my curriculum & instruction handbook
DESCRIPTION
This is a curriculum and instruction plan developed by me, Dan Gutterud, through the coursework for Ed 6334 (Curriculum and Instruction) at Bemidji State University, where I am a graduate student seeking a Masters in Education degree.TRANSCRIPT
My Curriculum &
Instruction Handbook
Dan Gutterud
Ed 6334 July2009
Bemidji State University
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What is your focus?
"To have taught well is not to have used a great set of techniques or given the learner some words to give back, but to have caused understanding through words, activities, tools, guided reflection, the learner's efforts, and feedback”(McTighe & Wiggins, 2005).
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Curriculum Definition & Approach
“A curriculum can be defined as the planned educational experiences offered by a school which can take place anywhere at any time in the multiple context of the school, e.g. public schools as caring communities”(Todd, 1965).
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Paulo Freire
“Students, as they are increasingly posed with problems relating to themselves in the world and with the world, will feel increasingly challenged and obliged to respond to that challenge”(Freire, 1989).
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Nel Noddings
“At the present time, it is obvious that our main educational purpose is not the moral one of producing caring people but a relentless—and, as it turns out, hapless—drive for academic adequacy”(Diessner & Simmons, 2000).
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The Road to Success1. Instruct using Best Practices for Mathematics2. Design instruction using the principles of
Understanding by Design by Wiggins & McTighe3. Follow the NCTM & State of MN Standards4. Create an atmosphere for critical thinking5. Involve parents in the education of their children
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Best Practicesin Mathematics
Image from www.flickr.com(from Daniels, Hyde, Zemelman, 2005)
13 Practices to Increase
1. Questioning and making conjectures2. Justification of thinking3. Being a facilitator of learning4. Develop problem solving strategies (especially
representational strategies)5. Use open-ended problems & extended problem
solving projects6. Students create one’s own representations7. Justifying answers and solution processes
•
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13 Practices to Increase
8. Connecting mathematics to other subjects and to the real world
9. Developing number and operation sense 10. Thinking strategies for basic facts 11. Actual measuring and exploring the concepts
related to units of measure12. Using statistical methods to describe, analyze,
evaluate, and make decisions13. Using multiple assessment techniques, including
written, oral, and demonstration formats
•
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13 Practices to Decrease
1. Single answers and single methods to find answers
2. Stressing memorization instead of understanding 3. Being the dispenser of knowledge 4. Practicing routine, one step problems 5. Copying conventional representations without
understanding 6. Reliance on a few representations7. Relying on authorities (teacher, answer key)
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13 Practices to Decrease
8. Developing skills out of context 9. Memorizing rules and procedures without
understanding 10. Memorizing equivalencies between units of
measure11. Memorizing formulas 12. Memorizing procedures 13. Having assessment be simply counting correct
answers on tests for the sole purpose of assigning grades
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Understanding by Design
• Plan units that focus on understanding• Explain common practices that often get in the
way of understanding.• Use a backward design process to avoid common
problems.• The goal of this approach is to engage students in
inquiry & uncovering ideas.• Follows design standards to achieve quality
control in curriculum & assessment designs.
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The Standards
Follow the NCTM & the state of MN Standards. The state standards are requirements.
NCTM standards are more in line with the best practices in Mathematics. Pay special attention to the process standards.
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Critical ThinkingMy top 5 ways to develop more critical thinking:1. Think of myself as a coach2. Encourage students to think about their
thinking3. Model skilled thinking for my students4. Relate content whenever possible to issues
and problems and practical situations in the lives of your students.
5. Design assessments with the improvement of student thinking in mind
(from Elder & Paul, 2002)
Image courtesy of www.criticalthinking.org
Involve Parents
“Research shows that students with involved parents—
regardless of their background or income level—reap a bevy
of benefits, including attending school regularly, enrolling in
more advanced classes, getting better grades, graduating from
high school, and pursuing post-secondary education” (Be
Strategic, 2003).
Communicate with parents and bring them into the classroom.
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Methods to communicate with parentswebpage
calls home
newsletter
blog
surveysconferences
progress reports
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Conclusions
• Best practice fits well in most approaches in education and those described in this course.
• Best practice addresses the concerns of Paulo Freire in challenging students and encouraging teachers as facilitators.
• Best practice addresses the concerns of Nel Noddings in keeping the needs of students in focus.
• Best practice will lead to greater success in NCLB due to the streamlining of teaching methods and assessments.
Whose knowledge is of most worth?
Our students!
Visit my links by going to my wiki athttp://room13allstars.pbworks.com
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ReferencesBe strategic to boost family involvement. (2003, December). District Administration, Retrieved November 5, 2007, from
ContentSelectResearch Navigator database.
Daniels, H., Hyde, A., & Zemelman, S. (2005). Best practices: Today’s standards for teaching & learning in America’s schools (3rd ed.).
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Diessner, R. & Simmons, S. (2001). Sources: Notable selections in educational psychology (1st ed.). Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin.
Elder, L. & Paul, R. (2002). How to improve student learning: 30 practical ideas. Dillon Beach, CA: The Foundation of Critical Thinking.
Freire, P. (1989). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
McTighe, J. & Wiggins, G. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Development.
Todd, E.A. (1965). Curriculum development and instructional planning. Nederland, TX: Nederland Ind. School District.