How does your school community effect change in positive, enriching ways? Has your curriculum process changed since the onset of technology and the ready access to information?
Since I'm usually creating change based on new information and research, I face this situation, and have some thoughts about it.
I believe systems should adopt protocols and process related to curriculum, rather than static curriculum pieces. Protocols and process can be based on the following questions and actions.
Questions
- What are the system's goals with regard to student learning?
- What learning goals are currently being met?
- How can we provide support to finesse, enrich and share those practices?
- What learning goals are not being met, and what steps need to be taken to meet these goals?
Actions
- Identify umbrella topics, standards and practices to lead student learning.
- Create, order and organize materials and materials' processes to support that learning.
- Provide time for all teachers who facilitate the learning to review, revise, learn and discuss essential information related to each unit. Also provide educators with time and resources to develop their professional repertoire related to the following topics:
- content knowledge
- differentiated instruction
- project base learning
- specific strategies related to essential skill development
- integration of technology and other apt tools
- cognition
- best practices
- collaboration and student response
Time, process and clear intent will facilitate optimal teaching and learning. It's essential to create a structure that educators can use as they embark on collaborative, targeted, responsive educational endeavor. I believe this is a valuable first step to curriculum evolution. Do you agree?
