Let us ask ourselves some guiding questions and reflect on our instruction

As you are teaching your classes, ask yourself the following:

·         Are the big ideas, essential questions, and assessment visible to the teacher and student?

• ·         Does the teacher incorporate the big idea and essential questions into the lesson?
• ·         Is there a clear formative or summative assessment that will provide feedback to the student and teacher? Did they get it?
• ·         Does the classroom environment support cooperative engagement?

Let us continue to work and “discover” v. “cover.” This may very well be a clumsy process at first. It is important to understand that over the course of time layered curricular initiatives are intended to change what we do, not add to what we do. Collectively, we need to build a language. Some language will merge. For example: how does the RACES format fit into the WATC (writing across the curriculum) initiative?

Our journey begins with building a k-12 language for literacy. Literacy is the basis for all learning in all content areas. The delivery of literacy instruction and the development of literacy skills does not end with the completion of 6^th grade. All scores, in all grade levels, and in all subject areas benefit when students can read and understand the content.

We begin to prepare for curriculum writing. We will train ourselves this year to look at things differently. Our lessons will on Big Ideas and Essential Questions. The information we receive from the students through pre-assessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment will drive future instruction. The goal (which will take 3-5 years) will be to have a dynamic k-12 curriculum that we revisit annually. We will have instruction centered around student readiness, interest, and ways of learning. We will have a culture that demands a cycle of continuous improvement.