K-12 Curriculum Development

Carol Ann Tomlinson has introduced thousands of educators to differentiation through her books, journal articles, professional development materials, summer institute and ongoing work with classroom teachers.  Tomlinson co-authored her latest book with Kay Brimijoin and Lane Narvaez.  This book provides clarification on What Differentiated Instruction Is and Is Not.  Current barriers to effective differentiated instruction in many schools include the myths about differentiation and the large number of teachers who still believe that differentiation is something we only provide the gifted students.

In chapter one, the authors provide a chart which outlines Factors That Contribute to the Failure of Change Efforts.  While the authors are describing why differentiated instruction can be difficult to implement in a school, the factors cited also apply to other changes in schools.   According to the authors, "achieving implementation can become so exciting that it blinds us to the truth that, in fact, implementation was not the goal of the change initiative, but rather a means to the goal of benefitting students" (Tomlinson, Brimijoin & Naravez , 2008, p. 109). Chapter five provides a user-friendly tool for curriculum developers titled, Classroom Observation Form for Summative Assessment of Differentiated Instruction.  Another tool provided in this book is a Teacher Questionnaire to Gain Baseline Data on Differentiated Practices.  

This book is timely and it is a significant resource on differentiation.  The authors share examples from schools and they provide research and guidance on professional development, lesson planning, implementation, and monitoring of differentiated instruction.  This book provides a clear framework for discussing differentiation and shares how educators can transform our practices to meet the needs of more students in each K-12 classroom.  "Virtually all students benefit from very high-quality curriculum that  promotes understanding, complex thought, and application of key concepts, knowledge, ideas, and skills. Reserving curriculum of that sort for select students is indefensible" (p. 30). Learning to differentiate instruction is an ongoing practice.  Educators should add this book to their professional library.  Please feel free to share your own thoughts on The Differentiated School.  Educators are also encouraged to share their experiences with developing and implementing differentiated instruction and assessment.

Tomlinson, C.A., Brimijoin, K., & Narvaez, L. (2008). The differentiated school:
         Making revolutionary changes in teaching and learning. Alexandria, VA:
         Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Leaving Your Leadership Legacy is a business novel which provides practical leadership advice for teachers and administrators.  Do we want to spend ten to twenty years working in a school district and not leave our mark on the school system?  This book is not about charismatic leadership or creating a group of followers.  Self-assessments throughout the book allow the reader to pause and reflect on leadership, programs, empowerment, and strategies which are currently implemented.

In chapter one, the authors describe the difference between a leader who is dependent on the 3 P's (position, persuasion, and proximity) vs. the power of the 3 C's (clarity, consistency, and connectivity).  Curriculum Development is about the 3 C's.  If teachers are connected, then educators will see increased levels of consistency in curriculum implementation.

Chapter eight is titled, "A Clear Direction."  In chapter eight, the authors introduce a Scorecard.  A scorecard is currently used in some school districts, but it could be used in more creative ways.  Many school districts use a scorecard to track AYP, standardized test scores, drop out rates and other data.  Reading this book made me wonder what a curriculum scorecard would look like.  One of the Self-Assessments shows how a curriculum scorecard could be used in K-12 schools:

Are your expectations clearly defined and written down? (i.e., Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, Power Standards, Essential Learning Outcomes, etc.)

If you were to leave your current position, what type of orientation process would you have in place to acclimate the new leader to the team and its processes (i.e., Curriculum Maps, Common Formative Assessments, PLCs)?

Do leaders within the same department or division have different operation systems that make their individual organizations feel like seperate companies? (i.e., Horizontal and Vertical Alignment)

Leaving a legacy does not mean that teachers will utilize the same curriculum ten years from now.  A legacy is something bigger than one person.  Does your school district have a process for developing, editing and revising curriculum?  Do teachers and administrators feel like they have a voice in the curriculum development process?  Is curriculum development a top-down process, bottom-up process or a combination of the two?  Does curriculum development allow more than one person to shape the legacy of the school or the school district?  This book will challenge your thoughts on curriculum development and school leadership, while providing tools for supporting the work of teachers and administrators.

 Yount, S.A., Pyecha, J., Boggan, D., Versteeg, A., & Segall, L. (2007).
             Leaving your leadership legacy: Creating a timeless and enduring
             culture of clarity, connectivity, and consistency. Richmond, VA:
             The Oaklea Press.

Whether you are looking for a book which introduces curriculum foundations, planning a district curriculum or searching for a deeper understanding of curriculum and its influence in K-12 education, this book will meet your expectations.  Glatthorn provides tools for curriculum developers such as a Criteria for Evaluating Curriculum Guides, a Criteria for Evaluating a Program of Studies, and a tool for Assessing District Needs.

In chapter five, Glatthorn addresses the problem that most school districts have faced.  Once a curriculum map or curriculum document is completed, teachers and administrators assume that the work is completed.  Rather than seeing curriculum documents as the finish line, he suggests three important processes: aligning the curriculum, producing support materials, and monitoring the curriculum (Glatthorn, 1994, p. 49).  “Curriculum alignment can be defined as a process of aligning the written curriculum (the one that appears in guides), the tested curriculum (the one that appears in tests), and the supported curriculum (the one that appears in textbooks and other resources) to make the taught curriculum (the one the teacher actually delivers) more effective” (p. 49).

While several curriculum books focus on curriculum theory, this book provides both theory and examples of how curriculum developers can support the ongoing work of teachers and administrators.  Glatthorn begins with assessing a district’s needs and shares essential steps for laying the foundation of a quality curriculum.  Implementation of the district guide, development of the school curriculum and development of classroom curriculum are addressed in chapters six through eight.  Chapter nine focuses on conducting a curriculum audit, a topic which is addressed in greater detail by Fenwick English.  Every school needs a quality curriculum, but many teachers and administrators do not know the process for meeting their goal.  “Choosing important knowledge, sequencing it well, and getting it behind every classroom door in every grade” (Parker, 1991, p. 84) is an important part of ensuring that all students receive a rigorous and relevant education.  This book will help educators begin the process of developing a quality curriculum and implementing it in each classroom.  

Glatthorn, A.A. (1994). Developing a quality curriculum. Alexandria, VA:
         Association for Supervision of Curriculum and Development.

Understanding by Design (UbD) is a book that has challenged my view of curriculum development and made me reflect on the many possibilities of designing curriculum which truly meets the needs of each student.  The original book was published in 1998 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).  Since the first book, Wiggins and McTighe have written the Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook, Understanding by Design (2nd Edition), Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design (Tomlinson and McTighe) and Schooling by Design.

The UbD Professional Development Workbook is a favorite with teachers and administrators because it shares templates and tools for implementing the theories that are recommended in Understanding by Design.  My favorite chapter in the book is chapter seven which is titled “What is Uncoverage?"  Wiggins and McTighe wrote, “The key point to be developed in this chapter is that any curriculum aiming for student understanding requires uncoverage of the material – inquiring into, around, and underneath content instead of simply covering it” (p. 98).  Some educators may argue that uncoverage is a novel idea, but there simply is not enough time in the day to wait for students to uncover the big ideas and enduring understandings in each unit of study.  A review of UbD will help educators see that the purposeful design of curriculum and instruction to meet specific needs leads to student understanding.  The tools provided at the end of this book and in the Professional Development Workbook will enable collaborative teams to make critical decisions regarding curriculum design.

Wiggins and McTighe cite the research of curriculum heavyweights such as Jerome Bruner, Art Costa, John Dewey, Howard Gardner, Madeline Hunter, David Perkins, Ted Sizer, Ralph Tyler and others.  Using research combined with stories about present-day classrooms and unit designs, the authors provide the reader with curriculum theory and a process for implementing UbD.  For additional information on Teaching for Understanding, visit Put Understanding First (Educational Leadership, May 2008).  Understanding by Design books and resources are available for purchase at ASCD.  Please feel free to share your thoughts on Understanding by Design.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA:
        Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Over fifty years ago, Ralph Tyler wrote Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction.  In the Introduction to the book, Tyler outlines four fundamental questions which must be answered in developing any curriculum and plan of instruction. 

Four Fundamental Questions:
1.  What educational purposes should the school seek to attain?

2.  What educational learning experiences can be provided that are likely to
     attain these purposes?

3.  How can these educational experiences be effectively organized?

4.  How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?

The book is organized into four chapters.  The first four chapters are summarized above.  The final chapter is titled, "How a School or College Staff May Work on Curriculum Building."  Whether you are a beginning educator or a veteran curriculum coordinator, this timeless classic will provide direction for supporting your work and the work of curriculum development teams.  This classic can be purchased on Amazon  for $6 - $10.  Please feel free to share your thoughts on Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction.

Tyler, R.W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. Chicago, IL:
           The University of Chicago Press.