Minneapolis - ABE Curriculum Alignment Project 2010 – 2013 Summer Institute 2011 Curriculum Coordinators: Janice Bisch, Heather Turngren and Amy Vickers

Background  MPS-ABE didn’t meet state NRS goals a few years ago  MPS-ABE applied curriculum development as one strategy for NRS goal improvement  Curriculum Coordinator positions were created  Curriculum Coordinators compiled existing curriculum and posted it on the MPS-ABE website – 3 areas

Area 1 – ABE / GED

ABE – GED Objectives

Area 2 – ELL

ELL Framework

Area 3 – Work Skills

Work Skills Objectives

Revised Curriculum Project

Goals of Curriculum Alignment Project  21 st Century Skills are explicitly included in every class and at every level  Pathway creation  Program-wide curriculum consistency  Curriculum is written once and actively used in the classroom  Minneapolis ABE course guide

3-Year Curriculum Alignment Project  Year 1: 2010 – 2011Focus on Curriculum  Year 2: 2011 – 2012Focus on Instructional Methods Revised: Focus on Implementation  Year 3: 2012 – 2013Focus on Lesson Plans/Planning (??)

Curriculum Alignment Project: Year 1

Writing Learning Outcomes  A learning outcome is the combination of learning objectives with the teacher-specified assessment chosen to measure to what degree the learning objective is met. Objective + Assessment = Learning Outcome

MPS-ABE Workteams  Contract staff have monthly obligated meeting times  Teams of teachers with focus in curriculum area  Monthly meetings facilitated by chairs  Chairs report to Curriculum Coordinators

Outcomes

Mid-Year Shift Changes in our goals for this year’s project  Request by staff for assessment training  Work teams began to develop authentic assessments – will be refined next year  Created learning targets to be used by all staff (registration, teachers, counseling, administration, planning, etc.)

Ready for Fall Examples of Outcomes for 3 classes:  Basic Skills  Writing 3  ELL Core 3

Curriculum Alignment Project: Year 2

Plans for : Implementation Key points of implementation:  All courses will have learning targets with corresponding assessments  Learning targets and assessments will be actively used in each classroom  Teachers will meet in small groups to give feedback about assessments and discuss ways to improve instruction

Plans for : Implementation In each classroom we will…  Use learning targets and assessments to guide instruction  Use a syllabus template that includes learning targets  Communicate learning targets to learners

Plans for : Implementation As a program we will…  Continue to develop assessments  Practice the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model  Evaluate assessments within PLCs  Develop placement, advancement, feedback, and advising model to support learners  Use aligned curriculum to develop career pathways

Assessment Feedback Loop Use assessments in classroom Analyze assessment data in PLCs Recommend instructional changes Implement instructional changes

Lessons Learned  Trust  Implementation  Recognize that it takes time and practice  Communication  Explicit opportunities for feedback are crucial

Minneapolis ABE Janice Bisch – Heather Turngren – Amy Vickers – Questions and/or Comments?