriculum greatly varies from one class to the next, then it will be difficult for teachers at the next grade level to build on prior knowledge and understandings.  One of the goals of teaching is to ensure close alignment between the intended, taught, assessed, and received curricula. 

Jacbos (1997) wrote, "If there are gaps among teachers within buildings, there are virtual Grand Canyons among buildings in a district (p. 3).
 
One of the tasks of curriculum leadership is to use the right methods to
    bring the written, the taught, the supported, and the tested curriculums
    into closer alignment, so that the learned curriculum is maximized.

                                                 -  Allan Glatthorn, Curriculum Renewal (1987), p. 4

  What strategies does your school or school system use to "Mind the Gap"?

References:

English, F.W. (2000). Deciding what to teach and test: Developing, aligning
       and auditing the curriculum. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Glatthorn, A.A. (1987). Curriculum renewal. Alexandria, VA: Association for
       Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Jacobs, H.H. (1997). Mapping the big picture: Integrating curriculum and
       assessment K-12. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
       Curriculum Development.

Marzano, R.J. (2003). What works in schools: Translating research into
       action. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
       Development.

Judie Haynes is the author and co-author of five books on helping classroom teachers with their second language population: Getting Started With English Language Learners,Newcomer Program Grades K-2,Newcomer Program Grades 3-6, Classroom Teacher's ESL Survival Kit #1,and Classroom Teacher's ESL Survival Kit #2. She also co-authored a chapter in TESOL's Integrating Standards into Classroom Practice.

Twenty-Five Quick Tips for Classroom Teachers provides practical suggestions for the mainstream classroom teacher.  

Educators may also review Getting Started with English Language Learners by Judie Haynes for free. This book will provide you with basic concepts and can't-miss strategies for boosting the achievement of English language learners whether you are new to teaching ELLs or an old hand. 

America’s public schools enroll about 5 million English language learners (ELLs) – twice the number from just 15 years ago, and that number is expected to double again by 2015. English language learners are the fastest growing group of students in the United States today (Source:  National Education Association).  

March Madness usually refers to NCAA Basketball, office tournament bracket pools, the race to the Final Four and the highlight film which is called One Shining Moment.  On March 4, the U.S. Department of Education announced that 15 states and the District of Columbia will advance as finalists for phase 1 of the Race to the Top competition.

The Sweet Sixteen Includes:
Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Unlike the NCAA Basketball Tournament, states not qualifying for the Sweet Sixteen are eligible to reapply for Race to The Top Funding.  Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, said "I salute all of the finalists for their hard work. And I encourage non-finalists to reapply for Phase 2 in June—along with the states that did not apply in the first Phase and the finalists who ultimately do not win."

The sixteen finalists are not guaranteed funding, so it is too early to cut the nets and celebrate.  While every college basketball coach creates a game plan for the next round of the tournament, the sixteen finalists will spend the upcoming weeks preparing for a team presentation in Washington, D.C.  The finalists will be invited to DC in mid-March to present their proposals to the panel that reviewed their applications in depth during the initial stage, and to engage in Q&A discussions with the reviewers.

The purpose of the finalist stage is to allow reviewers to ensure that each state has the understanding, knowledge, capacity, and the will to truly deliver on what is proposed. The presentations will be videotaped and posted for viewing on the Department's website at the end of Phase 1.

Winners for phase 1 will be chosen from among the 16 finalists and announced in April.  Applications for phase 2 will be due on June 1 of this year, with finalists announced in August and winners in September. The only states prohibited from applying in phase 2 are those that receive awards in phase 1.

Click here to view Arne Duncan's official announcement of the Race to the Top Finalists (Sweet Sixteen).  (Length: 48 seconds)

Through Race to the Top, the U.S. Department of Education is asking States to advance reforms around four specific areas:

• Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy;
• Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;
• Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
• Turning around our lowest-achieving schools.
  
  Race to the Top Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  This document will provide readers with additional background information on the Race to the Top notics of final priorities requirements, definitions, and selection criteria (NFP). 

Social networking is the new buzzword.  According to a recent online article titled, 20+ mind-blowing social media statistics revisited:

Facebook currently has in excess of 350 million active users on a global basis.

Six months ago, there were 250 million active users....meaning around a 40% increase of users in less than half a year.


At the current rate, Twitter will process almost 10 billion tweets in a single year!

LinkedIn has over 50 million members worldwide.  This means an increase of around one million members per month since August 2009.

There are more than 3.5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, etc.) shared each week on Facebook.

What Does This Mean for K-12 Educators?
The statistics are staggering.  There is a good chance that you recently created a blog, updated your Facebook account in the last 24 hours, or sent a photo to a friend or relative using your phone or computer.  Ten years ago, it was difficult to share information with teachers in the same school.  Web 2.0 and online discussion boards are making it possible for a middle school science teacher in Colorado to connect with a middle school science teacher in Canada, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Ohio without attending a state or national conference.  Ongoing professional conversations can improve teaching and learning and teachers can impact students well beyond the walls of their classroom.

What Social Network Sites Are Available for K-12 Educators?
This is a short list of resources and online communities that educators can navigate and join.  When blogs started appearing on the Internet, they were typically one-way communication or message boards.  The sites below allow you to be a full participant and you can even steer the direction of the conversation.  You can post questions, share your teaching strategies, and connect with other professionals.

http://englishcompanion.ning.com/
English Companion Ning by Jim Burke
Nings have borrowed the tools of Facebook and MySpace—the ability to post a personal profile, upload media, and have multiple asynchronous and synchronous conversations—while allowing for the customization around a particular subject. 

http://www.classroom20.com/
Classroom 2.0 Ning

http://ncssnetwork.ning.com/
National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Ning

http://ascdedge.ascd.org/
ASCD EDge

http://www.allthingsplc.info/
Professional Learning Communities 

Social Networking and Learning Communities
Social Networking enables teachers to accelerate their professional development and to connect with their friends and colleagues more frequently than the annual conference.  While there are obvious benefits from attending state and national conferences, social networking allows educators to stay connected.  What Social Networking sites do you recommend for K-12 educators?  Please share your thoughts regarding Social Networking for educators and your thoughts on participating in these virtual learning communities.

About This Site:
K-12 Curriculum Development was designed to encourage teachers, administrators, curriculum coordinators and others to share ideas, discuss recent books about curriculum, share tools for supporting the work of teachers and administrators, and foster an online professional learning community.

As we enter the second semester, many teachers and administrators are meeting around the country to determine the best use of time for the remainder of the school year.  Some staff members call this pacing, some call it curriculum alignment and some staff may even call it survival.

What should every student know and be able to do?
This may be the most fundamental question asked by K-12 curriculum developers. At this point in the school year, it may feel like a race to Spring Break, followed by a final sprint to summer vacation.  According to Jay McTighe (2010), "The most successful teaching begins with clarity about important learning outcomes and about the evidence that will show that learning has occurred" (p. 274).

What can school administrators do?
Provide classroom teachers with uninterrupted time during the workday or on early release days to focus on curriculum development and curriculum revision.  Many teachers state that they desire to participate in collaborative conversations, but the central office staff or the building administrators conduct so many other meetings that curriculum conversations get lost in the shuffle. 

What can teachers do? 
Using Web 2.0 tools such as a curriculum blog, wiki, threaded discussion, Skype or Google docs will allow teachers to communicate with their grade level and with teachers in other disciplines and across the school district.  While this is no substitute for the time that administrators should provide teachers, these online tools make communication possible 24/7.  Collaborative decisions can be made prior to the meeting and the online collaboration will allow each teacher to use face-to-face meetings for the topics that require a face-to-face meeting.

Why is K-12 Curriculum Development important?
"Curriculum for school districts is no longer 'just nice to have.'  Curriculum is a necessity for furthering student achievement.  Further, school districts through their curricula, have the tools at their disposal to control and ensure what students learn" (Squires, 2009, p. 133).

K-12 curriculum development allows educators to identify key concepts and skills, identify important content, reflect on student understandings and misunderstandings, and create plans for ensuring student success at the next grade level or level of learning.  The end of the school year is filled with awards assemblies, guest speakers, fundraisers, grade level parties, field day, job shadow day, spring break, AP exams, state assessments and other events.  These events happen each year and we should be prepared to balance our instruction around interruptions.  Wiggins and McTighe (2005), wrote, “In the absence of a learning plan with clear goals, how likely is it that students will develop shared understandings on which future lessons might build” (p. 21)? 

If your school system does not have a common curriculum, select one of the following strategies and watch student achievement soar:

1.   Unwrap State and National Standards

2.   Begin Curriculum Mapping

3.   Clarify Content Priorities

4.   Determine what you will Stop Teaching

5.   Write Generalizations/Enduring Understandings/or Learning Outcomes for
      each unit of study and for each course

6.   Identify Areas where the Curriculum can be Integrated

7.   Use a Share Drive, Google Docs, or other Online Tool to Communicate what is
      essential


8.   Develop a commitment to "guarantee" certain parts of the curriculum to all
      students

9.   If your district already has a common curriculum, begin to develop
      assessments to identify student strengths and weaknesses.

10. Begin to conduct vertical conversations to discuss what students should know
      when they enter your course and what they need to know at the next grade
      level.  These conversations can be handled online in the beginning and
      teachers can get together at the end of the school year to discuss next
      steps.  It may be impossible to have a district meeting in the spring, but 
      Web 2.0 tools make communication possible and efficient.  Skype,
      Dim Dim, and other free tools make face-to-face communiction possible and
      teachers don't have to leave their classroom.   

If you have thoughts regarding K-12 Curriculum Development or additional strategies that you use in your school, please join the conversation and share how your school or district provides time for teachers to collaborate to identify what every student should know and be able to do.


References:

McTighe, J. (2010). Understanding by design and instruction. In Marzano, R. (Ed.),
         On excellence in teaching. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.  

Squires, D.A. (2009). Curriculum alignment: Research-based strategies for
        increasing student achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Wiggins, G., and McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design (2nd ed.). Alexandria,
        VA: ASCD.