Intellectual Challenge of Curriculum by Christine E. Sleeter

1. Intellectual Challenge of Curriculum by Christine E. Sleeter Presented by Ryan Ward

2. Expectations • In communities that have traditionally been underserved and have historically had low test scores, things changed when the teachers and schools had faith they could change and acted in a way that made the change. • Things won’t change unless you believe they will! • Think positively. Your students are worth it!

3. Shooting Through The Roof • We should not think of closing the achievement gap as getting everybody up to the level of the white native-English speakers because this level is just mediocre. • Our students can do better than mediocre. • For example, white students scored an 84% in the English portion of the MEAP. Let’s aim for all students to get a 90% next year on the English MEAP.

4. College Prep. VS. Standards For Success • Some of our families fear their child might want to attend college. How are they going to pay for this? We need to prepare students to be successful in life. • Complex thinking skills are mandatory in any decent job, regardless if the job requires a college education.

5. Sleeter Quote • “If teachers plan and teach challenging and interesting curriculum and provide academic support as needed, students will tend to rise to the occasion.” (p.129)

6. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking

7. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy When Lesson Planning • How many levels of thinking does your level reach? (Aim for at least 5). • Try to focus on teaching one skill well rather than briefly touching on several concepts. • If you have high academic expectations for each lesson what is most important is usually very visible.

8. Two Quotes • “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” (Chinese Proverb) • Let’s enable our students! Give them power! • “Modeling involves not just showing students how to do something, but talking them through one’s thinking process.” (Sleeter, p. 139) • Is there more than one right way of doing something? Be open for feedback!

9. Age Vs. Ability • Just because a third grade student reads at a first grade level doesn’t mean they should be subjected to just kindergarten books. Do you think a 9 year old wants to read Clifford?

10. What Is Scaffolding? • Scaffolding is when a student creates new knowledge by linking the new material to something they already know. (Example: 2+2=4. 4-2=_?)

11. Scaffolding is how we learn! • Help students learn by giving them techniques to think about what they already know: • Examples of these techniques include: KWL charts, Venn diagrams, word walls, charts, thought bubbles, discussions, brainstorming activities. • Let students share their experiences. Let them make a connection.