Karen (if I may use the familiar), this post emphasizes a terrifically important point. Educators need to know what actually is happening in classrooms, but I wager that they rarely do. First, they may "believe" that instruction is systematic and explicit, but what evidence leads them to that belief? They may explain that the curriculum being used is systematic and explicit, but is it? There are a heckuva a lot of details that go into delivering effective instruction, the "program" being a very important one (and correspondence with the instructional plan—fidelity—being another). People may say they're using a "direct instruction" curriculum, but are they and, if they are, are they implementing it faithfully?
This kind of resource would be also be invaluable to teachers as well! I was talking to a teacher yesterday, who only wants to apply to districts using Wit and Wisdom, and didn't know where to begin.
I very much appreciate the premise of this argument. It would be eye opening to view a data set that matched NAEP data with school districts (not just states), and per your point - curricula. If not NAEP data, state wide data? There seems to be a reemerging appetite for accountability while at the same time a gutting of the DOE. Interesting times.
Thank you for writing about a topic many parents don’t even know to ask about. Me included. Until recently. Having recently left a wayward district on the west coast, I am dismayed and frankly frightened at the same lack of accountability and plain old lack of basic awareness by our new public school on the east coast. I have 2 children with IEPs. When I asked about curriculum the day before they started school in December, not one person at a table of eight could tell me about any curriculum. “The teachers have modules that they post (on our rented Google Chromebooks) each week”, was the best I got. This district also claims that they use the same curriculum at all their (middle) schools, yet have no response for why each school has assigned different books for the 1 yearly writing assignment. At the same meeting they touted their “SMARTS” program (special Ed) but again when pressed, not one person could tell me what SMARTS is. I filled them in on what SMART goals are…..am still waiting on the SMARTS curriculum, which also happens to be kept in the classroom and never produced to the parent. I did point out at a meeting last week that while I was still waiting on Curriculum, whatever is being provided doesn’t come close to meeting state standards (another critical topic that they will never respond to, of which I have no recourse or “lever” to compel even a response). I have come to believe that my students with disabilities who were on lockdown for half of 4th and almost all of 5th grade, are among a large group that I refer to as the pandemic’s “lost generation”. The rate at which they are being failed forward is frightening. And trying to intervene has provoked retaliatory tactics so severe we had to literally flee the state. Sadly, we seem to have walked into the same situation on the other side of the country.
Karen (if I may use the familiar), this post emphasizes a terrifically important point. Educators need to know what actually is happening in classrooms, but I wager that they rarely do. First, they may "believe" that instruction is systematic and explicit, but what evidence leads them to that belief? They may explain that the curriculum being used is systematic and explicit, but is it? There are a heckuva a lot of details that go into delivering effective instruction, the "program" being a very important one (and correspondence with the instructional plan—fidelity—being another). People may say they're using a "direct instruction" curriculum, but are they and, if they are, are they implementing it faithfully?
This kind of resource would be also be invaluable to teachers as well! I was talking to a teacher yesterday, who only wants to apply to districts using Wit and Wisdom, and didn't know where to begin.
GREAT point, and one I should emphasize more loudly!
I very much appreciate the premise of this argument. It would be eye opening to view a data set that matched NAEP data with school districts (not just states), and per your point - curricula. If not NAEP data, state wide data? There seems to be a reemerging appetite for accountability while at the same time a gutting of the DOE. Interesting times.
Thank you for writing about a topic many parents don’t even know to ask about. Me included. Until recently. Having recently left a wayward district on the west coast, I am dismayed and frankly frightened at the same lack of accountability and plain old lack of basic awareness by our new public school on the east coast. I have 2 children with IEPs. When I asked about curriculum the day before they started school in December, not one person at a table of eight could tell me about any curriculum. “The teachers have modules that they post (on our rented Google Chromebooks) each week”, was the best I got. This district also claims that they use the same curriculum at all their (middle) schools, yet have no response for why each school has assigned different books for the 1 yearly writing assignment. At the same meeting they touted their “SMARTS” program (special Ed) but again when pressed, not one person could tell me what SMARTS is. I filled them in on what SMART goals are…..am still waiting on the SMARTS curriculum, which also happens to be kept in the classroom and never produced to the parent. I did point out at a meeting last week that while I was still waiting on Curriculum, whatever is being provided doesn’t come close to meeting state standards (another critical topic that they will never respond to, of which I have no recourse or “lever” to compel even a response). I have come to believe that my students with disabilities who were on lockdown for half of 4th and almost all of 5th grade, are among a large group that I refer to as the pandemic’s “lost generation”. The rate at which they are being failed forward is frightening. And trying to intervene has provoked retaliatory tactics so severe we had to literally flee the state. Sadly, we seem to have walked into the same situation on the other side of the country.
Memo to state leaders: you need to provide a window into curriculum selections to empower researchers, educators, and parents alike. (see correction)
Yes! Transparency is so important