[NIFL-FOBASICS:846] Re: How to build a curriculum

From: Ellie Drago Severson (seversel@gse.harvard.edu)
Date: Thu Oct 30 2003 - 09:35:56 EST


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From: "Ellie Drago Severson" <seversel@gse.harvard.edu>
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Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:846] Re: How to build a curriculum
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Thank you both so much, Mary and Barb.

On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 11:23:02 -0500 (EST)
  "Barbara Garner" <barbara_garner@worlded.org> wrote:
>This posting comes from the AALPD discussion.
>It starts with a question: How do you perceive the relationship between
>involvement in curriculum development and growth as a teacher? I
>responded. Then Mary Russell responded, with this interesting cite. I
>thought you'd like to take a look at it.
>Barb Garner
>
>I certainly agree with Barbara's points, below. I wanted to share a
>resource I think is a useful adjunct to teachers trying to build
>curriculum, as well as to pursue professional growth. It is  called "By
>Your Own Design," and is available in CDRom from
>The National Staff Development Council
>PO Box 240
>Oxford, OH 45056
>You can review the materials  at
>http://www.enc.org/professional/guide/?ls=ho 
>Resources can be accessed from this site. 
>The CD was created in partnership with the Eisenhower Network, and so
>is very much directed to K12 Math and Science teachers. However, my
>pre-service students  have found it useful for background and materials
>in planning their learning in other areas.  
>
>Mary Russell
>National Center on Adult Literacy
>University of Pennsylvania
>3910 Chestnut St
>Philadelphia, PA 19104
>Phone: 215-746-6742
>Fax: 215-898-9804
>http://literacy.org 
>
>On Tuesday, October 28, 2003 10:05 AM, Barbara Garner
><barbara_garner@worlded.org> wrote:
>>I've been thinking about this a lot, Eileen. I've developed
>curriculum
>>both as a teacher (for myself) and as an instructional designer (for
>>developing country settings and for the US). In all cases it is
>>extremely valuable for me as a teacher. When creating curriculum and
>>related materials and methods, I have to think through how it's going
>to
>>work in the classroom. Is the sequence logical? What prior skills or
>>knowledge do the learners have to have to be able to do this, and do
>>they have them? What are the multiple threads that weave through this
>>and how can I bring those out? How do I address the variety of levels
>>within a class? What about transitions? It's all the stuff of getting
>>ready for teaching a class, but there's no sliding by when you have a
>>blank page!
>>When I was creating curriculum and related materials for my own
>classes
>>(much like Charissa), I examined my students minutely, which I like
>to
>>think made me a better teacher.  And as I became a more experienced
>>teacher, I took notes after each class, about what did and didn't
>work
>>and what I could build on. THis added step of reflection also
>>contributed to my growth as a teacher, and the annotated curriculum
>>became a resource for the teacher who inherited the students the next
>>year.
>>So yes, developing curriculum is a great professional development
>>tool.
>>Barb Garner 
>>>>> eileeneckert@hotmail.com 10/27/03 02:34PM >>>
>>Hi authors, I have a couple of questions for any or all of you:
>>
>>How do you perceive the relationship between involvement in
>>curriculum
>>
>>development and growth as a teacher? In other words, how has the
>>process of 
>>developing curriculum contributed to your understanding of
>>teaching and
>>
>>learning, and to your proficiency as a teacher?
>>
>>and
>>
>>Do the limits set by state curriculum frameworks, accountability
>>systems, or 
>>other external factors affect what kinds of understandings we can
>>develop 
>>(understandings of curriculum, teaching, and/or learning)?
>>
>>These questions are primarily for those who contributed to the
>>curriculum 
>>issue of FOB, but I'd be interested in any responses.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Eileen
>

Ellie Drago-Severson, Ed.D.
Lecturer in Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
219 Longfellow Hall, Appian Way
Cambridge, MA 02138
Voicemail: 617.496.4963



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