A Guide to Curriculum Mapping: Planning, Implementing, and Sustaining the Process

"With imagination and serious reflection, the author has generated a detailed resource with exercises, worksheets, staff development activities, and sample maps to assist any staff developer or curriculum designer. This book particularly connects to those who are at the beginning levels of their mapping journey." —From the Foreword by Heidi Hayes Jacobs A step-by-step guide to successful curriculum mapping initiatives! While curriculum mapping is recognized as a highly effective method for serving students' ongoing instructional needs and creating systemic change, the means for putting this data-based decision-making process into practice may not always be clearly understood. This in-depth resource speaks to teachers and administrators with varying levels of curriculum-mapping experience and describes how teacher groups drive the process by engaging in collaborative inquiry as they review one another's curriculums for gaps, redundancies, and new learning. The collected data assist in designing month-to-month instructional plans for all grade levels and subjects, resulting in a curriculum that is coherent, consistent, and aligned with standards. Drawing on her experience in working with thousands of educators across the country, Janet A. Hale offers specific steps for coordinating and sustaining strong mapping efforts that become embedded in school culture. The author explores the stages of contemplating, planning, and implementing a curriculum mapping initiative and helps the reader examine critical components that affect a learning organization's progress through each phase. The book presents powerful tools and features that significantly enhance curriculum mapping efforts: Samples of four types of curriculum maps—Diary, Projected, Consensus, and Essential Guidelines for deciding what type of map to use to begin the process Assistance for selecting a Web-based mapping system Reflective questions at the end of each chapter A complete glossary of terms A Guide to Curriculum Mapping includes extended coverage of the challenges of curriculum mapping, offers encouragement and advice from educators who have successfully implemented a mapping initiative, and provides the necessary clarity to put curriculum mapping into action.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures Foreword by Heidi Hayes Jacobs Preface A Resource for Teachers and Administrators Overview of the Contents Acknowledgments About the Author 1. How Do We Need to Think, Act, and Meet Differently? Thinking Differently: Planned Versus Operational Curriculum Acting Differently: Verification Versus Speculation Meeting Differently: A Collegial Forum Conclusion Review Questions 2. What Are the Four Types of Curriculum Maps? Four Types of Curriculum Maps Curriculum Map Elements: An Overview Conclusion Review Questions 3. What Should We Consider Before Developing Curriculum Maps? First Consideration: Exploring Personal and Collaborative Understanding of Curriculum Design Second Consideration: The Ongoing Nature of Mapping Reviews Third Consideration: A Mapping Sequence That Is Right for Your Learning Organization Conclusion Review Questions 4. What Elements Are Commonly Included in Curriculum Maps? Curriculum Map Alignments and Elements Writing the Elements Conclusion Review Questions Descriptive or Not Descriptive? That Is the Question! (Math Focus) Descriptive or Not Descriptive? That Is the Question! (Language Arts Focus) Skill Versus Activity (Math Focus: Primary Grades) Skill Versus Activity (Various-Discipline Focus: Upper Grades) Assessment Versus Evaluation 5. What Should We Know Before Creating Diary Maps or Projected Maps? Points to Ponder Implementation Considerations Conclusion Sample Projected/Diary Maps Review Questions Conducting an Initial Read-Through: Facilitator Explanation and How-To Guide Conducting an Initial Read-Through: Team Member Explanation and How-To Guide Initial Read-Through: Collaborating to Create Quality Maps Initial Read-Through Card Shuffle Debrief 6. What Should We Know Before Creating Consensus Maps and Essential Maps? Map Type Differentiation Developmental Considerations Conclusion Sample Consensus Maps and Essential Maps Review Questions 7. How Should We Be Using Our Created Curriculum Maps? Conducting Data-Driven Reviews Investigating the Curriculum Conclusion Review Questions 8. What Data Is Often Incorporated When Refining Curriculum Maps? Additional Map Data Essential and Supporting Questions Conclusion Review Questions 9. How May Standards Influence Our Curriculum Design? Standards and Curriculum Breaking Apart Standards Determining Power Standards Conclusion Review Questions 10. What Should We Consider Regarding Technology? Commercial Online Mapping Systems Mapping System Considerations Conclusion Review Questions 11. What Should We Focus on When Planning Our Implementation? Systemic Change and Curriculum Mapping Vision Skills Resources Incentives Action Plans Conclusion Review Task 12. What Roadblocks and Brick Walls May We Encounter Along the Way? Practical Advice From Practitioners Glossary of Terms Curriculum Mapping Types of Maps Map Elements Alignments Seven-Step Review Process Common Review Focuses Curriculum Mapping Intra-Organizations Miscellaneous Terms References Index