1 Curriculum is challenging, exploratory, integrative and
relevant
Explain:
Characteristic 3 (This We Believe, pg 17) is that “curriculum is
challenging, exploratory, integrative and relevant.” This statement is all
encompassing, meaning it does not just addresss math, science, English and
social studies curriculums, but addresses school elective classes, extra-curricular
activities, and related services. This characteristic has been focused on
because there is often confusion between “covering the content and learning the
content” (This We Believe, pg 17). It is not sufficient for teachers to simply
go over all and lecture about all of the curricular content. The curriculum
rather should achievable, relevant in context, integrate technology, push
students toward critical thinking, have career value, have some degree of
independence/free choice, and involve collaboration.
Describe:
An example of a curriculum, specifically
for students with special needs in alternate assessment programs, is the Unique
Learning System. It is a curriculum with a different unit per month, however
all of them are literacy based. Each
monthly curriculum has about 30 lessons that involve readings, time based math,
currency based math, schedule based math, science experiments, cooking, as well
as other varied activities. No matter the lesson or the activity, the
curriculum materials offer around 3 different levels of differentiated
materials. The various levels are described below:
The Unique Learning System Curriculum
(in combination with ) is fully explained in the video below:
o Or those of you with a little less
time, or who are already familiar with Unique, the following video presents a
teachers step by step organization of Unique Learning materials. Each month the
materials are extensive but she does a good job organizing them and describing
how she uses different materials.
Analyze:
The Unique Learning System has been so successful
because there are many organized curriculums in general education, but there
are very few in special education. There is typically a differentiation between
individuals who believe students in special education should still follow
general education curriculums and others who believe that what is being taught
should be specifically catered to each student (and to their IEP) because
students needs vary so extensively. The Unique Learning System works to bridge
this gap, or find some sort of compromise. There is a set curriculum (that
varies for elementary, middle and high schools) however the content of the
material is simplified compared to general education materials. Additionally it
is designed so that a teacher can teach one whole class lesson while providing
students with differentiated materials. These differentiated materials have
different difficulty and amount of text, amount of pictures, and pictures on
the side versus images linked to each word. After working with the Unique
curriculum the downfall that I found was that while it is targeted at alternate
assessment students, it was not difficult or challenging enough for some of my
highest performing students. Additionally, I was not provided with manipulatives
to accompany the lessons, which would make the curriculum far more accessible
to all my students, but particularly to my lowest functioning students
Apply:
This curriculum is extremely relevant
for all teachers using alternate assessment and can be applied in a huge
variety of ways. It can be adopted as the primary curriculum implemented in the
school or can be used as just an additional resource providing differentiated
books, worksheets, and activities to integrate into other curriculums. I personally
think it works best as the primary curriculum as the assessments and materials
are well integrated. The computer software that accompanies it keeps track of students’
scores, comparing formative and summative assessments in each unit, and overall
scores across the year. While differentiation is the focus of the curriculum, I
do not believe it is sufficiently differentiated high and low enough and
therefore requires that teacher incorporate additional materials.
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