CURRICULUM COMPACTING A STRATEGY FOR “RESPONSIVE TEACHING” Material drawn from It’s About Time by Alane J. Starko, copyright 1986 Reproduced with permission from Creative Learning Press, Inc., P.O. Box 320, Mansfield Center, CT 06250

They Are All So Different… Children come to us in a variety of shapes, sizes, intellectual abilities, creative abilities, inter/intra personal skills, and a myriad more characteristics that makes each child we deal with unique and special. Carol Ann Tomlinson

The Five Dimensions of Differentiation Yourself Content (Knowledge) Process (Pedagogy) Classroom Organization and Management Products (Expression Styles)

Curriculum Compacting Outcomes: By the end of the training participants will have: 1) considered student behaviors that might suggest a need for compacting. 2) clarified curriculum compacting as a strategy for differentiation. 3) recognized the difference between basic skills compacting and content compacting. 4) discussed the role of assessment as related to compacting. 5) shared some planning and management tools for compacting.

Differentiating in Mixed- Ability Classrooms “Teaching should respond to what we know about the learner(s).”

Student Behaviors Which May Suggest That Compacting is Necessary Consistently finishes tasks early Work is usually well done and correct Seems to have some advanced familiarity with the material Expresses interest in pursuing alternate or advanced topics Consistent high performance or motivation Creates own puzzles, games, or other diversions in class

Rapid Robin “THE DREADED EARLY FINISHER”

Never Finished Freddie “It takes him an hour-and-a- half to watch Sixty Minutes.”

Curriculum Compacting 1) What’s important? 2) What can be skipped or eliminated? 3) What do students already know or are able to do? 4) What will they grasp easily? 5) What can be accomplished quickly?

CURRICULUM COMPACTING It’s About Time--- Finding time for students to pursue in-depth learning.

A teaching strategy that “buys time” for acceleration and/or enrichment. The goal is to modify or “streamline” curriculum to allow students to move at a quicker pace and then have time to pursue an alternate topic or go into greater depth in an area of study.

“This is Boring!” These words do not bring happiness to the hearts of teachers. One way to respond to this statement is to ask the students to be more specific in describing their boredom. Ask students to differentiate between “Boring A” situations and “Boring B” situations. Boring A Situations “I already know that; could you give me an opportunity to show you?” Boring B Situations “At the present time I do not know enough about the topic to be interested in it.”

Two Kinds of Curriculum Compacting Basic Skills Compacting Spelling, Math Computation, Language Arts Basic Skills Pretesting is easily used to document proficiency. Content Compacting Social Studies, Science, Literature, Math Applications, and Problem-Solving Students may already know some material or may be able to read advanced material or master objectives more quickly.

MOST DIFFICULT FIRST 1. The teacher previews the student task and selects the most difficult examples. 2. The examples are marked (*) and students are given the opportunity to do these items first as a means of demonstrating mastery or understanding. 3. If students are able to demonstrate mastery, then they are free to select alternate activities for that period of time.

GOALS OF COMPACTING Create a challenging learning environment Guarantee proficiency in basic curriculum Buy time for enrichment and acceleration

Areas of StrengthDocumenting MasteryAlternate Activities Student’s Name: ________________________________

Areas of StrengthDocumenting MasteryAlternate Activities Student’s Name: Annette _______________________________ Math --- Decimal Fractions Score of 85 percent or higher on the pretest Will work with class on days they learn concepts she has not mastered Will work on alternate math enrichment activities on other days

Areas of StrengthDocumenting MasteryAlternate Activities Student’s Name: Jose, Joanne, Sam, and Linda______________ Social Studies--- Colonial Living Unit High Interest Strong Readers---- Will read and pick up concepts quickly Students will read chapters 5 & 6 in text at own pace Do chapter exercises 3, 7, & 9 Take unit test when ready Students will select a topic of interest from a list of alternate activities related to an aspect of colonial living for an independent study

Areas of StrengthDocumenting MasteryAlternate Activities Student’s Name: ____William____________________________ Map Skills Achieved an “A” on the pretest Will read to gather research for his book about castles Will write book about castles INSTEAD of doing map activities

Phases of Curriculum Compacting Phase I - Establishing the goals and outcomes of the unit or segment of instruction Phase II - Identifying students who may be candidates for compacting Phase III - Identifying areas to be considered for compacting Phase IV - Establish procedures for compacting the basic material Phase V - Provide options for enrichment or acceleration

Progress through the education program at rates faster or at ages younger than conventional; providing instruction at a level and pace appropriate to a child’s achievement and readiness regardless of grade level. Acceleration may include but is not limited to: (1) Advanced Placement in a Subject (2) Curriculum Compacting (3) Telescoping Curriculum

Giving students the opportunity to learn in greater depth and breadth. Enrichment may include but is not limited to: (1) Complexity of Content (2) Creative and Original Products (3) Self-selected Topics

Curriculum Areas to be Considered for Compacting Procedures for Compacting Basic Material Enrichment and/or Acceleration Activities

W ays to Differentiate Content Varied Texts Accelerated Coverage of Material Varied Supplementary Materials Independent Projects Tiered Lessons Interest Development Centers Compacting

Approximately 40-50% of traditional classroom material could be eliminated for targeted students. Reis, S. M., Westberg, K.L., Kulikowich, J., Caillard, F., Hébert, T., Plucker, J., Purcell, J.H., Rogers, J.B., & Smist, J.M. (1993). Why not let high ability students start school in January? The curriculum compacting study (Research Monograph 93106). Storrs, CT: The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut.

Compacting Assesses what a student knows and what content is not yet mastered Content not yet mastered becomes part of learning goals Previously mastered content is not required thereby “freeing up” time for enriched, accelerated, or interest driven activities Renzulli & Reis (1997) Tomlinson (1995)

When teachers eliminated as much as 50% of the curriculum, no differences were found between treatment and control groups in most content areas. In fact, students whose curriculum was compacted scored higher than control group students in some areas. Reis, S. M., Westberg, K.L., Kulikowich, J., Caillard, F., Hébert, T., Plucker, J., Purcell, J.H., Rogers, J.B., & Smist, J.M. (1993). Why not let high ability students start school in January? The curriculum compacting study (Research Monograph 93106). Storrs, CT: The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut.

What is Curriculum Compacting? Modifying or streamlining the regular curriculum Eliminating the repetition of previously mastered material Upgrading the challenge level of the regular curriculum

Family Circus

When once the child has learned that four and two are six, a thousand repetitions will give him no new information, and it is a waste of time to keep him employed in that manner. J.M. Greenwood Principles of Education Practically Applied, 1888

Student Behaviors Suggesting that Compacting May Be Necessary

Finishes tasks quickly Completes homework in class Appears bored during instruction time Brings in outside reading material Creates puzzles, games, or diversions in class

Tests scores consistently excellent Asks questions that indicate advanced familiarity with material Sought after by others for assistance Daydreams

For Students, Compacting Eliminates boredom resulting from unnecessary drill and practice. Provides challenge leading to continuous growth.

How to Compact Step One: Identify the objectives in a given unit and pre-test students to ascertain mastery level.

How to Compact Step Two: Eliminate or Streamline instruction for students who demonstrate mastery.

How to Compact Step Three: Keep records of the process and instructional options available to compacted students.

Inconceivable Should every student have an Individualized Education Plan?

The Big Idea How would you describe “Curriculum Compacting” to a parent? –To a colleague? –To your spouse?