Curriculum 21 chapters 1-4

The common idea in all four chapters is the fact that school structure needs to change.  That curriculum, assessments, standards and even learning targets can be changed or the bar raised but if the "school structure" is not then it is all irrelevant.   Ask the book states "The proof is the fact that the overwhelming majority of our schools run on the same length of school year and the same daily schedule, with the same rigid grouping of students and the same faculty organization, and fundamentally in the same type of buildings as in the late 1890s."  How can we change what we teach without changing how we teach and the way we teach.

Presistent Issues in Curriculum

A huge curriculum issue in our district is the implementation of the Common Core within five years; which is an enormous task.  Our district is still trying to merge three SAD’s that were mandated when the state required consolidations.  We are looking at three different philosophies, grading systems and grade level benchmarks and assessments. 

This task has been overwhelming to teachers, committee members and policy makers.  So now we are to have to implement the Common Core into our curriculum; and change the way we develop curriculum now using standards based education.

First, we translated the general outcomes into outcomes appropriate for our community and children. Next, we are developing performance-based authentic assessment measures for these outcomes, because traditional assessment measures are not sophisticated enough to measure the application and critical thinking skills reflected in the outcomes. Finally, changes in curriculum and assessment will require new instructional strategies for teachers as well as changes in the organizational structure and the daily routine of schools.

Chapter 6 Curriculum 21

Reading this chapter got my mind wondering: why don't we do more on a global scale?  Look at it from my end which is a kindergarten teacher I often think we have not tapped into their little minds enough.  They are like sponges and things like a second language would be so easy for them.  Learning about another country would be so interesting and easy to do.  As education changes and global awareness is within our reach, why hasn't the powers that be grabbed hold and made it available to our students.  Maybe because we are too busy trying to improve our test scores.

The Myth Of Charter Schools

I had been putting off reading this article; call it obstinice or hard headed but I saw the title and kringed.  The one Sunday afternoon I took my laptop on the porch while a summer storm was brewing and I began to read.  I was surprised and shocked, it was nothing that I expected.  One quote that grabbed me was  "It is not globalization or deindustrialization or poverty or our coarse popular culture or predatory financial practices that bear responsibility: it’s the public schools, their teachers, and their unions."  She was being fecious I am sure.  She goes on to say that research shows that nonschool factors matter even more than teachers.  She also says that teachers can have a profound effect on students, but it would be foolish to believe that teachers alone can undo the damage caused by poverty and its associated burdens.

One thing that she states I smiled with joy.  I have been on my soap box for years about this.  She says:
"Ultimately the job of hiring teachers, evaluating them, and deciding who should stay and who should go falls to administrators. We should be taking a close look at those who award due process rights (the accurate term for “tenure”) to too many incompetent teachers. The best way to ensure that there are no bad or ineffective teachers in our public schools is to insist that we have principals and supervisors who are knowledgeable and experienced educators."  I have always said that the hiring and evaluating process should be done by a committee of administrators.  Not just one.   

Week #3 Edutopia website

http://www.edutopia.org/

Thank you Ed for introducing me to this website!  I can not believe I have never been here.  I immediately starting reading a bunch of articles.  The first one that popped up and I read was Coding for Kindergarteners.  After reading it I got on my school email account and sent my fellow kindergarten teachers the link.  I am looking forward to perusing this website for future references and input.

Chapter 12 Curriculum 21

 Creating Learning Connections with Today's Tech-Savvy Student

Before becoming an elementary school teacher I worked for I.T. at a couple different power industries and then a computer teacher for Telstar Middle School.  So you would like I would be ready to jump with both feet into the wonderful world of technology and use it to advance my students knowledge and interests.  What the problem for me is the battle between all the great things technology provides but the concern of plugging our students in all day.  In the last couple years my classroom has got a smart board and ipads.  As exciting as it is and it truly does provide many more resources for my students I move forward cautiously not wanting them sitting in front of a screen all day.

Chapter 4 Curriculum 21

Reading chapter 4 my brain swam with so many thoughts.  As I continued to read about the four school structures Curricular Destiny: Schedules, Grouping Patterns, and the Use of Space a light bulb went off.  That was what is occurring in my school and district.  Though many changes are being made towards curriculum, grouping and professional teams.  All the structures are being looked at separately and changed separately.  They are not being looked at as a whole but only parts.  That then makes sense why we are seeing that the idea is good but the implementation has problems.  We are trying to jam a round object into something that is square.  I then ask my self how do I as one person help make this change?