EDLD+5335

The content on the EDLD 5335 page will pertain to the course work for this semester. Weekly readings, group assignments, weekly postings, reflections and other topics will be posted.




 * Posting for EDLD 5335 Week 1 8/27/2009 **

Curriculum to me is a plan of instruction for each course offered.

Curriculum provides an orderly plan to help students learn course objectives.

The TEKS give learner objectives for each course and curriculum designed for each course must incorporate information that allows students to master the TEKS objectives after the curriculum is completed. Curriculum can be edited to fit the needs of each school district.

I think the Tyler and Taba models remain applicable to 21st century teaching and learning. After reading about Tyler and Taba's theories it has to be understood that they were visionaries and pioneers. Their ideas established a valuable framework that was relevant for learners then and now. They understood that one method did not fit all learners and teaching methods had to be changed for different learning styles. They understood that the most efficient means to induce learning by students is to allow them to have ownership in what they are learning. The main focus of their ideology is still applicable for the 21st Century learner though the teaching tools and methods will be different given today's students learning approach.
 * Posting for EDLD 5335 Week 2 9/5/2009 **

I have never been involved in a curriculum audit. I think that all schools would benefit from a curriculum audit to make sure they are doing things correctly. When you work at a small district like the one in which I taught, 128 students this year, it takes very little change to help or hurt the district. When a team comes in that can give you suggestions to improve that's a good thing. The Centerville School District is under a curriculum management system called C-Scope. C-Scope is a comprehensive, customized, user-friendly curriculum support system that was developed by the Region Centers. Most of the schools in East Texas use this system. I don't know about the rest of the state.
 * Posting for EDLD 5335 Week 3 9/17/2009 **

What has been your experience in using data to make decisions about curriculum and instruction?
 * Posting for EDLD 5335 Week 4 9/10/2009 **

I had never even looked at the AEIS data report before I started this course. Ag science in Texas was ahead of the the game with written curriculum. Curriculum, curriculum guides and scope and sequences were developed for ag classes over twenty years ago and I used those resources in my classes.

How effectively does your school use data to determine goals and objectives in the Campus Improvement Plan? Explain.

The AEIS data at my school was very low in 4th and 5th grade science and math. The district added a TAKS tutorial pullout plan during the day for science and an and accelerated math tutorial for after school to the Campus Improvement plan for those students deemed at risk.

**Posting for EDLD 5335 Week 5 9/26/2009**

1. What is your philosophy of curriculum? For each subject I teach, information is presented to the students. I must use the correct means, methods, resources, and materials to help my students gain knowledge from the information presented to them. Information they retain will assist their journey in completing their state mandated objectives and succeeding on the TAKS test.

2. How did you develop this philosophy? I developed this philosophy from dealing with numerous unqualified teachers during both my education and my kids education, during grade school and college over the past 30 years. These teachers did not find the means, methods, resources, and materials to help students gain knowledge which is very detrimental to the learning process.

3. In the Week 1 discussion, you defined curriculum. Is your definition the same, or has it changed since completing this course? I think my definition of curriculum now is much more detailed than it was when I started this course.

4. What should be the relationship between written, taught, and tested curricula? This question addresses a complaint I have about some teachers I had during my own educational process. Some of the written curriculum material might not be taught but when an evaluation instrument is given some of the material on the test was not addressed during the teaching process. Testing should not cover material that has not been taught unless you are administering a pre-test assessment.

5. Why is this relationship critical to campus improvement? For campus improvement student testing data must be analyzed to find gaps in learner knowledge. A true analysis, testing taught material must cover only what has been taught. If the test contains questions over information that has not been taught you are testing for prior knowledge. For campus improvement testing taught material is the only means by which data may be analyzed to find gaps.