ADH-NYSAIS2008+-I+suite+130

Curriculum Mapping Facilitator: Bill Knauer, Packer Matthew Nespole, Packer

Opening comments from a school that is living in the mapping. Discussed one school's efforts to work with curriculum mapping, and the shortcomings. -Content vs. Resource--Is Great Gatsby a resource. -Problems with Language-What does the word essay mean? -How do you make it meaningful? -You must have a focused question to engage in your mapping. -Independent schools are not "failing"...we are working in many ways...we are a good school and it works so why do we need to jump through these hoops and do it this way.

Group member comments: Teachers want freedom, but also ask to look at NYS standards or other standards for guidance.

A school mapped one discipline- Social Studies to identify gaps and repititions. But valuable as institutional memory as teachers leave. Is tremendously time consuming-need to treat it like an event, turn a spotlight on it. Time must be devoted.

Questions- Is the tool worth the price like Rubicon worth the price? Yes-because of the search functions. But you can also put it in a filemaker pro database.

Time is the huge challenge. What is the role of the maps?- Should you demand a teacher to follow script exactly or be used as a resource? Who makes this decision?

At the essence is a conversation about curriculum-and we need to build a community of trust. How do we do that? How detailed does the map have to be?---Should you start with a skills matrix.

It's best to simplify the process. Scale the map back.

=**A SUCCESS STORY--Oak Nolan Summit School Mapping process- The faculty identified a missing skill in our curriculum- Critical Thinking. Built is slowly..and by using it teachers are having great conversations and changing curriculum. Making sure it wasn't about just putting the information in....but about the conversation. Maps have formed the frame for conversations and remove the "person" from the conversation. Keep it grass roots and place it in the departments. Also have curriculum mapping leaders....people taking leadership roles. Remember that you must also be thinking about instruction.**=

A great book for teachers about child development---Yardsticks by Chip Wood Very teacher friendly.