The Bloated Curriculum:
What Should We Teach
in the Middle Grades?
A MiddleWeb Listserv conversation
Also see: "The Power of Interdisciplinary
Teaming"
Kathy launched one of the listserv's most significant discussions
when she expressed her belief that teaching in middle school can sometimes
be a bit of a juggling act as teachers attempt to cover all aspects of the
curriculum.
I am already struggling with getting everything into my already crowded
day. Sometimes I wonder if all the wonderful things we provide for the kids
(French, drama, Mini Real, Guidance, etc.) are worth it if I cannot find
the time to teach.
Just a bit frustrated today
-Kathy
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Brenda labeled the discussion that ensued "A Bloated Curriculum."
As a core teacher she cautiously shared some observations about classroom
timetabling:
I have had that exact thought, Kathy -- even on days when I'm not particularly
frustrated. My Grade 6 students have as much time allotted to them for Music
as they do for Social Studies. Don't get me wrong, I am not minimizing the
place that the arts have in total student learning (I used to be the music
teacher!), but it does chop the day up and complicates getting through the
core curriculum that ultimately gets tested in our Achievement Tests (Grade
6 is a testing year here).
Reflecting back to my own Grade 1-9 years, core subjects took up a large
portion of our day. It does make me wonder how we move through the same
amount of curriculum material (maybe even more) in less time. I don't think
the kids are necessarily quicker than we were....
An honest, but maybe not so popular thought:
-Brenda
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Reflecting on "Turning Points 2000," Michelle shared a "light-bulb
moment" for her:
In Turning Points 2000, Jackson and Davis
discuss the "tread mill effect" of covering everything and teaching
nothing in depth. They say that teachers go faster and faster and leave
the students behind. They also suggest that we think of the other definition
of "covering" something. It also means to cover up the meaning
of something, so while we race to "impart knowledge" we prevent
our students from understanding the true meaning, connections among things.
As I reflected upon this, a new light bulb came on!
Michelle
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Anne put on her " parent hat" and described how her own children
benefited from a well rounded curriculum.
That's an interesting subject posed by Brenda and Kathy regarding the amount
of time spent on core academics vs. the amount of time spent on electives.
I never felt like I had enough time to guide kids in learning science through
labs and inquiry. We'd get the ball rolling and - bingo! It was time to
change classes. Over time schools have added - and added p; and added
things to the school day without expanding the length of the school day
or the school year. No wonder there's a problem.
I personally feel that the arts are critical to a good education and well-rounded
students. My oldest son majored in creative writing and my youngest son
in piano performance. My middle son went the science/tech route. All of
them are happy in their chosen professions. The oldest and youngest were
stimulated by their creative experiences in drama, chorus, band, and short-story/poetry
writing. The middle loved the computers and the sciences.
I also think that our kids would have a huge advantage in a global economy
if they were bilingual, and I heartily support the inclusion of foreign
language in the curriculum. It also stimulates a better command of the language
arts.
Well, having expressed my support for offering a variety of electives and
also agreeing with Kathy and Brenda that we do not have enough time for
teaching core subjects - I will have to admit that I think the school day
should be longer and/or the school year should be longer.
My favorite idea would be to have the entire core subjects first, then offer
electives and sports. And - I would actually include chess as a bonafide
elective course! Talk about strategic thinking!
-Anne
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Ellen made a great case for interdisciplinary teaching.
I think this dilemma/problem makes the case for interdisciplinary teaching.
I find it very difficult to "cover" my curriculum by myself, but
with the cooperation of other teachers (not just core teachers), I am able
to cover and practice much more. We often think of related arts classes
as being nonacademic, but they are only nonacademic if we teach them that
way.
The science teacher on my team has partnered with the FACS teacher on human
body, hygiene, and rocks/fossils/minerals content very successfully. Likewise,
the science teacher on my team is having her students reply to lit response-like
questions in the same way I have been requiring them to answer in my classroom.
We are already making plans for next year's first quarter to be sure our
students are able to take notes and present research effectively as well
as other overlapping skills.
We need more time to plan together as well as the openness of others to
include/hook into each others' subject concepts. It takes time to see the
connections, but it is vital if we are ever to live up to the grand expectations
of those who write our curriculum.
In "The
Case for Constructivist Classrooms" (an ASCD publication...I can't
remember the author) there is a fabulous quote:
"Complete coverage...inevitably results in superficial
and unengaged teaching, like painting a room-covering plenty of square feet
but only one-thousandth of an inch." (Zemelman, 1998)
Breadth is wonderful, but not if it is at the expense of understanding and
deep knowledge.
-Ellen
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Jeanne shared a story from her classroom that reminds readers that our
discussion topic isn't just about procedural preference -- that it can make
a difference in kids' lives.
I am currently having a problem with my middle school because it is
becoming so academic driven with 2 period genre studies blocks, 2 period
math blocks, science and P.E. We have eliminated computer class (we can
check out portable computers, but if the teacher is not computer smart,
it is difficult to work with the class), and we have eliminated art, music,
band, drama, cooking, shop, foreign language, etc.
I am deeply concerned about the non-college bound students who need an outlet
of some sort and also the fact that these classes may find hidden talents
that the students will never discover on their own. And aren't they learning
incredible lessons in these classes?
Not too long ago I got a phone call from an ex student. He is 23 now. I
was so excited to hear from him, as he was always a student I was concerned
about. He was extremely gifted. I don't know if I have ever had a student
as intelligent as this boy. But he never did any work other than my writers'
workshop. He loved to write. He also loved his clarinet. He had no friends,
hid under his jacket and sometimes under a desk. His father had walked out
on his family only a few months before he was in my class. They never heard
from him. My student moved in the middle of the year. I never heard from
him again until about a month ago.
He finished college and is writing for a local newspaper and dabbles at
working with a band. He said he had had some serious problems and almost
dropped out of school. The only reason he stayed was because of his music
class. I tell you all that if this boy, who really did have some social
problems, had not gotten some direction from his music and music teacher,
he could have easily channeled his intelligence in a direction that we don't
want to even consider.
Therefore, I believe that we should teach our kids to read and write and
to do math to the best of our ability in our already bloated day but don't
leave out the arts and creativity that makes some kids come alive!!
-Jeanne
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Academics over electives -- Rick questioned the sense of this choice
and reiterates the need for team planning times for teachers.
Jeanne,
It sounds like your district is moving to the organizational structure of
San Diego Unified. We have implemented the genre blocks for ALL students
at the 6th grade. Those students who are significantly below grade level
in reading are actually put into a three-hour block. Because of this, students
who are struggling are not given any electives. I am a huge advocate for
academic rigor, but what is going to happen to the students whose only motivation
to come to school is music, art, or some creative elective?
Are there many of you on the listserve that are also experiencing the loss
of electives due to the high numbers of students who are below grade level
in math or reading?
-Rick
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Deb suggested that curriculum options are really basic student rights.
I'm with Jeanne on this one. I shudder to think of a curriculum that
is just cut to the basics. I think our kids deserve all the extras as basic
rights. If we didn't give them drama, music and art, many of them would
never have those experiences.
I used lots of music and some art in my science classes because I saw them
as different learning modalities through which my students could demonstrate
their understanding and because it was fun. Sometimes I think we need to
step back and decide on the key concepts we're going to cover and then integrate
all the different ways we can build on those concepts.
I read the other day that curriculum is what we teach and differentiation
is the means we use to get there. This sentiment rang true for me.
-Deb
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Kathy challenged MiddleWeb subscribers to continue thinking and exploring
this topic.
I have spent a lot of time today thinking about this as I took my sixth
graders to a wonderful program called Student Extravaganza. It is a day
for middle and high school kids, planned and facilitated by kids. My12 year
old daughter was one of the planners and facilitators. At dinner last night,
she was so proud telling us that she used a microphone and facilitated one
of the last big activities of the afternoon. What leadership skills are
being developed!!! WOW!!
This is what my 11 sixth graders participated in:
4 of them presented a workshop with me called: Beyond the Ordinary
2 of them did "Adventures in Leadership" which was ropes course
kinds of things
2 went to improving school climate
1 went to mask making
2 of them went to other similar workshops.
In between they did wonderful activities such as volleyball, and activities
to improve drama. It was so great to see my students walking around the
local state college totally comfortable. I wouldn't want to take this type
of thing away.
I also agree with Jeannie and others that the arts are so important. I just
wish that we could figure out a schedule that was consistent that included
them all.
At our school, we asked for a lengthened day. Our plan was to have all academics
from 8:30- 2:00 and from 2:00- 4:00 to have the arts, other enrichment,
etc. Parents did not want any part of it
I certainly don't want to go back to having no French etc. I just want us
to continue thinking and exploring this topic. Ellen's integration idea
is great but when you are a very small school and the special teachers come
one day a week it is very difficult to plan together for the interdisciplinary
units, which I thoroughly advocate.
-Kathy
Later, Kathy added:
Even though I started this conversation on a particularly frustrating day
this week I also agree with you. I use music and art regularly as part of
the day. For example, we have been studying Ecosystems and reading the book
Sign of the Beaver. In groups, the kids created collage representations
of the ecosystem in colonial Maine. They are currently looking for two pieces
of music that they will share that describes the ecosystem that they left
in England and the ecosystem they interrupted in Jamestown. Lots more pondering
needed on this one.
-Kathy
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Once again MiddleWeb readers caught a glimpse of the positive influence
the arts make in students' lives when Deb shared a personal experience.
Kathy et al,
My daughter learned about multimedia and broadcasting at her high school.
She went to college and studied film. She now lives and works in Manhattan.
She did well in her other classes, but there were days when it was the filming
that got her up and moving, not the basics.
I heard a speaker from MIT the other day and he shared some wonderful new
developments that blend science and art/design. I was fascinated and my
mind was racing about ways to share these approaches with children. Here
in Philadelphia, we have a program called The Sounds of Learning.
Children get to learn about opera, the history of the composers and their
times, the science of the times etc. They also get to experience an art
form that I never knew about at their age. We do reading, writing etc. using
the libretto as our starting point.
This kind of integration is the way to go, but the difficulties of funding
and scheduling always seem to derail us. I'm wondering what creative scheduling
ideas others on this list use to maintain a healthy balance between the
basics and the arts...?
-Deb
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Marcia points MiddleWeb readers to a layered approach.
This sounds like a great program providing something for everyone. We need
more learning activities like this on a regular school day. I am just learning
about Kathie Nunley's "Layered
Curriculum" approach. The way she structures her program, provides
opportunities for students of all ability levels, and thinking styles. It
goes well with multiple intelligences theory and incorporates inclusion
in a way that the inclusion student just blends along with everyone else.
I haven't done much in this way myself, but I plan to for next year. It
is a really exciting method. Have any of you tried it?
-Marcia
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Deb suggests summer "backmapping" in response to Ellen's earlier
comments about time for planning curriculum together.
Ellen:
Can your school give a team some time over the summer break to engage in
some back-mapping? Maybe you call it curriculum
mapping, but whatever you call it, it sounds like the process of connecting
disciplines that you're describing.
When I started teaching I looked at my curriculum, decided on goals and
planned backwards from those outcomes to the steps I needed to take to reach
them. I shifted things around so that I could teach mythology and astronomy
at the same time etc. As a self-contained teacher I had it easy, but the
experience sold me on the idea of teaching thematically.
-Deb
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Ellen responded to Deb's idea about curriculum mapping by anticipating
several possible roadblocks that she may encounter in her school.
Can my school give us the time? Yes. Would they? Probably, if the leadership
was even remotely aware that curriculum mapping existed. The science teacher
on my team and I have done some of this in a very limited way, and we're
anxious to do more. A few problems, however, exist:
1. We need some guidance/direction for the process. We're both novice (5th-year)
teachers, but there really isn't anyone in the building with the experience
to assist us.
2. One member on our team looks at teaching as more of a hobby (open the
book to chapter X, answer these questions, lecture, lecture, lecture, no
papers at home, no discussion of practice, etc.). The other member is a
continuing sub who thinks anyone can teach so she might as well do it too.
It can be very frustrating!!
Because of our challenges, the science teacher and I are doing what we can
to make connections between our two disciplines. It's not nearly enough,
but it's a start and we're hoping that if we show our enthusiasm and success,
others will want to join the party.
Really, the hugest challenge we've encountered over the past two years is
getting all members on the team on the same page.
Ellen Berg
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Rick replied:
Ellen,
As a member of an interdisciplinary team for 11 years now, your point about
time to coordinate with the other team members is right on the mark. I have
seen many teams that are set-up at schools, but fail because the administration
or the system itself does not provide common preparation time.
I am able to cover more information, and in more depth, because of the ability
to team with the Language Arts and Science teachers.
Rick Selby
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Recognizing the powerful ideas shared in this discussion, Betsy described
ways she plans to apply them as a principal who must create a state accountability
plan for her school.
Deb and the listserv,
Thanks for the great thought, "...step back and decide on the key concepts
you're going to cover and then integrate all the different ways you can
build on those concepts."
As I sit writing the application for the California II/USP grant this morning,
and trying to make sense of all that my faculty and I and parents and kids
must do to improve our kids achievement - your words are a great way to
tell people about it with a simple statement.
We are going to be identifying Priority Standards from the CA Standards
based on what our kids need to know most - then Key Objectives for each
subject area, also based on the kids performance and the Priority Standards.
But the list will still be long for each department - so, your statement
will help me express the next step we will need to take as a whole faculty.
We will look for ways to cover, reinforce, give alternative practice opportunities
for every student to master what they are responsible for.
Anyway - great thought - hope you do not mind if I steal it to explain part
of what we must do, as we meet with parents this afternoon to present our
Improvement Plan. Once again, the power of the listserv is great! I also
like the line and will probably use it that "curriculum is what we
teach and differentiation is the means we use to get there".
A potential discussion question:
What are some of the ways that other middle schools have given students
the opportunities they each need to master standards? What are ways that
teachers do this thing called differentiation?
I am especially interested in what we refer to as the non-core curriculum
areas which I think gets at what Deb is saying.
-Betsy
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In Marsha's posting, she shared her constructivist methods, which are
rooted in standards and performance assessments.
I know I am a very loosely structured, constructivist type teacher, so keep
those images in mind when you read my response. I am also not a teacher
who is serious about herself---I don't have to "own" everything
that goes on in my classroom, but I am very serious about science and math.
Betsy offered this as a potential discussion question: "What are some
of the ways that other middle schools have given students the opportunities
they each need to master standards?"
I have utilized a tiered assignment approach. When I design a unit, the
basic level of work meets the standards. If a student can show mastery at
any point, through any type of evidence (conferencing, demonstrating a skill,
work samples, etc) they have a choice about which assignments to undertake.
That way, those that need more time to master the basics have it while the
rest of the class moves forward.
I also think explicitly stating what kids need to know or be able to do
before you start gives them a definite target to work towards. And they
are much better about getting there. Especially if you let them design the
rubrics or performance assessments with you. Standards based teaching has
allowed my human body systems to spill in language arts, where they do the
book and Internet research, learn the research writing skills, note-taking,
etc.
Then I am freed up to run the hands-on labs. The LA teacher meets her objectives
of a research paper and note taking. Double dipping. Oh, how I love it when
a plan comes together.
What are ways that teachers do this thing called differentiation?
Differentiation is so many things: tic-tac-toe assignments, enrichment clusters,
tiered assignments, compacting, contracting, hardest problem first, and
on and on. All the Multiple Intelligences stuff fits so well in here, letting
kids have choice and voice in how they learn while setting the goals. I
think differentiation comes down to knowing your kids and doing what they
need to learn the stuff.
Pre-assessment is a big part of this and learning how to measure what they
know before you start, so the instruction is geared to filling in the gaps
and stretching what they already know into new niches.
Lastly, backward design is the key for me in differentiation. Knowing what
they must accomplish by the end and then making sure EVERYTHING I do supports
that end point. I've worn out "Understanding
By Design" trying to learn how and then doing it.
I am especially interested in what we refer to as the non-core curriculum
areas which I think gets at what Deb is saying.
I feel that science, which is what I teach, is so very much enhanced by
art and computers. I collaborate with our art teacher to improve observation
skills for leaf labs, mealworm experiments, cell studies, etc. She can teach
them to see in a way that I cannot. And other science teachers in our building
have teamed with the music department to compose music to match astronomical
phenomenon or major physical science events.
I also feel like the collaboration between tech ed and science is very strong.
We jointly address applied technology because it is a natural spill over
between our areas. So the Invention
Challenges always involve collaboration with the tech ed teacher.
Hope this helps. Ask me questions if you want.
Marsha
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Mary Anne and Susie agree wholeheartedly with Marsha's approach to differentiation
in the classroom.
Marsha:
What you have described is exactly what I have been trying to get my teachers
to do in their classrooms this year. I bought each team a copy of Carol
Tomlinson's "The
Differentiated Classroom" and Susan Winebrenner's "Teaching
Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom" and "Teaching
LD Kids in the Regular Classroom."
We have used our weekly curriculum meetings to discuss these teaching strategies--to
model for each other. We have tried to integrated curriculum using standards--it
has been a good year! We have a long way to go.
Perhaps our next book discussion could be specifically about a book of teaching
strategies. "The Differentiated Classroom" would be good--
Mary Anne
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I am envious of Marsha's situation- what a great model for teaching! Your
collaborations with staff are the essence of true teaching. That made me
curious-where do you teach, Marsha? I wish I could present your ideas to
other teachers on my staff, but I'm afraid I know what the answer would
be.
-Susie
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Marcia believes that eliminating electives is not the way to raise successful
balanced leaders of tomorrow.
I am concerned about a school that eliminates the arts, home economics,
foreign language, and shop. How can students be prepared to function as
adults? Study after study show that students who receive a liberal arts
education are happier and more successful than those who learn only the
academics. It is vital to develop both hemispheres of the brain.
As a parent, I would be very upset to place my child in a school such as
this. We need this type of balance in our lives. It would be difficult to
teach creative problem solving in this type of situation. I am just completing
my Master's in this area and according to what I have found, this is not
the way to raise successful, well-balanced leaders of tomorrow.
-Marcia
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Ellen suggested that the heart of authentic learning can only be attained
through a merging of all subjects, not just the core disciplines.
So many educators look at those subjects as being separate from, even less
than the core classes. How is music considered a "fluff" class?
I see it as a fabulous opportunity to deepen a child's understanding of
math (particularly fractions!), theme, mood, and the influence of history
on musical styles. We don't take advantage of pulling our related arts subjects
into our team meetings and planning. Interdisciplinary teaching is widely
accepted, but proponents often look at interdisciplinary teaching as including
only the core subjects.
When we begin to see the contributions of all subjects as well as the connections
among them, we will really be getting at the heart of authentic learning.
-Ellen
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Bill suggested that readers consider the connection between interdisciplinary
teaching and a far bigger picture.
The Spring 2001 issue of "Independent School" featured an excellent
interview with Michael Thompson, which touches on the kinds of questions
we've been raising here. Sorry, NAIS doesn't have an online version, and
I couldn't find it elsewhere. So, here are two extracts:
"The problem is that we are getting kids ready for high
pressured lives and we can't stop thinking that there is one more thing
our kids will need to know in order to succeed in those lives. So we keep
adding to the program."(p.39)
"David Brooks writes, 'Members of today's educated class can never
be secure about their own future. A career crash can be just around the
corner. In the educated class, even social life is a series of aptitude
tests.' I think that does explain the ratcheting up of the intensity. It's
unattractive, maybe, but there it is... That's the very reason we have trouble
figuring out a way to discard anything in a school program. We don't have
a clear idea of what an alternative looks like." (p.40)
These ideas resonate with me, and lead me to believe that this is a society-wide
problem that schools cannot solve alone. Personally, I believe the explosion
of knowledge, wonderful as it is, complicates the situation even further.
Like others on this listserv, I believe that interdisciplinary teaching
must be part of the solution. Standards- and skill-based curricula make
this easier, though it can take a while to get there. But as much as we
continually work to improve teaching, we educators can't change the social
context by ourselves. Somehow, our society has to begin to recognize the
social problems we have created, and start to work through ways to address
these issues.
As educators, we can certainly be part of this process. But others must
jump on board, and the whole thing will take time. After all, it's been
nearly 40 years since "The Feminine Mystique" and nearly 20 years
since "A Different Voice" and we're still working through differing
concepts of the roles and styles women take on in society and how they can/should
affect that; meanwhile we're only just now starting to seriously address
the same kinds of issues as they apply to men.
Whew - that got a lot more philosophical than I had intended. I think I'll
sign off and go look out the front window for my wife and son, who should
be home any minute.
-Bill
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Joanne's experience as a librarian was evident as she shared her thoughts
about a bloated curriculum.
Bill quoted: "We can't stop thinking that there is one more thing our
kids will need to know in order to succeed in those lives. So we keep adding
to the program."
Somewhere or other in my information literacy reading (I wish I could quote
page and source, but I am in CT and not near my references in CA), it was
stated that the amount of knowledge we as a society... and therefore what
librarians need to attempt to make available to the public, is growing exponentially
and astronomically. I am not wording that nearly as eloquently as the article
did, but the concept is, there is no way in the world we can teach it all.
While I fully understand and accept that we HAVE to have core curriculums
and agreement on WHAT we need to teach and what "extras" we need
to offer (Yes, Yes, Yes to Music, Art, Foreign Language, Sports, etc.),
the bottom line in teaching and librarianship is to raise Thinkers. Whether
or not our students remember who is buried in Grant's Tomb is not as crucial
as teaching them the skills and strategies to figure the answer out, or
know where to go to find the answer.
I attended a workshop in Memphis last week on Strategies to Enhance Learning
in the Content Areas given by Dr.
Judith Irvin through the National Middle School Association. It was
an excellent two days and I came away from it recognizing that if we can
teach our students a variety of strategies for understanding material, and
then we have done our job well.
Yes, our students have to pass subject exams that require specific content
knowledge, and yes, we are accountable for teaching that. But in the big
picture, those scores aren't what matter in these kids' lives. Helping them
find something they love (whether it is writing, or music, or car repair),
then teaching them how to attack problems, to figure out how to do something,
to dissect or build knowledge is what will determine which of our kids succeed
and which fall behind.
-Joanne
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Nancy posed some exceptionally thought provoking questions.
There are so many great comments on most of our topics that I often hesitate
to post, for fear that my views may be redundant, but this is a subject
that brings out strong feelings.
Have you ever wondered how Paderewski did in algebra? How about your favorite
actor or artist? Do you even care how they did in middle school reading
class? How many of the world's great musical and artistic talents discovered
their ability because someone gave them a chance to experiment in middle
school? What would have happened to them if they had had only core curricular
classes? All of our lives would be more impoverished without their talents.
Have you ever seen a student who was barely passing your class absolutely
SHINE in art or music or theatre or some other elective class? I have, often,
and it always increases my appreciation for that child and his hope for
a future.
Today I attended a meeting at which a member was telling about her Elderhostel
trip to the Amish community in Pennsylvania. She talked about the Amish
way of schooling, which was validated by the Supreme Court about 30 years
ago. She said their culture teaches the values of harmony, happiness, peace,
and brotherly love, and they don't think today's average learn-all-you-can-at-breakneck-pace
curriculum encompasses those values.
The Amish may have something there.
-Nancy
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Melba suggests that success in electives is closely connected to success
in core subjects.
I have gotten behind in my reading so I am assuming that Nancy's response
was about what would happen if the electives/fine arts were removed from
our school curriculum? I totally agree with you, Nancy.
I had the privilege of teaching at a fine arts elementary school for ten
years. Because these students were exposed to many fine arts classes, they
always found their nitch. They all exceled in something; some in more than
one area, and because they experienced success, they also did well in their
academic classes. We had top scores on our state test every year. They continue
to have top state scores.
I have seen it, lived it and truly believe that when we offer our students
the opportunity to find their strengths, they will also find success in
the core classes. The "fun" classes give them a reason to be in
school willingly. Then it is up to us, the educators, to keep them interested.
All kids can learn, but more importantly, they also WANT to learn. It is
the adult who must learn how to tap into that and draw it out.
Removing the fine arts classes is definitely not the way. Imagine how life
would be without music, art, or dance. :(
-Melba
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Finding adequate time to cover the health curriculum is a challenge,
said Linda, a grade 7 and 8 teacher.
As I've read all of the replies to the listserv, I haven't seen any mention
of the subject of health. In Maine we are still in the beginning stages
of setting up our curriculums based on the Maine Learning Results. Standards.
Health is included in the Learning Results and so there is specified knowledge
and skills to be taught by health teachers. Even in this subject, there
is not enough time to truly fit in all of the '10 Content Areas' of health
education.
I am new at this, but am following (for now) the pattern set by my predecessor,
which is to cover 5 content areas in the 7th grade and the rest in the 8th.
I have the students for one semester. I feel like I am rushing through some
of the subject matter, partly because of time constraint and partly to 'neatly'
finish topics just before a vacation week or before a scheduled program.
I think the idea of interdisciplinary team teaching sounds great. Though
I have no experience with it, I think it would enhance all subjects as the
students saw the connectedness of the different curriculums. At this time,
our school is not doing this, but I am hopeful.
Linda
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Nancy makes some suggestions regarding the integration of health into
the core subjects.
Our 7th grade standards include a section on health-enhancing behaviors
in the human body study. When we cover the respiratory system, we talk about
use of tobacco; the digestive system, nutrition; the cardiovascular system,
exercise; the nervous system, alcohol and drug abuse; the reproductive system,
STDs, etc.
-Nancy
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Linda hits the nail on the head when she notes that a truly integrated
curriculum helps students make connections in their learning that will ultimately
give them a reason for learning it.
Thanks for sharing this approach, Nancy. This sounds like it would be a
neat way of covering these topics in a very connected way. I think teaching
the subjects in a related way like this would make sense to the middle level
students, who always want to know, "why do I have to learn this?"
or "when am I going to use this stuff?"
-Linda
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Juli reiterated some key thoughts from this discussion.
Here are some quotes I pulled from the list tonight:
"Sometimes I think we need to step back and decide on the
key concepts we're going to cover and then integrate all the different ways
we can build on those concepts."
"I took my sixth graders today to a wonderful program called Student
Extravaganza. It was so great to see my students walking around the local
state college totally comfortable. I wouldn't want to take this type of
thing away."
"If I remember correctly, in his book, "Understanding by Design",
Grant Wiggins talks about a concept he calls "coverage". It addresses
the idea that some teachers have that they have a certain amount of material
they need to cover and that, student needs and reteaching aside, a teacher
has to keep moving along."
"When I reflect on the ideas of a bloated curriculum, the essential
need we have to integrate across content areas, and the different ways of
learning and knowing that students have, I see collaboration and cooperation
among teaching teams as more and more important."
Standards hold the promise of higher achievement for all students. Have
we missed the boat?
-Juli Kendall
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