Curriculum Analysis, Update, and Share

This week I had the opportunity to view and discuss curriculum with a large group of educators that represent K-12 education. I found the focus topic which related to higher order thinking skills and Bloom's Revised Taxonomy to be worthwhile. I also thought the process as a participant was growth-producing leading to good reflection, new ideas, and application with regard to my daily work as an educator.

The study led me to think about school structure, roles, schedules, and share. I wondered once again, how do we restructure and communicate to impact learning in meaningful ways?

As I thought more I thought about the importance of the way we communicate, the questions we pose, the patterns of communication, and regularity.

First, with respect to manner, I tend to fall on the side of being a tad too critical as I'm used to looking for better and developing deeper. As the moderator of the event presented, I was struck by her positivity, inclusion, and careful, inviting language. A good model to follow.

I also like the process which in a sense followed a sequence of introduction, focus, observation, reflection, share, pattern identification, share again in writing and in the form of follow up questions. This was a great sequence for group work.

In the end, in addition to using the share to improve my own practice, I thought about how this kind of work can be translated into curriculum development and share.

As far as share, perhaps newsletters that once simply shared information could foster greater research, reflection, and collaboration with the following sections:

• Questions to Ponder: questions that leaders, staff, leaders in the field, and others are asking related to the discipline areas.
• Development: Efforts currently in place to deepen and develop practice.
• Opportunity: Professional learning opportunities.

Perhaps this share could be a regular, interactive share that includes a place for staff to add their thoughts as well as a place for leadership summary and share. 

Similar to our State Department of Education, it would be great if this share had a regularity to it such as every week or every other week. 

In the end, the communication intent would be to foster a vibrant, transparent, and supportive community of learners and teachers, a community that regularly shares best practice, questions,  research, and development. 

I'll think more about this, but in the meantime, if you've changed your patterns of communication to foster greater share and forward thinking with regard to teaching well, please tell me about it.