Our district is backpedaling a little from the textbook based pacing guide. For a long time I wasn't supposed to veer from the textbook. I have always been a rebel and always stuck to my reader's and writer's workshop. I just used the textbook for mini-lessons on occasion. Unfortunately, spent about 5 years with a principal who didn't understand what I was doing, felt I wasn't teaching, and looked at my higher test scores with a raised eyebrow. I was so stressed my hair started falling out (another story for another time). The district now has laid out a map that describes when they want us to teach what standard. How we do it is up to us. They are writing it out so that if you want to use the text you can, otherwise you are on your won. I can cope with that. They also give us a list of "academic" vocabulary they want us to have taught, again, which is fine. Kim
On 7/5/07, Bill IVEY <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > "A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." > <[email protected]> on Thursday, July 05, 2007 at 7:26 AM -0500 > wrote: > >i like the idea of not having a curriculum; there's so much freedom > >because we dont' have big money tied up in a package program. then, of > >course, you could argue that our standards are the curriculum, and this > >is pretty much true. the single most important thing for my students is > >for them to read. using trade books makes them real world readers, and > >they know it. all year long, students hear brief lessons about reading, > >and then they read. > > > >i'm wondering this: do most of the school systems you all work for use a > >specific program, or are you makiing up your own curriculum like we are > >at dps? > > Hi! > > My class uses standards for the curriculum, with students determining the > content used to to help develop the required skills (reading, writing, > research, oral communication, self-evaluation, intrapersonal knowledge). > We have annual units in historical fiction, poetry, and theatre; I require > student-designed units in aesthetics, psychology, world cultures and > history each year; the rest is up to them! > > On the other hand, the 8th graders in my school have more of a pre-set > curriculum, with alternating historical and fiction-based units on the > theme of "community" during different time periods and in different areas > of the world. > > Take care, > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > -- Kim ------- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School resno, California 93702 Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
