Closing the Achievement Gap Using
Scripted CurriculumBy Kristen Taylor
Teach For America St. Louis, ‘06
WHY SCRIPT A CURRICULM?!?!
It’s supposed to be a solution to a problem. CONVENIENCE
Problem: Teachers are doing nothing- Keep lazy teachers on trackProblem: Teachers are teaching everything but. - Provide a baseline or minimumProblem: Comparison by classroom is impossible- Allow for tracking across divisions
PROBLEMS!*%$ THIS CURRICULM!
Steps to Success1. Mindset: Books are resources –
not scripts.2. Knowledge: How do the
“powers that be” assess your students using this curriculum?
3. Knowledge: Is the activity/lessonGLE aligned?
4. Skill: Practice the process using the content.
Books are a resource – not a script!
“Houghton Mifflin School Division develops comprehensive
learning programs that include a variety of products to help
maximize teaching effectiveness.”
How do the “powers that be” assess your students
using this curriculum?• Teachers: Grades, tracking skills, etc.• Specialists: focus groups, their own
tracking, etc.• Principals: comparison with other schools,
alignment to the Board-approved resources• Superintendent: value-added, research,
etc.
Is it GLE aligned?What if it isn’t?
1.Content – context – immediate situation
2.Process – how – method – Show Me Standards
3.Frameworks – Should know, should do, sample activities
Practice the process using the content.
DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL!!!! Check what is already there.
• QAR – Question-Answer Relationships• RAP • Depth of knowledge • Bloom’s Taxonomy