Week 1 responses

Respond 1

I believe that curriculum should be meaningful and effective.  Guidance for developing such a curriculum was outlined in the reading.  Lalor, 2017 pointed out that a high quality curriculum includes alignment with specific standards, experiences, and contains tasks that are effective that map out what students should know and be able to do.  I think that curriculum should be taught assessed and used to evaluate student achievement. Data from assessments could inform teachers on student goals for future lessons. Lalor, 2017 implied that a meaningful curriculum is a standard-based one that follows a design process that include organization and structure, standards, assessments, instruction and format. The organizational structure should contain guiding questions which could include a big idea that sets the intent or purpose for the curriculum. The standards should be use to align lessons, experiences, and task into achievable goals that can be measured. Assessments are considered one of the most important part of the curriculum. There are four types of assessments that would provide information on what students can do. Lalor, 2017 noted that assessments should be varied and provide important information about student success and the lesson structure. My advice to new teachers about how to create curriculum stem from my own experiences. I would explain to them the importance of understanding and decoding the standards into measurable goals before beginning the planning. This idea would allow them to determine the purpose of the upcoming lesson and how each task should fit together to achieve the goals. Subject matter and student interest is also important when selecting content that support the lesson agenda. In my experience, students become vested in materials that relate to their interest. By allowing students to complete interest surveys and using class readability levels when choosing materials are crucial for student success. Lastly differentiation in regards to content materials and testing formats help to foster learning experiences that help students to reach their potential.

Respond 2

In order to know how to develop a meaningful and effective curriculum, we must know the different layers of the curriculum. The five different layers of the curriculum are formal curriculum, operational curriculum, taught curriculum, assessed curriculum, and learned curriculum. First, teachers need their organizing center. An organizing center is a central idea upon which a unit of study is built. It is communicated through a unit’s title, essential question, and a big idea. Second, teachers need the standards to know what the students should be learning and what they should know by the time they leave that specific grade. Third, teachers need an assessment. Teachers need an assessment to know if the students are learning what they are teaching. Teachers need multiple assessments for different types of students. Fourth, teachers must have their instructions for the students. It is very important for students to understand what is being said to them and what they need to do. Without instruction, the students would not be able to receive the lesson. Last, it is the format. The format should be understandable for other educators to read and follow.

I would tell a novice teacher to take the first week and learn her students. In my first year of teaching, I had an unreachable expectation because my students were low. Some of my students could not read. After the first week of school, I had to revamp everything. Once I knew the level my students were on, I was able to better organize and my instruction was on their level.

Respond 3

When addressing the guidance provided in the texts for developing a meaningful and effective curriculum, it is evident that Lalor places an emphasis on eight considerations that must be addressed when developing a curriculum.  Those considerations are organizing centers, alignment of standards, placement and emphasis of standards, types and purposes of assessments, curriculum-embedded performance assessments, instruction, resources that support instruction, and success with the curriculum.  All of these considerations are important for various reasons including providing the correct instruction in the most effective manner.  Lalor (2017) describes the organizing center as being, “communicated through its title, essential question, and big idea” (p. 6).  Teachers must decide what to teach in a way that allows the content to address the standards that are required of their grade level.  They must decide when and how the standards should be addressed.  The teacher must also decide how to assess whether students have learned the content and to what extent.  The text suggests the importance of embedded performance assessments. These types of assessments are important to assess student learning throughout the unit.  Experiences, lessons, and resources that support the instruction are important components in a curriculum and provide students with a well-rounded experience if addressed effectively. Lalor indicates that success with a quality curriculum includes easy access, supported with effective professional development, and connection to student work.  

The specific guidance I would provide to a novice teacher in creating learning experiences/learning environments that make subject matter meaningful and useful in promoting the achievement of all students is to know your students.  Use learning experiences that get them excited about learning and address the standards that are required in your grade-level.  Do not trust that the curriculum that is provided by your district addresses your standards to fidelity and at a depth that is appropriate.  Use your resources to provide a curriculum that addresses your standards and allows you documentation to prove that your students have received and absorbed the appropriate instruction