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 Curriculum as (T)truth 
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Schools and school systems tend to adopt new curriculums all the time that they consider to be truth with a capital T! Then, a couple of years later (or even sooner!), they move on to other curriculums that are promised to be the BEST thing out there! I have had this experience with several different curriculums, and have gotten used to books and texts only to have to get used to another book or text a year later! It is a never ending process.

My question is..what do you do if your school's curriculum truth is not your curriculum truth? What if you are forced to use a certain reading program that you don't believe in, and you feel like you know best what would work for your students? Do you stand up to your administration and refuse to buy into the new curriculum (despite the fact that they've spent big bucks on the new program?), use the new curriculum out of duty--no matter what, and hope that it produces good results, or do you hope for a curriculum change soon and do the best you can with what you are given?

I am running into this problem right now, because my new school has just adopted a certain well-known reading curriculum (which will remain nameless)with bad literature and worsksheets-galore! It is boring to the students, and I can see that they will lose interest in reading if we continue to stick to this program like we are supposed to school-wide. I try to implement as many fun, creative things into the curriculum as possible, but with its nature, there is just not enough time to get off the path and fit other things into my reading lessons!

Any thoughts? What would you do if asked to teach with a curriculum that was not your truth??

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Betsy Rosenbalm


Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:04 am
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Betsy,

Have you expressed your concerns to the principal? Do other teachers have the same concerns? Have you researched the reading curriculum statistics?

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Candy Pierce


Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:12 pm
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My favorite part of teaching is creating fun and creative lessons and then trying them out with my students. I could not teach something over and over everyday that I KNEW wasn't working. Betsy, I know it's your first year at the school, which puts you in a tough position. However, I would give it the rest of the year (with an open mind- you never know what can happen) and then I would make a change if you still feel this way. Talk to the principal - if you can't change the curriculum maybe you should change positions, schools, or something!

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Amy Smith ("Tanner and Deuce's mom")


Thu Nov 25, 2004 8:33 pm
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Betsy I can understand how you feel. Would it be possible to use the text as a resource or choose the things you like about the progam and use that part of the material. At least you could say that you are using the material. I know of several teachers through out the years that have encountered the same type of situation that you have and this is how they worked it out. We change texts so very often and can't stick with something that seems to work. We jump on whatever band wagon is coming along.

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Isobel Washam


Sat Nov 27, 2004 10:00 pm
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Betsy, I know you're in a tough situation because you know you want nothing but the best for your students, but you also have to think about your job security. I agree with both Amy and Isobel, which I know is doing two different things. Maybe it would be okay to try it for this year and see how it goes. Who knows maybe the students will get something out of it. However I also think Isobel had a good point about using only parts of the new reading program so that it would allow more time for you to do the creative, fun lessons you've been wanting to do for a while.
I hate that you've been put into a sticky situation as this because it's not fair to you or your students. Hopefully your principal is very understanding and easy to talk to.

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Laura Southard


Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:43 am
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I think it is very difficult to go against administation on a curriculum issue, especially if the curriculum has been purchased. I think Amy has a good point in being patient and wait things out until the end of the year. My school relies on a basal for reading instruction. For the sake of my students and my own, I supplement with a novel after every unit (which is 5 stories). This breaks up the monotony of the basal and exposes the kids to better literature. I guess compromise is the name of the game!

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Ginger Stinson


Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:45 pm
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Hi girls. Betsy, your post made me think about education and its ability to swing form one thing to the next. I remember when I was in school the Truth about teaching reading was phonics, phonics, phonics. Then a few years later the Truth about teaching reading changed to great literature and its ability to teach children to read miraculously over night. (Sorry, I'm being a bit sarcastic.) Anyway, it seems that as teachers we are expected to do it all and with that comes the necessity to change on command with the times. I'm a young teacher, so I have not seen a whole lot of change yet. However, the older teachers at my school joke all the time about how many different curriculums they have seen and taught. I used to think how did they do it? How did they find the time to change their lessons and their methods year after year? I think that I have realized that most teachers don't. Most teachers find what works the best over the years and find ways to fit in whatever new little curriculum changes come around. One teacher at my school tells me all the time that she still teaches it 'her' way. She just uses the new books and curriculum to compliment it. It is difficult to resist a new curriculum. I think that we just have to keep pushing on changing what we can and keeping what we know is good teaching. It will never be perfect but I have to believe that it will continue to get better.

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Amie Brock
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Mount Olive Elementary


Mon Nov 29, 2004 10:00 pm
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I think it can be very responsible, as a professional, to use what is good about a curriculum, and then supplement. The key thing has to be what is good for the children. Each year they have is the only chance they have to live that year.

Perhaps "my way" of teaching could use improvement because I am not 100% successful with all students. I can use the new curriculum to help me overcome this. However, simply implementing a curriculum because it is the new "Truth" is common, and very, very sad.

Betsy, I'd try, first, using the new curriculum to help me with my teaching. Then, if the principal was upset I wasn't adhering to it 100%, I would have the conversation with him/her about why, and the sort of results I both was seeing, and that I anticipated. I would attempt to prove that all my students were succeeding as well or better than all other students in the other classrooms. But we might never even need to have this conversation.

If we do, and the principal didn't understand my professional, thoughtful, and respectful explanation, I would, unfortunately, have to conclude that the school under this principal, was being organized unethically. I wouldn't say that, but I would keep that thought in my heart as I took the next steps. I know that sounds harsh, but principals don't always know how to promote the best interests of ALL of their students. They don't do this on purpose, but they do it.

I'd then have to decide how to make the rest of the year the best possible for all the kids and myself. This experience then becomes a great resource when interviewing at other schools, with other principals.

You will always be in demand as a teacher, Betsy!

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Gayle Turner


Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:20 am
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I discussed some of the issues mentioned here with my principal on Thursday, and she said that she would really like to sit down with the staff and talk about the issues I'd raised, because she felt like others might feel the same way. She also said that she was willing to make some necessary changes next year with our curriculum, if need be. So... this is good news because things will probably change in our reading curriculum next year, but this is also bad news because, once again, things are going to change!! (Do you know what I mean?) I guess my school's (T)ruth is soon to be just another (t)ruth, and the teachers will adjust, yet again, to a new curriculum wave! Hopefully the changes will be small, but effective!

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Betsy Rosenbalm


Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:44 pm
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