Schools continuously face the challenge of developing a useful, aligned curriculum that can effectively support student achievement and assessment. This book gives administrators and teachers the tools to make it happen. Award-winning educator Joe Crawford describes how to build the aligned curriculum that is so crucial to student success. The key is identifying Power Standards?the most critical skills that all learners must have. These skills are then taught in a logical sequence of instruction throughout the year. Key benefits of this process include:
A standards-based curriculum developed by teachers and leaders
Consistent objectives throughout the school
A common assessment system for measuring student success
A one-page curriculum outline that eases communication with all stakeholders
This manual is loaded with examples, practical advice, and checklists. Readers also have access to a corresponding Web-based software package that facilitates the process electronically and stores the curriculum plan on the Internet. Lead your school to excellence with Power Standards!
FEATURES:
The book discusses the issues presented in the local publication, dissemination, and follow through on the curriculum documents and common assessments developed as a result of this book, offering advice and even specific forms to help the reader plan for and avoid many problems inherent in the reform process.
Based on the authors many years of using this process, road blocks, issues, and problems are discussed in the book and helpful hints and ideas for best solving the issues are presented. Additionally, the authors experiences in Total Quality Management are used to build the continuous improvement process into the entire system, along with the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle to ensure the work is sustained and constantly improved. This book is intended to help local educators create the guaranteed, viable curriculum so important to improving student performance.
Software available with this book offers real-time data to classroom teachers not only of which students passed and failed the formative assessments and which items were right and wrong, but the software also lists all students who demonstrated mastery of each Instructional Objective and which students did not demonstrate mastery. This is invaluable information in a standards-based curriculum with a re-teaching loop. The software also offers electronic curriculum mapping abilities and the ability to create and score surveys and retired national assessments as well as the storing of all district assessment data.
Industry Reviews
"This book will help others create curriculum that will cause lasting change." -- Elizabeth Lolli, Superintendent "In all of my years leading districts through the curriculum alignment process, this is the first book that I have encountered that makes the process manageable and doable." -- Jody L. Ware, Superintendent "The author has written a clear, step by step handbook on how to select and organize essential curriculum topics. This book is a worthy contribution to the literature on creating coherent curriculum." -- Mike Schmoker, Consultant and Author "The strategies the author uses in developing and implementing power standards across a district are effective, practical and meaningful. Teachers involved become advocates of true alignment and meaningful assessment: systemically impacting learning. This process reaches all the way to the student desk, where the real learning takes place." -- John Antonetti, Senior Consultant "Joe Crawford is a veteran leader with a track record committed to excellence and equity. These strategies have been applied in some of the most challenging schools in the nation and these practical ideas can be used by teachers and administrators at every level." -- Douglas B. Reeves, Author "Joe Crawford is a veteran leader with a track record committed to excellence and equity. These strategies have been applied in some of the most challenging schools in the nation and these practical ideas can be used by teachers and administrators at every level." -- Douglas B. Reeves, Founder "This book will allow schools and districts to effectively align standards, curriculum, and assessments to provide continuity among departments and across grade levels." -- Sharon Madsen Redfern, Principal
