Curriculum Capsule
The tentacles of the Office of Curriculum and Instruction are expansive. First and foremost, it is the responsibility of this office to insure that curriculum guides and instructional materials are developed, procured and accessible to all administrators, teachers and students.
In virtually every teacher's reach is a newly written or revised curriculum guide that has been developed by teachers. These guides have been designed specifically to be student centered and activity driven. They are inclusive of the following: core curriculum content standards, cross-curricula and multicultural activities, local, state and national standards-based alignments.
On the instructional level, the following has occurred:
Alignment of a literature-based integrated approach to Reading/Language Arts program (K-7). This program is inclusive of phonics, spelling, writing, listening, speaking and viewing.
A revamped Business/Computer Department which has become the Technology and Careers Education Department with improved and accelerated courses: A concentrated district-wide effort to train teachers in the area of Computer/Technology is a focus.
Another area that the Office of Curriculum and Instruction has concentrated on heavily is Professional Development. An array of in-service activities both in and out of District has occurred. These in-service activities reflect a myriad of pedagogical opportunities ranging from sessions on state mandated testing to computer/technology.
Recently the district has implemented its own Professional Development Institute. One of the special features of the Institute is the use of the newly installed ITV lab at Abraham Clark High School as a medium for delivering such courses as Introduction to ITV, Conflict Resolution and teaching ESPA strategies.
The administration of the IASA (Improving America's Schools Act) operates under the auspices of the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. Through these titled grants, student needs in the areas of basic skills/remediation, science/math/technology, substance abuse awareness and innovative programs are met.
Presently, increased student performance and enhanced assessment results are the areas of focus, the next two stages of curriculum development are as follows:
Articulation and full utilization of existing curriculum guides (i.e., use of modifications for Special Education and BIL/ESL populations; application and infusion of the Curriculum Design program that identifies and isolates skills that are found on standardized and state tests (i.e., Stanford 9; EWT (Early Warning Test - Grade 8); HSPT (High School Proficiency Test - Grade 11).
Curriculum mapping that provides for the collection of data about operational curricula that will:
- provide better alignment of what is taught and when it is taught
- identify gaps
- identify repetitions
- match assessment with desired outcomes and
- identify potential areas for integration.
An exciting and intriguing part of curriculum development is the unending cyclical process and endless possibilities that can result. The long-term goal of the Office of Curriculum and Instruction is to stay the course, complete the stages as described above, and ultimately transfer curriculum guides into interdisciplinary units wherein core subjects will not necessarily exist as separate entities but exemplify an integrated approach to learning that will magnify a true infusion to learning and living.
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