Picture it: A new teacher at the first day of New Teacher Orientation. What are they feeling? Fear…excitement…nervousness…happiness to have a paycheck in their future? Whatever they are feeling, they all want to know WHAT DO I TEACH?
We answer their question by handing them a curriculum map or a binder of assessments or the state standards or a link to our webpage (where parents have access, too), right? So now that new teacher is feeling confident that he knows what to “do” in the coming months.
Okay, of course we don’t believe that (I hope). What if we were to add a column to that curriculum map of red flags? Think about a math map. This would be for things like “Be careful in unit 6 – the students do not understand ‘rise over run.’ They will demonstrate they can remember it – but they will not be able to demonstrate understanding of it.” Hand THAT to the new teacher. NOW that new teacher will have the curriculum, AND the pitfalls that other teachers have faced. This column may even include a great way to be sure the students have LEARNED whatever the concept or skill is…not just that we TAUGHT it.
Thank you Jay McTigue and Allison Zmuda.
1 Comment
March 15, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Love it! We could have both new concepts students have trouble understanding and common misunderstandings that are barriers to new learning in that unit. I love the link to a good assessment of it, as well.