Curriculum Integration : Overcoming Obstacles

Laura Fidler, NAF Instructional Manager laura@naf.org

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Continuum of Curriculum Integration

BEGINNING INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED

Single Subject Parallel (Paired) Interrelated Conceptual

Two teachers share some

topics, without team planning

Several teachers plan to

coordinate topics and instruction

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Forms of Curriculum Integration

•Work-Based Learning Skill Integration Activity Integration

•Content Integration (natural overlaps)•Activity/lesson integration•Culminating Project Integration

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Which of these is my biggest obstacle to achieving

curriculum integration?• Teacher collaboration/buy-in?

• Common planning time?

– Curriculum content mapping with clear scopes & sequences?

• Cohort scheduling?

• Student engagement/cooperation?

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Overcoming Obstacles

Teacher buy-in

Engaging teachers

• Team building• Start small– Curriculum access

• Introduce content of NAF courses– Scope and Sequence– Culminating Project– Curriculum Integration suggestions

• Common core standards• Look for ‘natural overlaps’

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Lack of time

Addressing ‘time’

• Start small– Curriculum access

• Realistically assess how much time you have to do this.

• Prioritize your goal(s)• Which form of curriculum integration

can you realistically accomplish?

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Meeting Common Core Standards

Addressing ‘standards’

• Natural overlaps• NAF curriculum• Course objectives

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Scheduling and/or student cohorting

Tackling scheduling and/or student cohorting

• Involve:– School

counselor– School

“scheduler”• WBL skill

integration• Physical layout

of classroom

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Common Planning time

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Overcoming lack of common planning time

• Start small• Work with those who want to• Agendas to utilize time• Physical layout of classroom – academy culture

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Student engagement/cooperation

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Lack of student engagement/cooperation

•Things to consider why this is happening: Have you set clear guidelines for your assignment? How do you evaluate your students’ work?• Individual vs. group – are you grading the ‘end

product’ or the ‘process of getting there’?• Harmful consequences?

In what way is your classroom culture playing a role in this?• Equitability - “Hogs vs. Logs”• Are ‘norms’ established and is there

accountability? How do you group your students together?• Do you allow for mixed ability when high

scaffolding is crucial?• Do you allow for ability-alike grouping when there

are opportunities for growth and curricular extensions?

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What is one big “take-away” from today’s session?

What are my next steps?

What can I realistically

implement given the obstacles I face

at my academy?