Curriculum And Instruction Take A Front Seat In Professional Learning

FOCUS

Curriculum and instruction take a front seat in professional learning

By Jess Barrow and Eric Hirsch

Categories: Implementation, Instructional materials/curriculum, Standards for Professional Learning

June 2022

Curriculum is an essential but often underemphasized factor in quality teaching and student learning. One part of the problem is that teachers have few opportunities to learn about and practice with curriculum even when their districts have selected high-quality materials. Nearly a third of teachers have access to less than five hours of curriculum-related professional learning per year, and a quarter of teachers say they have no access to such learning at all (Doan et. al, 2021). This is shocking, considering the improvements curriculum developers have been making to instructional materials in recent years and the fact that teachers need support to leverage that content. Learning Forward, which since 1994 has created and supported the use of comprehensive professional learning standards, is encouraging education leaders

Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.

Standards for Professional Learning: Rigorous Content for Each Learner

Professional learning results in equitable and excellent outcomes for all students when educators …

Equity Practices

… understand their students’ historical, cultural, and societal contexts, embrace student assets through instruction, and foster relationships with students, families, and communities.

Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction

… prioritize high-quality curriculum and instructional materials for students, assess student learning, and understand curriculum and implement through instruction.

Professional Expertise

… apply standards and research to their work, develop the expertise essential to their roles, and prioritize coherence and alignment in their learning.

References

Arabo, M. (2019). 5 ways teachers can advocate for better materials. EdReports.org. www.edreports.org/resources/article/5-ways-teachers-can-advocate-for-better-materials

Doan, S., Fernandez, M., Grant, D., Kaufman, J., Setodji, C., Snoke, J., Strawn, M., & Young, C. (2021). Instructional resources surveys: 2021 technical documentation and survey results. RAND Corporation.

Elmore, R. (2008). Improving the instructional core. Harvard University School of Education.

EdReports. (n.d.a). Why materials matter. Author. www.edreports.org/impact/why-materials-matter

EdReports. (n.d.b). Selecting for quality: 6 key adoption steps. Author. www.edreports.org/resources/adoption-steps

EdReports. (2021). 2020 state of the market: The use of aligned materials. Author. www.edreports.org/resources/article/2020-state-of-the-market-the-use-of-aligned-materials

EdReports. (2022). 2021 state of the market: The availability and use of aligned materials. Author.

Hirsch, E. & Weisskirk, L. (2021). Invest in quality curricula now for long term returns. EdReports.org. www.edreports.org/resources/article/invest-in-quality-curricula-now-for-long-term-returns

Learning Forward. (2022). Standards for Professional Learning. Author.

Lebel, S. (2019). How I used EdReports to advocate for high-quality materials. EdReports.org. www.edreports.org/resources/article/how-i-used-edreports-to-advocate-for-high-quality-materials

Short, J. & Hirsh, S. (2020). The elements: Transforming teaching through curriculum-based professional learning. Carnegie Corporation of New York.