 http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/2239091337/sizes/s/ The article below introduces educators to Purpose-Driven Curriculum and Instruction. If you wish to build a Purpose-Driven Curriculum, take a moment to ask yourself and a co-worker or team of co-workers the Eight Questions Which Drive the Work of a Purpose-Driven School System (attached). 
A Time for Gift Giving 12/18/2009
 In December, many Americans make donations to charitable organizations. Some schools sponsor an Angel Tree and provide gifts to students and families who may not be able to provide gifts for their families at Christmas. The American Red Cross has their annual fund drive at malls and grocery stores across the United States. December is a month where giving is in the air. Some Americans do not consider giving gifts or sharing their income with others between January – November, but giving is popular at the end of the year. A recent poll indicated nearly 90 percent of Americans plan to donate to charity this holiday season. What can school districts “give” students and families in the 2010 school year? Marzano cited a ‘guaranteed and viable’ curriculum' as the number one factor impacting student achievement. A gift that would have a lasting impact on students and families would be the development of a district curriculum which is both guaranteed and viable. Other Gift Ideas: Assessment FOR Learning (Stiggins) A Purpose-Driven Curriculum A Timely Curriculum A 21st Century Curriculum Opportunity to Learn (for all students) If you are a K-12 Curriculum Developer, take a moment to reflect on the benefits of giving one of these gifts to the students in your school district. If your school budget is tight, you can still donate your talent and time to develop a curriculum which meets the needs of a diverse student population and guarantees that each student will receive the opportunity to learn. Wiles (2009) wrote, "Curriculum development is the essential function of school leadership. Whether the role is carried out by a principal, an assistant principal for curriculum, a team leader, a department head, or by leading classroom teachers, the curriculum defines all other roles in a school" (p.2). Improving the lives of students is our business and your gift could impact an entire generation! References: Marzano, R. What works in schools: Translating research into action. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Wiles, J. (2009). Leading curriculum development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. How to L.E.A.D. Teams 09/26/2009
 Fran Rees (1991) wrote How to LEAD Work Teams: Facilitation Skills. While this book was not written for the field of education, it has resources that can improve our collective efforts as curriculum developers. Curriculum development is a collaborative effort and it requires multiple perspectives. This article will describe how Rees’ book can help school districts as they continue to develop, revise and reflect on the curriculum in K-12 schools. Our school district has embraced the professional learning community model. A professional learning community consists of a group of teachers who meet on a weekly basis to identify what each student should know and be able to do. In an elementary school, a team could consist of each third grade teacher in a building. At the secondary level, a team could be all of the Algebra teachers in a high school. Ongoing reflection and scheduled team meetings help teachers learn strategies which are effective. Curriculum development and craft knowledge are shared in team meetings and through teacher blogs and emails. Teaching is a profession where one teacher is assigned a classroom of students. Traditionally, teachers have worked in isolation, preparing lessons for students and assigning letter grades based on student achievement of the determined learning outcomes. Rees’ (1991) research shares how teachers should approach team meetings. How to L.E.A.D. Teams Leaders can use a simple four-step model: L ead with a clear purpose E mpower to participate A im for consensus D irect the process In the absence of a clear purpose or identified learning goals, students are not given the opportunity to learn essential concepts and skills which will prepare them for the next level of learning. It is comfortable and safe for teachers to come to consensus when they meet. Most teachers do not wish to end a meeting with conflict or a debate. This model is not saying that teachers should avoid debate or that consensus is the only goal of a team meeting. Teachers without a clear purpose and groups with a single leader may not be increasing student achievement simply by coming to consensus. Another valuable chapter in this book is chapter three which is titled, Getting People to Work Together. As teachers begin to work together on building-level teams and district wide committees, team building skills and facilitation skills will become an important component of professional development. We must keep in mind that teachers value collaboration, but the culture in education has taught us to work in isolation. Additional Team Resources: Five Dysfunctions of a Team Professional Learning Communities Purpose Driven Curriculum References: Rees, F. (1991). How to lead work teams: Facilitation Skills. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer and Company. Back-to-School 08/04/2009
“As teachers engage in this dialogue regarding what their students must know and be able to do as a result of this unit they are about to teach, they become more clear, more consistent, and more confident in their ability to help all students learn” (DuFour, DuFour, & Eaker, 2006, p. 43). This quote reminds us of the power of teacher collaboration and determining essential learner outcomes at the beginning of the school year. When I entered the teaching profession, I was given a key to my classroom, a grade book, a set of Teacher's Guides, the state standards and a lesson plan book. While a first year teacher has creative ideas, a passion for teaching, and a desire to make a difference in the lives of students, a collaborative team is more powerful. Guiding Questions to Consider When Teams Meet: 1) What essential understandings and skills do our students need? 2) Which standards can be clustered or incorporated into others? 3) What are the Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings I want students to discover on their own after learning these concepts and skills? The time it takes to meet as a team (vertical, horizontal, content alike, district wide, or other team structure) is worth the time and effort. "When school staff have a more informed conception of curriculum, a teacher's daily decisions about how to deliver instruction not only affect student achievement in that classroom but also future student achievement, for it is assumed that students will be entering the next classroom prepared to handle a more sophisticated or more expanisve level of work" (Zmuda, Kuklis & Kline, 2004, p. 122). While several theorists and professional organizations have debated the ‘what’ of curriculum, implementation of curriculum and curriculum decisions are made daily by K-12 classroom teachers. Begin the year with the end in mind and provide teachers with time to work as a collaborative team. What is the Purpose of Your K-12 Curriculum? 05/13/2009
 Smedley said, "A speech without a purpose is like a journey without a destination" (as cited by Koegel, 2007, p. 34). The same can be said about curriculum development. A curriculum without a purpose is like a journey without a destination. Do the teachers and administrators in your school system have agreed upon learning outcomes for students at the end of each grade level? Do teachers and administrators have time scheduled throughout the school year to discuss which instructional strategies are working with certain grade levels or even with individual students? The list below contains several of the skills and understandings that most teachers and parents would agree students should develop during the K-12 experience(s). If a parent moved from another state or country and asked teachers in your school district which skills and understandings are taught in the seventh grade, would the parent receive the same answer from teachers at three different middle schools? Using the list below, add skills and understandings that you feel are missing. Are some of the identified skills more essential than others? Should some of the skills be taught in each grade, K-12? Should some of the skills be deemphasized due to the skills required by a changing workforce? Most importantly, what is the purpose for including each of these skills or understandings in the K-12 curriculum? Is your district's current curriculum meeting its intended purpose? What can be done to realign the district's curiculum in order to meet the agreed upon purposes during the 2009-2010 school year? 1. Citizenship 2. Geographic Awareness 3. Decoding Skills 4. 21st Century Learning Skills 5. Presentation Skills 6. Writing Skills 7. Problem Solving Skills 8. World Languages 9. Literacy Skills 10. Self-Awareness 11. Character Education 12. Healthful Living 13. Personal Financial Literacy 14. Apply Mathematics in a variety of settings 15. Communication Skills 16. The Arts 17. Career Development 18. Interview Skills 19. Critical Thinking Skills 20. How to Apply Skills and Understandings "All learners benefit from and should receive instruction that reflects clarity about purposes and priorities of content." - Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe References: Koegel, T.J. (2007). The exceptional presenter. Austin, TX: Greenleaf Book Group Press. Tomlinson, C.A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The Law of the Compass 05/10/2009
 In The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, Maxwell (2001) wrote, "Every team needs a vision to give it direction. A team without vision is, at worst, purposeless. At best, it is subject to the personal (and sometimes selfish) agendas of its various teammates. As the agendas work against each other, the team's energy and drive drain away" (p. 91). He describes this as the Law of the Compass. Curriculum Clutter 05/06/2009
 Curriculum clutter impacts student achievement. "When school staff have a more informed conception of curriculum, a teacher's daily decisions about how to deliver instruction not only affect student achievement in that classroom but also future student achievement, for it is assumed that students will be entering the next classroom prepared to handle a more sophisticated or more expansive level of work" (Zmuda, Kuklis & Kline, 2004, p. 122). Behind the Classroom Door 04/21/2009
 Thoughts for Teachers and Teacher Teams:  Benefits
Recently, I read a book written by Malcolm Gladwell titled, Outliers. Gladwell (2008) wrote, "Marita doesn't need a brand new school with acres of playing fields and gleaming facilities. She doesn't need a laptop, a smaller class, a teacher with a PhD, or a bigger apartment......All those things would be nice, of course. But they miss the point. Marita just needed a chance" (p. 268-269). | AuthorSteven Weber is the Director of Secondary Instruction for Orange County Schools in Hillsborough, NC. Weber has served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and state department of education consultant in Arkansas and North Carolina. He consults school systems in aligning their curriculum and in unpacking curriculum standards.  ArchivesMarch 2010 CategoriesAll | ||||||||||
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