A Backward Approach to Scope & Sequence Scope and Sequence A Backward Approach to Scope & Sequence

A Curriculum Fable   One time the animals had a school. The curriculum consisted of running, climbing, flying and swimming, and all the animals took all the subjects. The duck was good in swimming; better in fact than his instructor, and he made passing grades in flying, but he was practically hopeless in running. Because he was low in this subject, he was made to stay after school and drop his swimming class in order to practice running. He kept this up until he was only average in swimming. But average is acceptable, so nobody worried about that except the duck. The eagle was considered a problem pupil and disciplined severely. He beat all the others to the top of the tree in the climbing class, but he used his own way of getting there. The rabbit started out at the top of the class in running, but he had a nervous breakdown and had to drop out of school on account of so much make-up work in swimming. The squirrel led the climbing class, but his flying teacher made him start flying lessons from the ground instead of the top of the tree down, and he developed "charley horses" from over-exertion at the take-off and began getting C's in climbing and D's in running. The practical prairie dogs apprenticed their offspring to a badger when the school authorities refused to add digging to the curriculum. At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim well, run, climb, and fly a little, was made valedictorian.

The Problem “Even good students don’t always display a deep understanding of what is taught even when conventional tests certify success.” (Wiggins & McTighe)

A Curriculum Fable   One time the animals had a school. The curriculum consisted of running, climbing, flying and swimming, and all the animals took all the subjects. The duck was good in swimming; better in fact than his instructor, and he made passing grades in flying, but he was practically hopeless in running. Because he was low in this subject, he was made to stay after school and drop his swimming class in order to practice running. He kept this up until he was only average in swimming. But average is acceptable, so nobody worried about that except the duck. The eagle was considered a problem pupil and disciplined severely. He beat all the others to the top of the tree in the climbing class, but he used his own way of getting there. The rabbit started out at the top of the class in running, but he had a nervous breakdown and had to drop out of school on account of so much make-up work in swimming. The squirrel led the climbing class, but his flying teacher made him start flying lessons from the ground instead of the top of the tree down, and he developed "charley horses" from over-exertion at the take-off and began getting C's in climbing and D's in running. The practical prairie dogs apprenticed their offspring to a badger when the school authorities refused to add digging to the curriculum. At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim well, run, climb, and fly a little, was made valedictorian.

Curriculum That Makes a Difference Focus on a topic that matters Use instructional methods that engage Cause deep and enduring learning related to an important standard Is it important enough to remember when the student is 50 years old?

What is Backward Design BD Begins with the end in mind Starting with a clear understanding of the destination Making sure that you are taking steps in the right direction (Stephen Covey) Is justifiable and reliable

Unfortunately, Many Teachers Begin with a favored lesson, time-honored activities (or the next page in the text) Backward design starts with the end (the desired results). What would I accept as evidence that students have attained the desired understandings and/or abilities?

Backwards Design We begin BD with the following question: What would I accept as evidence that students have attained the desired understandings/abilities?

Backwards Design Process

Answer the following 2 questions: Consider a good book that you read or a good movie that you watched: What was it that drew you in to the book or movie? Consider a sport or activity that you have engaged in or practiced regularly (i.e., soccer, dance, etc.): What motivated you to learn, practice, and get better?

The Problem Traditional linear curriculum is often a one-stop, one-way march through textbooks To teach the textbook only (without other resources) may exacerbate student confusion and misunderstandings

A Natural Unfolding of Lessons Traditional (linear) curriculum delivery is so natural and familiar that we have a difficult time seeing its weaknesses. Sequence: Read about it, learn basic definitions, basic elements, axioms, parts, and then build in a clear sequence And yet, this is not how we best learn many things

How do we learn--Really: We learn just enough to accomplish a given task When is the last time you purchased a new product and then read the entire owners manual before using the product? We learn by failing a few times (that’s reality!) Do you think that most teachers allow students to fail first?

Typical Scope & Sequence Provides a linear march through the curriculum Detailed and patient explanation Two other (beyond linear) logical organizational structures for delivering curriculum: Applied Curriculum Literature-based Curriculum

The Logic of Applied Curriculum Reject the notion that students should learn passively first, and then, having learned, apply knowledge. Applications are an essential part of knowledge-building Unapplied knowledge is knowledge shorn of its meaning Whitehead, 1947

Applied Curriculum Derives Sequence from Goals Think Coaching We head right into the desired performance—even if it has to simplified—even if it’s ugly! We build up performance progressively We visit the fundamentals as we go

Resistance to the Applied Curriculum Although the idea of “getting your knowledge and using it quickly” makes sense, many educators resist it! Arguments: Students need to learn the basics first Students aren’t ready for complexity Students might fail

I hear, I forget I see, I remember I do, I understand Chinese Proverb

Postpone the Formal Stuff! Postpone formal until attempts to perform (an possibly failure) have occurred! Understanding a known or established idea must be made more like discovering a new idea Rather than simply having it explained by an adult!

Back to the Coach Example of Applied Curriculum Coaches invariably revisit the basics with each new player, no matter how expert the player How to blockout How to pass & shoot How to read the defense How to run the offense

Good Coaches Also… Use two kinds of learning Practice new skills in simplified form Practice using known skills in more complex performances Students receive feedback during and after each performance

Applied Curriculum Sequence Discrete learning to whole performance From part To whole To part

Basketball as an Example Practice Shooting Practice dribbling Work on drills to combine dribbling and shooting Controlled scrimmage to place learning in context Use drills to work on shortcomings, bad habits, forgotten lessons identified in scrimmage

The Applied Curriculum Structure Model Practice Feedback Perform (Repeat loop above)

The Literature-based Curriculum Consider curriculum as a story Stories rarely lay out all facts and ideas in a step-by-step fashion Although they are sometimes illogical and incomplete, Stories are much more likely to engage the reader

The Power of a Story We do not easily remember what other people have said if they do not tell it in the form of a story During learning: We hear in the form of a story things that we have personally experienced

A STEM Example Problem-based learning is a literature-based curriculum Students are thrust into problem situations immediately Much like a reader is thrust into the middle of a story, from which they must find their way out In PBL, students meet an ill-structured problem before they receive any instructions

Literature-based Curricular Design (continued) People don’t need the whole subject laid out to master a challenge A step-by-step series of lessons explaining each piece of the automobile and its function prior to ever touching the car is not the best way to understand how to drive it, how it works or how to fix it!

Literature-baserd Curricular Design (continued) Much important teaching occurs after, not before, students attempt to perform—when students are ready to hear and grasp its value.

Literature-based Curricular Design (continued) The presence of a mystery, dilemma, oddity is essential The most basic feature of all compelling stories (or problems) We are placed into an environment that has to figured out or understood

Literature-based Curricular Design (continued) Storytellers are great teachers Instead of presenting a straightforward sequence of events, the storyteller deliberately raises questions and delays answering them

Literature-based Curricular Design (continued) Think of a course designed to provide drama, to offer surprises, twists, and turns Think of how your curriculum might be designed by J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Stephen King, or Steven Spielberg Can you think of examples?

Literature-based Curricular Design (continued) What drives a story, what makes it worth telling is trouble: Some misfit between the characters, their actions, the goals of the story, the setting, and the means. A good story centers on what is essential—a big idea

3 Questions Answered in all Literature-based Curricula What do we know? What do we need to know? How can we find out?

5 Essential Elements of a Literature-based Curriculum Identifying importance What is most important about this topic? Why should it matter to students? What is engaging about it? Finding binary opposites What opposites best capture the importance of the topic?

5 Essential Elements of a Literature-based Curriculum Organizing content into story form What content most dramatically embodies the opposites Conclusion What is the best way of resolving the conflicts between the opposites/solve the conflict Evaluation How will we determine whether they have learned?

Scope & Sequence We have discussed two additional (beyond linear) logical organizational structures for curriculum: Literature-based: (i.e., Story tellers) Applied: (i.e., Coaches)

John Dewey (1916) There is a strong temptation to assume that presenting subject matter in its perfected form provides a royal road to learning. What’s more natural than to suppose that the immature can be saved time and energy, and be protected from needless error by commencing where competent inquirers have left off? Pupils begin their study with texts in which the subject is organized into topics according to the order of the specialist. Technical concepts and their definitions are introduced at the outset. Laws are introduced at an early stage. The pupil learns symbols without the key to their meaning. He acquires a technical body of information without ability to trace its connections to what is familiar—often he acquires simply a vocabulary!