English Education Professor

Randi is really working hard on planning. Although I’m not a total believer in this approach –curriculum mapping. I worked on compiling some quick resources for her. I don’t think we’re helping teachers plan. It’s either too restricted or too theoretical.

The current Curriculum Mapping model is based on the work of Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs (1997). Udelhofen (2005) states “…the concept of curriculum mapping originated in the 1980s with the work of Fenwick English…” (xviii). Dr. Jacobs embraced and enhanced the earlier work by adding a variety of teacher-driven curriculum maps, horizontal and vertical alignments, cyclic reviews, and professional curricular dialogue. Jacobs (2004) states, “…curriculum maps have the potential to become the hub for making decisions about teaching and learning. Focusing the barrage of initiatives and demands on schools into a central database that can be accessed from anywhere through the Internet can provide relief … Mapping becomes an integrating force to address not only curriculum issues, but also programmatic ones.” (p.126).

Curriculum Mapping emphasizes the requisite that teachers and administrators focus on the balance between what really took place in individual classrooms with what was individually or collaboratively planned. This data is measured in real time: recorded by months or grading periods. Most types of curriculum maps are recorded monthly. Teachers record what has taken place, or is planned, individually at a school-site level (Diary Map, Projected Map); collaboratively planned curriculum at a school-site level (Consensus Map, oftentimes referred to as a Core Map, Master Map, or Benchmark Map); or collaboratively planned curriculum at a district level (Essential Map). Link

 

The Toolbelt Metaphor

Curriculum mapping resources compiled by Alan Haskvitz:

• Education World Curriculum Mapping
  Start with a basic explanation of the seven steps involved.
• Curriculum Mapping
  A good guide with templates
• Sample Curriculum Maps
  A selection of already done maps for major subject areas
• Spotsylvania County Schools Curriculum Maps
  Curriculum maps by grade level and subject
• Minneapolis Public Schools Curriculum Mapping
• Marysville (WA) School District Curriculum Mapping
• Roadmap to Success:  A Curriculum Mapping Primer
• Teach Resources Curriculum Mapping
  Read research pointing out the value of it.
• NCREL Curriculum Mapping Web
• Utah Education Network Curriculum Mapping
  This article addresses why educators should use curriculum mapping.

Reach Every Child –

I. Teaching with Students in Mind

1. Students Ways of Knowing

2. Providing Scaffolds for Student Learning

3. Alternatives to Teacher-Led Discussions

4. Planning the Whole Course II. Teaching Writing Within a Unit Design

5. Goals for Conventional Writing Assignments

6. Goals for Unconventional Writing Assignments

7. Responding to Student Writing III. Designing the Conceptual Unit

8. Why Conceptual Units?

9. The Basics of Unit Design

10. Your Unit Rationale 11. Outlining a Unit 12. Setting Up the Construction Zone 13. Introductory Activities 14. Down and Dirty. Daily Planning

Heinemann Books: Teaching English by Design

Not sure what I think about this…but it illustrates an interesting approach.

lesson as tied to the idea of the “text centered classroom” as anything else you will find at this website. It also owes most of its ideas to Stephen Booth. This group work (designed for 4-5 students) tries to show students in three parts (one done in front of the other) — exactly why it is not a good idea to paraphrase Shakespeare — and why the actual words (as opposed to the ideas, plots, or themes) of Shakespeare’s works are paramount. Each part of the lesson is designed to be done before the other. It helps if you have a color printer to print out the last part which shows the rich word textures present in Shakespeare (and absent from paraphrases). * Part 1 * Part 2 * Part 3

Macbeth Made Easy – Group Work | A Way to Teach

In case anyone wants to know. Link.

Not terribly useful…like my ToddPlan, but simple and good enough: Lesson Plan

Blogboard: “SHARING”

Junior High School Teacher recently blogged about the frustration she felt when another teacher—who had been a student teacher in her own classroom a few years ago—commandeered key parts of a beloved poetry unit (right down to the same poems as examples) to use in her class. Then, when the 7th grade students from that teacher’s class got to JHS Teacher’s 8th grade class the next year, they complained that they’d already done the unit. JHS poses this very valid question:

How do we go about differentiating between ripping off another teacher’s lessons, and sharing our expertise? I know I’ve used things almost word-for-word I’ve found on-line or which other teachers have given me. I’m also quite perturbed right now about my poetry unit. Where do you draw the line? Should there be a line?

Learn How To Make Your Goals SMART

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

Useful for planning.

Free Printable Calendar Templates

ISTE NETS :: Connecting Curriculum and Technology