Field Experience: Bellevue Teachers’ Strike
Curriculum Application | Field Experience: Study of the recent Bellevue Teachers' Strike around the enforcement of the Common Curriculum | Bellevue Public Schools, Two 3rd Grade Teachers| September 1-22, 2008 | 10 hours
field work
Background
To understand the full impact of applying a curriculum, I chose to, with the support of my mentor Ann Pelo, focus on the recent Bellevue Teachers' Strike in which they protested the enforcement of a standardized Common Curriculum.
Objective: Engage in a study of the application of a curriculum and discussion with contemporary educators on the same to achieve the following goals –
1. Gain an understanding of the curriculum development process
2. See examples of curricula, unit plans and lesson plans
3. Learn tricks and tips for effective curriculum development
4. Understand the application and impact of standards curricula
5. See an example of the impact of standards on curriculum
The Curricula
I studied the Bellevue School Districts' Common Curriculum (aka the Curriculum Web or the web) with particular focus on Language and Literacy and a minor focus on Science in 3rd Grade.
The particular documents providing information on the goals of the Language and Literacy area up to a level of detail providing a unit plan are as listed below. It is to be noted that this is one of the most loosely defined subject areas in the curriculum.
Reading Continum: Provides a guideline for learning in terms of developmental themes
Writing Continuum: Provides a guideline for learning in terms of developmental themes
Reading EALR/GLE: Grade level expectations for Reading in accordance with Washington state guidelines
Writing EALR/GLE: Grade level expectations for Writing in accordance with Washington state guidelines
Reading Report Card Criteria: The criteria that will be tested in the periodic assessment
A unit plan for writing personal narrative memoir
The Science area is in contrast to the Language and Literacy area in terms of the level of specificity in its curriclum definition. The links below navigate through the concept of a unit down to a detailed lesson plans. Teachers can check out kits provided by the district to support each unit.
Unit plan overview for the Human Body
Lesson/Activity on Counting Bones
Activities
I leveraged various means to gain a complete understanding of the Common Curriculum, its usage by teachers and the particular issues at the heart of the teachers' strike. In particular, I completed the following activities:
Reading news on the strike
Reading letters sent to parents by School District and Teachers Union
Going through Curriculum Web independently and with teachers
Preparing interview questions for teachers
Interviewing teachers
Seeing sample curricula, unit plans and lesson plans
Writing a reflection
Questions for the teacher
These are included in this document that I sent the teachers.
Reflection
The reflection is available here.