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    How Curriculum And Professional Learning Intersect

    By Frederick Brown and Stephanie Hirsh
    February 2018
    Vol. 39 No. 1
    Research has found that high-quality curricula have a significant impact on student achievement (Steiner, 2017; Chingos & Whitehurst, 2012). But a curriculum is not effective on its own. It requires teachers who understand it and use it with intentionality and professional judgment. This means teachers who know the curriculum and their students well. It also means teachers who have the time and support to hone their practice collaboratively in a way that brings the curriculum alive and advances student learning (Wiener & Pimentel, 2017). Learning Forward will explore this critical topic deeply throughout our publications and at our institutes and Annual Conference. The two articles that follow are a key starting point. In the first, p. 57, Learning Forward Executive Director Stephanie Hirsh takes a

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    Authors

    Stephanie Hirsh and Frederick Brown

    Stephanie Hirsh (stephanie.hirsh@learningforward.org) is executive director of Learning Forward.

    Frederick Brown (frederick.brown@learningforward.org) is deputy executive director of Learning Forward.

    References

    Chingos, M. & Whitehurst, G. (2012, April). Choosing blindly: Instructional materials, teacher effectiveness, and the Common Core. Washington, DC: Brown Center on Education Policy.

    Steiner, D. (2017, March). Curriculum research: What we know and where we need to go. Standards Work, 1-13.

    Wiener, R. & Pimentel, S. (2017, April 2). Practice what you teach: Connecting curriculum & professional learning in schools. Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute.

    Hirsh, S. & Crow, T. (2017). Becoming a learning team: A guide to a teacher-led cycle of continuous improvement. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward.

    Instruction Partners. (2017). What does it take to implement a strong curriculum effectively? Nashville, TN: Author.

    Kane, T., Owens, A., Marinell, W., Thal, D., & Staiger, D. (2016, February). Teaching higher: Educators’ perspectives on Common Core implementation. Cambridge, MA: Center for Education Policy Research, Harvard University.

    Opfer, V.D., Kaufman, J.H., & Thompson, L.E. (2016). Implementation of K-12 state standards for mathematics and English language arts and literacy. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp.

    Learning Forward. (2011). Standards for Professional Learning. Oxford, OH: Author.

    National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional Standards for Educational Leaders 2015. Reston, VA: Author.


    Frederick Brown
    President | CEO at Learning Forward | + posts

    Frederick Brown is Learning Forward’s president | CEO. Fred is an education visionary who knows firsthand that our nation’s schools need transformational change if we are to meet the challenges of the next decades. Fred advocates that every child deserves to reach their highest potential and every educator must have the opportunity to participate in exemplary, ongoing, professional learning programs to provide students the skills needed to meet their unique needs.

    Supporting educators at all levels and improving student achievement are through lines of Fred's career. An elementary school teacher, a middle school assistant principal, and school principal, Fred saw firsthand the impact high-leverage instructional practices and school culture have on school success.

    Fred is a frequent speaker on leadership and building high-quality learning in schools. He has co-authored two books that have made significant contributions to the field of education, demonstrating how a comprehensive approach to professional learning can be achieved so that everyone in a system is a learner, and how principals apply a learning lens to their many critical responsibilities to create a productive climate for learning and collaboration. "Becoming a Learning System" and "The Learning Principal -- Becoming a Learning Leader"  are time-tested Learning Forward resources for schools and leaders.

    Image for aesthetic effect only - Hirsh Stephanie 2017 Web-for-homepage
    + posts

    Stephanie Hirsh retired in June 2019 after 31 years with Learning Forward, an international association of more than 13,000 educators committed to increasing student achievement through effective professional learning. Hirsh led the organization as its executive director for the last 13 years where she presented, published, and consulted on Learning Forward’s behalf across North America.


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