On Curriculum

Foundation of Discussion
During its 2006-2007 review, the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) revealed significant areas in which the Plainfield Public Schools needed to improve. Of the 5 areas reviewed, the area of Instruction and Program continues to serve as one of the most significant areas in which the District must improve. Interestingly, this was the area in which the Plainfield Public Schools received the lowest rating and despite progress being made in many areas, remained one of the areas in need of being addressed. At the core of this area and work, lay a critical foundation of a district, school, and classroom. The area of Curriculum and Instruction represents the engine that will advance the educational wheels for student learning.





Focus
The primary task of a school district is to focus on successfully meeting the academic needs and related services required to ensure learning and life-long success for every student. In the midst of the financial challenges, and a focus by some on issues that will not move the needle on student learning, there must remain a focus and an active engagement on teaching, learning, and curriculum.



It is widely known through research and yes, through the common sense of life and experience, that school districts that perform well in educating their students possess a clear and unfettered focus on intellectual matters---matters that center around the core work and ways of helping their students perform academically at higher levels. The time, energy, and resources of such districts, their community, and their stakeholders are invested in educational matters. They are not easily distracted or consumed on matters that move the focus and conversations away from student learning. These districts also focus their efforts and resources on providing their students with a challenging curriculum and high quality instruction. For educational success, there cannot be one without the other.



Recent views of learning have increasingly shown that students do not learn and demonstrate understanding in the same way. Most, however, acquire new knowledge and transfer it to what they already know, and use this process to build new meaning and understandings. Therefore, a school curriculum must consider and/or include the following:



· Human Intelligence

· Multiple Measures of Assessment

· Collaborative Learning

· Creativity

· Innovative and Technology Integration

· Real World Problem Solving


The recent globalization of the financial and employment markets have also served to reshape and reform discussions about curriculum in today's schools. Lastly and most important, a curriculum must always stay focused on identifying what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and/or content area. This reflects the need and importance of a “standards," competency-based curriculum approach.





A Recognized Need
The Plainfield Public Schools recognizes the need and critical importance of having a solid, Board-adopted curriculum in place. Such a curriculum does not reflect commercially purchased products, but a solid, standards-based educational plan of action and accomplishment for all students. There should be no recurring costs to implementing a district-wide curriculum. It should be one that is aligned to state standards (which are not fully complete in some areas) and it involves diverse stakeholders in the development and review process. It should be adopted by the Board of Education and reflect the most important “policy” that a district has---one that ensures and promotes the learning of its students.



In the Plainfield Public Schools, based on the findings of NJQSAC and reviews conducted during the 2008-2009 school year, this work has begun.



The Work
After a review of district-wide curricular issues and needs, such as textbook, technology, and training, a focus on developing a district wide curriculum began. Although the State revealed gaps in several areas, the Plainfield Public Schools proceeded with this work. This work has been based primarily on the well-respected work and axiom of Wiggins and McTighe which requires that we determine “what it is we want students to know and be able to do.” This required that as opposed to “jumping all in” to curriculum writing, that we as a district stop, reflect, and make intelligent choices, and to engage in “backward design” by beginning with the end in mind. In the Plainfield Public Schools, this in essence means looking at our high school graduates and determining what skills, attitudes, and dispositions we want them to possess for success in life when they leave and enter into postsecondary experiences or the world of work.

The practical approach for school districts in addressing curricular issues is to review and address content areas on an annual basis as needed, with a full scale review every 3 to 5 years. For example, a district would spend an entire year reviewing mathematics for all grade levels. This review will focus on ensuring alignment with State standards (that periodically change) and assessments, providing resources to support delivery, and planning professional development and training needs that may emerge. This can be done only if the district has developed, adopted, and is implementing a curriculum for all areas. If this is not the case and such is not in place, a district will have to either address each area with breadth and depth, or develop a framework for all areas and revise and enhance, as needed and required based on State revisions.

To address each content area thoroughly is very tedious and time-consuming work. During the 2008-2009 school year, the Plainfield Public Schools moved forward with a full scale plan and strategy toward curriculum development. This plan does not involve a simplistic, isolated approach; yet, one that is thorough and collaborative.

This summer, a group of teachers collaborated in an effort to begin the curriculum development process. It was determined that teachers as a group must be allowed to actively engage in decisions and acts of creativity on behalf of the students and the work they know best. The involvement of teachers in the curriculum development process is essential and promotes a culture of collaboration and support.



Status
At the 2009 October Business Meeting, a presentation to the Board was provided. This presentation provided an update regarding the work that was completed over the summer and plans moving forward. It outlined the three most critical phases of curriculum development: curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

To date, “backmapping” of all standards K-8 for Science, Social Studies, and Math are complete. The State presently provides standards for all grades K-8 for Language Arts Literacy. This eliminated the need for staff to spend time on this content area during the summer. “Backmapping” entails looking at the standards and Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs) that the state already provides for certain grades and filling in the gaps for those grades that the State has not provided CPIs .

Upon reviewing the original plan for the development of curriculum for all subject areas, adjustments in the scope of this work were made. These adjustments were made to establish an end-of-year goal for all teachers to be provided a framework for each grade level (K-8) with a competency for each CPI. This will enable teachers throughout the District to improve their ability to assess and determine whether a student has achieved mastery with each of the CPIs instructed at that grade level. In short, to determine whether or not he/she learned what we taught and how will such learning be demonstrated.

Science and Social Studies have recently adopted State standards. Therefore, the work on these curriculum frameworks is continuing. The English and Math frameworks will be based on the 2004 State standards knowing that once the newly adopted standards are released, revisions and realignments may be needed.

Goal
Despite the absence of a fully developed district wide curriculum for many years, the Plainfield Public Schools is committed to curriculum development in an effort to improve instruction and student learning. The goal of this administration is to have a curriculum developed, and recommended for adoption in the areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Literacy/Language Arts by the close of the 2009-2010 school year.

The dismal findings of the 2006-2007 NJQSAC findings in the area of Curriculum, Instruction, and Program spoke loud and clear about what must happen to improve the most important area in our school district.

The need to better meet the educational needs of our students speaks even louder.