Week 4 -- Curriculum Mapping
Curriculum mapping is a whole school process that works to articulate what is being taught to students and when it is happening. It usually requires participation from all the teachers in the school. Completing the map makes it easy to see what students will learn over their career in a specific school (or district). Parents can easily see what their children will be learning. It is helpful to teachers as well. Teachers can make sure that they are not overlapping their instruction. It prevents wasting time re-teaching topics that the students have already learned. Students benefit from curriculum mapping too. Teachers can use the map to build on what the students already know. This helps the students to build their knowledge and enhances understanding.
Schools that have maps in place are really offering a service to their teachers, students and parents. Everyone knows what is being taught, how it's being taught and when it's being taught. Anything that can enhance communitcation skills between parents, teachers and administartors is beneficial. However, it is crucial that everyone follow the map once it's been created. This could prove difficult because it can be hard to know exactly what is going on in a classroom once the door is closed. Another issue to consider is maintaining the map. As new teachers come on board or state standards change, updating the map is very important.
Before reading about curriculum mapping and discussing it in class, I was not familiar with what it was. I had heard the term, but I had never been part of a mapping process or even seen one. After learning about it, I can see a how these maps can really help new teachers. It eliminates the guessing game. A new teacher can take one look at the map and know what s/he needs to teach and often exactly how to do it. What a releif that would be! I also like how it streamlines the education process. Getting rid of much of the overlap can free up time to explore topics more in depth or explore topics that otherwise are left out.
Overall, going through the process of creating a curriculum map is challenging but well worth the trouble. Anything we can do to help our students learn more and increase communication in the community can only help our students!
Schools that have maps in place are really offering a service to their teachers, students and parents. Everyone knows what is being taught, how it's being taught and when it's being taught. Anything that can enhance communitcation skills between parents, teachers and administartors is beneficial. However, it is crucial that everyone follow the map once it's been created. This could prove difficult because it can be hard to know exactly what is going on in a classroom once the door is closed. Another issue to consider is maintaining the map. As new teachers come on board or state standards change, updating the map is very important.
Before reading about curriculum mapping and discussing it in class, I was not familiar with what it was. I had heard the term, but I had never been part of a mapping process or even seen one. After learning about it, I can see a how these maps can really help new teachers. It eliminates the guessing game. A new teacher can take one look at the map and know what s/he needs to teach and often exactly how to do it. What a releif that would be! I also like how it streamlines the education process. Getting rid of much of the overlap can free up time to explore topics more in depth or explore topics that otherwise are left out.
Overall, going through the process of creating a curriculum map is challenging but well worth the trouble. Anything we can do to help our students learn more and increase communication in the community can only help our students!
posted by EDT 547 Danielle Wiley at
10:03 PM
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