Teach Children Well: Reflection #23: Support Curriculum

The Massachusetts Educator Evaluation Rubric element 3B2 demands collegiality and student focus particularly with regard to students whose needs demand adaptation with regard to the classroom program including gifted students, students with disabilities, and students with limited English language proficiency. How do we work together to identify the best curriculum supports; make those supports available with clarity and ease of use; and monitor the effectiveness of those supports.

This is an area of teaching and learning that can be confounded by the fact that students who find the curriculum challenging for many reasons are often given multiple supports, yet the time for collaboration for the diverse support professionals is minimal. Hence, these children, at times, receive a program that is disjointed and difficult for families and students to follow. Further, strategies and tools used at school often cannot be replicated or used at home, For example, specialists wanted my students to use a particular keyboarding program, yet students could not use that program at home--efforts like this, that lack 24-7 home-school access, are not as effective as efforts where students can access and use tools and strategies anytime, anywhere with anybody.

I think that we can better support the curriculum by embracing a holistic, broad view of learning by choosing and sharing 24-7, easy-to-access-and-replicate tools and strategies that support life-long learning and student success. By asking the question, How can the learning community collaborate to effectively streamline and target students' successful learning paths?, and by working together in this regard we will better support curriculum and effective student learning.

Guided Reflection

As you reflect on element 3B2 read the standard, indicator, element, criteria, key points, and questions below. Use the grid to reflect upon, and make notes related to this element's implications for your own practice. I have included a link to my own self analysis which you are welcome to review if desired.

Standard III: Family and Community Engagement. The teacher promotes the learning and growth of all students through effective partnerships with families, caregivers, community members, and organizations.

Indicator III-B. Collaboration: Collaborates with families to create and implement strategies for supporting student learning and development both at home and at school.

Element III-B-2: Curriculum Support

Criteria (exemplary)

Successfully updates and prompts most families to use one or more of the strategies for supporting learning at school and home, including appropriate adaptation for students with disabilities or limited English proficiency. Seeks out evidence of their impact. Is able to model this element.

Updates and prompts most families to use one or more strategies for supporting learning. How do you convey and coach parents with apt strategies to support student learning?
Support students with disabilities or limited English Proficiency. How do you identify and share specific strategies with family members to support students with learning disabilities or limited English Proficiency?
Seeks out evidence of impact. How do you find out if the strategies you share with family members are used successfully and impacting student learning with strength?
Model. How do you share your successful work in this regard with colleagues to positively impact the school community?

Element 3B2: Curriculum Support

Key Points	Question	Effective Efforts	Implications for Your Practice	Results
Updates and prompts most families to use one or more strategies for supporting learning.	How do you convey and coach parents with apt strategies to support student learning?	Employ coaching meetings, and work with family members, students, and parents to target goals, strategies, and roles to support a child’s learning. Work with colleagues to create an online resource list of optimal strategies related to specific skills and contents. Offer student/family meetings to coach small groups and large groups with regard to specific strategies. Choose tools that can be accessed easily 24-7 from multiple online sources.
Support students with disabilities or limited English Proficiency.	How do you identify and share specific strategies with family members to support students with learning disabilities or limited English Proficiency?	Work with collegial teams to identify and publish strategy lists and tools that help students with regard to specific needs. Work with families and coach them with regard to specific tools and strategies that will help a child.
Seeks out evidence of impact.	How do you find out if the strategies you share with family members are used successfully and impacting student learning with strength?	Keep a log of specific home-school strategies, tools, and goals, then check in with family members regularly to assess effect, revise accordingly. Measure effectiveness through classroom assessments.
Model Approach.	How do you share your successful work in this regard with colleagues to positively impact the school community?	Foster times for colleagues to share successful practice in this regard.