A New Essential CurriculumDr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs

Essential questions: What is essential for our learners now?

What revisions should be made in the present

curriculum in light of new global realities?

How might state standards be reconsidered to

support our students?

What are new essential conditions to support

our work?

Rethinking standards: worthwhile targets for learning Standards vary between states

Minimal attention to global realities

Confusion between state tests and standards

Pressures for testing are pulling us away from curriculum

Cursory attention to contemporary issues

Focus on literacy should be cross-disciplinary

Many standards do not progress developmentally with any significance.

Problems with NCLB Lack of financial support Recent articles in Phi Delta Kappan Editorials across the country Negative statement: No Child Left Behind

Positive statement: Every Child Moves Forward

Disparities between states are accentuated

How many standards are there? Average 200 broad standards; 3093 benchmarks Feasibility given # of

days/hours/minutes Feasibility of operational days

15,465 hours necessary 13,104 hours available (optimum)

Necessary to lengthen to grades 21-22 prior to college

Increase time or decrease standards

Source: (Marzano and Kendall;MACREL, Awash in a Sea of Standards ,1999)

SELECTIVE STANDARDS: The operational curriculum should support vital and critical standards.

Essential = from the Latin esse; meaning to be;to distill to the core

Curriculum design requires us to make choices about what is essential now to help our learners for their future.

What are the basic elements in designing curriculum?

CONTENT

SKILLS

ASSESSMENT

Recast content for timeliness: REPLACING content

Perplexing issues

Updated knowledge

Engaging problems

Content: rethink and revise State history is becoming redundant

and extraneous Transient movement of students from

state to state Token community service: Applied

democracy Replace with Adopt-a-Town Isolation of geography Early U.S. History- needs to spiral

(Avoid the Pilgrim backlash)

Geography focus on geo-politics and geo-economics

State dept. figures: 10% hold passports/ 7% of those use them

World geography by shape and name-early childhood

Links to geo-economics in upper elementary

Links to geo-politics in middle school Global economics in middle school –

high school Environmental citizenship

Social Studies: History and Anthropology strands A new constant High School Course:

The Last 50 Years Upper Elementary: Artifact Analysis Case studies abroad Case studies at home Real time contact between students world

wide Participatory democracy: require

Responsible Democracy Benchmark

Content in Science: rethink and revise

Freedom of scientific expression

Separation of science from other disciplines

Upgrade science in early childhood

Literacy instruction primarily through non- fiction (increase in science and social studies)

Science

Physics linked with math in elementary Dealing with religion issues Views on natural world Bio-ethics Bio-chemical abuses/weapons Disease- pandemics Prevention and research focus Independent Science Research- NY

Update English Language Arts Expansive genre studies K-12 Classics and new voices Studying screenplays and teleplays Poetry SLAMS Memorization of classic work Critiques of electronic media

Expansion of Literacy: Media Criticism/ Media Invasion/Media

Making

TV critiques pre K-grade 3 Unit: Effects of TV on Me Formal media criticism begins grade 4 Television/film writing and production Documentary studies/ NPR models Web based national/international anthologies

of children’s stories and observations (RTW)

Teaching students to conduct video conferences:

Current Communications Benchmark

Content: elevate the ARTS Expressive experiences: Studio Digital composition Performance

Cultural Literacy as a requisite

Active work with local institutions

(Carnegie Hall’s LINK-UP; Kennedy Center national programs)

Rethinking Mathematics

Eliminating snapshot mathematics in pre-K through grade 3;

Language arts daily speech and writing activity describing procedures and concepts;

Corresponding time for students in middle school to balance those who accelerate;

Summer Math programs in conjunction with colleges and universities for separate genders;

FOCUS on translation strategies; post-its on math pages; Self-tutorials using computers for homework and practice

Teaching world languages Minimal state requirements French/Spanish dominate Increase range of

specialized schools/magnets for students with linguistic talent:

Increased range of languages

Pashtu, Khoi, Azeri, Dzongka, Serbo-Croat, Portuguese, Malay, Kirundi, Khmer, Sango, Kikongo, Turkish, Arabic, Amharic, Twi, Icelandic, Hindi, Farsi, Kazakh, Kyrgvz, Lao, Larvan, chewa, Nepali, Yoruba, Punjabi, Tagalog, Slovak, Tamil, Dutch, Swahili

Revising and upgrading skills in the curriculumPlanting lifelong capacity:Language LiteracySocial LiteracyGlobal LiteracyCultural Literacy

Forward to New Basics

Active Citizenship: Peer Mediation

Power of Speech and Listening: Interviews and observations

Conflict resolution as part of citizenship training

High school revisiting the pre-school field trips: Community Heroism

Civil responsibilities/community service beyond token hours

Civil defense/ new realities Student violence/ prevention and reporting codes

Early Childhood 2 ½ hours of uninterrupted

language arts Integrating science, math, and

social studies

Vertical Teams meeting regularly vs. Grade Level meetings

Grades 4-12 :Every teacher is a language teacher

Upgrading language skills

Across all curriculum areas

Interdependence of the four language skills

Upgrading notebooks as assessments

readingwritingspeakinglistening

Speaking and listening: skills formally assessedOn-going interaction via

video conferencing/or telephone with students abroad;

On-going interaction with students in other parts of the U.S.

Issue based forums regularly planned for grades 4-12.

Accommodating immigrant students and teachers Influx of new students with

language issues: ECIS –guide for teachers

Influx of new teachers Staff development for language and cultural

changes that sensitize specific cultural background Suggested work for students: WWS- Culture Matters-Peace Corps

Teaching English as if it were a foreign languageForeign language teachers: emphasize constant spoken language exercises. emphasize consistent and correct use of grammar in

writing and in speech. constantly assess listening. immerse students in practice scenarios. emphasize self-assessment for independent

competence. work on phonemic awareness coupled with text

interaction as a necessity.

Revising the element of assessment in the curriculum

Concern on assessment data: Limitations of standardized testing.

Problems within the testing industry itself.

Wide variation between states/localities

Posting in newspapers (intramurals)

Questions about SAT

Questions about what is valued.

Questions about what to do with the results

Phrase: Determine what the learner should know and be able to do…QUESTION: Who is making these decisions? They are hindered by what they know and what they are able to do.

Three Tiers of assessment

Drill and practice

Rehearsal

Authentic performance

Workshops and staff development should focus on UNPACKING assessment data

Bi-Level AnalysisWe examine student work and performance data in terms of:

The subject matter concepts and skillsneeding attention.

The requisite language capacity necessary to carry out tasks: Linguistic patterns High frequency words Specialized terms Editing/revising strategies

Assessment is a demonstration of learning The focus should be on feedback

Designed to help the learner REVISE his or her

performance independently.

The assessments should be cumulative

progressions.

CAN HE or SHE MAKE THE

PERFORMANCE BETTER?

Either adopt a national system of periodic testing or go to local as in Iowa. STATE tests vary too much.

Cumulative revision in the buildingCurriculum Mapping is key

Assessment should reflectour times: screenplays teleplays broadcasts email grant proposals web page spread sheets CAD blueprints forecasts media criticism

0102030405060708090

1st Qtr 2ndQtr

3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

EastWestNorth

Technology as a platform for revising assessment possibilities Curriculum Mapping –

real time data and revision Electronic site visits Electronic video

conferencing Data banks for

assessments

Site based Teaching and Learning Councils

Focus on the site for ongoing review of assessment data

End organizational ruts by using curriculum maps

End committee domination replaced with task forces

Debating the nature of essential questions Infusing maps with the findings from

assessment Focusing the work of the school on the

faculty team

Beyond Reform to New Forms: Creating 21st Century Schools

Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs

Essential Questions What school structures will best support 21st

century learning? What current practices need revisions to

support 21st century learning?

De-Schooling Schools

Reshaping SCHOOL STRUCTURES: SPACE (physical and virtual)

SCHEDULE

STUDENT GROUPING PATTERNS

TEACHER CONFIGURATIONS

The Schedule is Curricular Destiny

long term schedules

daily instructional time

extended day patterns

DAILY PLANNING TIME

NEEDED: Length of Year: 195- 205 days

At least five of these days for professional development and review of assessment data

Long Term Schedules Rethink our grade 12 compulsion. Early graduation when ready Additional year if necessary

SUMMER SEMESTER; extended Senior Year and Early Graduation

Replace seat time with task completion that might be accomplished virtually

off school time frames

Rethink Daily use of Time START TIME : Minnesota start time study BLOCKS: Rotational blocks in conjunction with set

blocks Every four weeks-expanded block for projects/site visits/

community work Homework blocks

LENGTH OF DAY: Staggered day: Why the same length each day?

BOOKEND SCHEDULES: sports/ arts/extra-curricular

NIGHT CLASSES

Off campus time Online experiences as an integrated and regular part of time

frames Work on time budgeting

Ongoing work with businesses/ social institutions/arts institutions

HOMEWORK as HOMESCHOOLING TUTORING CLUSTERS in local school or neighborhood setting

Daily Planning Time Regular cross-grade level work Especially necessary in high school regarding

language capacity building Regular vertical team planning Especially necessary in elementary school Between buildings K-12 Between post-secondary institutions Curriculum Mapping makes this possible

electronically

Common Planning Time through Year SIX BENCHMARK REVIEWS per year Professional DAYS- focused directly building

based student performance data

START TIME; BLOCKS; LENGTH OF DAY

Accept and work with VIRTUAL time Possibilities of technology to alter the way we work with time and space issues.

Technology allows us to work at our own time: Consider email Curriculum mapping

Grouping students

Replacing “ability” groups which focus on child-label

Focus on skills grouping

Long term grouping/ looping clusters

Middle School Vertical Teams or Looped Teams

High School: rethink lower and upper classmen models/ Writing Mentor model

Dignity to school to work/ Vocational Education

Early graduation/ Extra year

Fundamental student grouping issues Institutional groupingInstructional grouping

Primary age children Developmental grouping around age spans vs

strict grade level grouping Working with pre-school educators Formal work with children and parent groups

to support literacy

Middle School Team models Vertical teams Affective grouping K-8

High School Level Recognizing the difference between the needs of

adolescent learners in current 9th and 10th and 11th

and 12th grade learners. Grouping around fundamental literacy skill needs/

independent study skill needs Curricular options for pre-adult learners based on

motivation, aspiration, and post-secondary next steps Writing Mentor model

Dignity to school to work Vocational Education

Should all learners be college bound?

Homogenous vs Heterogenous groupingWhat about intelligent grouping?

Examples from diagnostic short term/long term skills grouping

Teacher configurations

Vertical teams K-5 and K-12

Horizontal patterns 9th and

10th grade

Junior and Senior mentor

programs

Visiting teacher programs

Partners between buildings

Teacher configurations

Vertical teams K-5 and K-12 require new

teacher teams:

Operationalizing Learning Communities

MEETING VIRTUALLY via Curriculum

Mapping Technology

Middle school configurations All middle school personnel should be part of

several teams: Grade level/age level team Vertical team within building Vertical BRIDGE team either between middle

and elementary OR middle and high school

Rethinking high school teacher configurations Horizontal patterns 9th and 10th grade

Allows for cross-disciplinary focus on language capacity building

Reading , writing, speaking, listening strategies

Mentor to senior interns or community project groups

Advisor to students employing online courses

Facillitator using video conferencing tools

Teacher/facillitator to evening community issues presentations

presented by students

Differentiated Staff development:

Conditions for sharing findings among colleagues within a building are limited

Site based Teaching and Learning Councils

Focus on the site for ongoing review of assessment data

End organizational ruts by using curriculum maps

End committee domination replaced with task forces

Debating the nature of essential questions Infusing maps with the findings from

assessment Focusing the work of the school on the

faculty team

Language and Cultures in English Language Based International Schools Sandra Meakin- ECIS- Petersfield Hants, UK, 1995 www.ecis.edu

Awash in a Sea of Standards• Robert J. Marzano and John S. Kendall

MACREL, 1998 www.macrel.edu

Culture Matters World Wise Schools- Peace Corps2001- revised for the classroomwww.peacecorps.gov

Carnegie Hall LINK-UP Carnegie Hall Education Department- 1999 www.carnegiehall.org

Reach the World Heather Halstead, director www.reachtheworld.org

Channel 13/WNET On-Line Courses Curriculum Design Courses www.thirteen.org