Chapter+3.+What+Really+Matters+in+Learning+(Content)

Previous Chapter Home Next Chapter 1**. To what degree do you feel most teachers in your school or district regularly reflect on what knowledge is truly essential and enduring in their content? What would most effectively guide teachers in finding answers to this question? What likely impedes teachers' movement in this direction?**

Discussion: I can't speak for other teachers, but I haven't used backward design in my planning. I have, however, picked and chosen what outcomes to cover when I am running out of time. I think the idea of bacward design is good, and seems like common sense! I felt somewhat vindicated by Marzono and Kendall's research pertaining to the extra years that would need to be added in order to just cover all the standards and benchmarks. (pg. 24-25) I have struggled between quantity vs. quantity in that I know I need to teach all the standards, but in so doing, I don't feel that I cover them all well. It is "mile wide, and inch deep", like the book states. Also, I know we've been told to go through the whole math book, but after the first year of trying to do that, I realized it was not only impractical, but impossible. I learned some about "big ideas" and essential questions in Jack's Intel class last year, and this chapter reinforced that and helped me understand it better. Having a goal in mind and starting from there just makes sense. Lori

Since I am not a "teacher" this is difficult for me to answer so I may be wrong in what I "think" I see. Please feel free to disagree and set me straight. I see teachers getting their textbooks out and starting with Chapter 1 and going through the book. It is my understanding this is what the expectation from the "district" is. Our textbooks are supposed to be aligned with "state standards" so that is the approach. Am I wrong????? What I question though is are teachers looking at a specific standard they are wanting to teach and then making sure the textbook is illustrating that standard in the way they interpret the standard? This is how I would see backward design happening. I see it that the textbook that is the bible/ "standard" and since it is supposed to be aligned then all is okay. I thought the textbook was just "one" resource but I hear teachers stressing about not being able to complete their textbooks. Is more more important to look at the standards or complete the texrbook? or is by completing the textbook the answer to all standards??? I loved the example on page 34. The example was that one standard is to "know the capitals and states". This can be interpreted in many ways. To what extent or degree is this necessary? The example said this could be assessed through a matching or multiple-choice format. A teacher may interprete "know" as the student has to be able to "memorize" where every state and capital is located on a blank map and also spelled correctly. Who decides what "knowing " is?????? I think this example can be illustrated in every subject. If you indeed interpret "know" like the latter part, days and weeks can be spent teaching and reviewing for this as compared to perhaps the first. How are teachers to know what extent something has to be taught???? That is my question. The answer will help me understand the word "essential". Bonnie


 * 2. The authors make a case that backward design helps teachers avoid the twin sins of activity-based planning and planning for coverage. In what ways does backward design help educators avoid those pitfalls? What benefits should students derive from backward design?**

Discussion: It is very true that at the elementary level one will see "activity-oriented instruction." Too many times we may be tempted to teach a lesson because it is fun or because it is something that we have done for years. Education is different today than it was years ago. I can see the necessity for the backward design. We should not be teaching a lesson or unit that does not move our students toward a set goal. The backward design would help us to get away from the belief that we must teach every lesson in every text book. I personally believe that we tend to be too textbook driven. There is so much information and ideas out there that will help us reach our goals that may not be found in our textbooks. I like the idea of setting goals, creating essential questions, designing assessments, and creating learning plans. The template shown in this chapter was useful in explaining the backward design. By using this template or one similiar to it, i can see educators avoiding the "twin sins" of education. Amy

I just returned from a state FACS workshop where we worked on incorporating the new state standards into curriculum. We definitely used backword design as we began from content to identify desired results and now we are to use these in our own programs. Hopefully this will be useful as we go on to stage 2 & 3 in planning instruction. Gin I see how I get hung up on the activity and making sure it is hands on and I what I think is interesting, but sometimes I wonder if they are lacking in the long-term substance the book talked about. I think the authors are remindind us to keep the Goal in mind at all times and not get hung up on the daily "activity" that supports the Goal. Just because a student doesn't get the daily activity doesn't necessarily mean he can't achieve the Goal. Bonnie


 * 3. Where is backward design naturally in use in your school? What changes in planning practices (by individual teachers and teams) are suggested by backward design?**

Discussion: The lesson plans that we completed last year at the high school were alot like the template in the book - starting with content standards, going to assessments and then to learning plans. It is not identical but the process sequence is the same. Gin I am not sure, but I see the backward design used even as part of the SIT process. Often we got lost in the problem and not keying in on the goal. If we set a clear defined goal and then plan activities to support that end result then perhaps more positive changes would happen. Bonnie


 * 4. What is the role of content standards in UbD? In what ways does that role differ from the role of standards in classrooms that don't use a UbD-type approach to planning curriculum?**

Discussion: In UbD the content standards are the starting point, the "what" of teaching, and the rest is developed from this point. When not using thie approach it may be easy to to commit the "twin sins" of activity oriented or coverage oriented instruction. Gin


 * 5. Can we teach to standards and still be responsive to learners (standards without standardization)? Why might teachers perceive a conflict between standards-based teaching and differentiation? Based on information in this chapter (capsuled in Figure 3.3), why are standards and differentiation compatible and not in conflict?**

Discussion: I like the emphasis on the fact that the GOAL is not differentiated but the performance tasks and learning plan is. I am be wrong again, but I wonder if the conflict comes from within us when every kid can't respond in the EXACT manner. The word "FAIRNESS" comes to mind. I hear people say, well that kid got to say it not write it so it is not the SAME/Fair. The other way was a lot harder so they can't get the same grade as student A. I wonder if sometimes we worry more about making everything the same that we lose focus on the GOAL. I see us getting into the mind set, that even though we know in our minds that all students learn differently, but when it comes to grading or assessing it, if every kid can't do it the same way or "our" way then they are penalized for it. The bottom of page 34 gave a great illustration of how it could be done, but I don't see it happening in our district. If it does, then we would have to code it, highlight it, file it, and announce it to the world to make sure everyone knows they were different. Someone tell me what you think???? Bonnie

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