Parallel Curriculum ModelA plan for moving every childtoward expertise

Our Advance OrganizerDefine curriculum Review curriculum components Define curriculum modelsOverview of PCM goals and purposesDefinitions, goals, and purposes of each parallel Illustrations of each parallelDecisions and next steps

The Word: CurriculumLatin: Running courseScotland 1603: Carriage way, roadUnited States 1906: Course of studyUnited States, 1940: Plan for learning (study)

What is curriculum?Curriculum is a design PLAN for learning that requires the purposeful and proactive organization, sequencing, and management of the interactions among the teacher, the students, and the content knowledge we want students to acquire.

Some of the components of a comprehensive curriculum unitContent

Assessment

Introduction/Closure

Teaching Strategies

Learning ActivitiesGrouping and Pacing

Products

Resources

Extension Activities

Differentiation

Characteristics of Exemplary Curriculum Powerful knowledge goals, representative or generative topics, and big ideasAdvance organizers that clarify prior knowledge, future activities, and expectationsMotivating introductory experiencesChallenging and active learning activitiesAuthentic resources and productsAligned assessment strategies and growth criteria, feedback, debriefing, transfer and extension opportunities, interaction, and support Interest-based applications and extensionsModifications that attend to powerful student differences

What is a curriculum model?A model is a format for curriculum design developed to meet unique needs, contexts, and/or purposes. In order to address these goals, curriculum developers design, reconfigure, or rearrange one or more key curriculum components.

The Framework Underlying All Curriculum Models

ContentAssessmentIntroTeachingLearningProductsResources GroupingExtensionsModificationsKEY CURRICULUM COMPONENTS

Reasons and Rationale for a Curriculum Model Based on Student DifferencesWhy should we differentiate our curriculum?What kinds of student differences should we address?How will we develop or revise curriculum to address these differences?What should we expect from differentiation?

Learning is our BusinessWe want to ensure and increase student learning and achievement.Learning begins with attention to students prior knowledge, motivation, attention, effort, and perception. Different learners have different levels of prior knowledge, motivations, effort, and learning styles. If we attend to learner differences we can make our curriculum more efficient.Efficiency, effectiveness, and planning increases the quality of curriculum.

Differences Among LearnersStudents have different levels of prior knowledge and cognitive abilities (Vygotsky/Bloom/Lu/Kulick)Some students need, prefer, or learn best with a logical, sequence of main ideas that explain the structure of a topic or discipline (Bruner/Taba/Tyler)Other students prefer to think in analogies and to see relationships among and across ideas (Gordon/Sternberg)Many students prefer to see how ideas are used in the world (Dewey)Still others need to see the personal relevance of ideas and topics to become motivated to learn (Wigginton/Summerhill)

So, how does PCM provide qualitatively differentiated curriculum?Opportunities to learn the core knowledge (enduring facts, concepts, principles, and skills) within a disciplineOpportunities to transfer and apply knowledge and/or use the tools and methods of the scholar, researcher, and practitionerOpportunities to learn about the numerous relationships and connections that exist across topics, disciplines, events, time, and culturesOpportunities for students to address or develop intrapersonal qualities and develop their affinities within and across disciplines

What is the Parallel Curriculum Model?The Parallel Curriculum Model is a set of four interrelated designs that can be used singly, or in combination, to create or revise existing curriculum units, lessons, or tasks. Each of the four parallels offers a unique approach for organizing content, teaching, and learning that is closely aligned to the special purpose of each parallel.

The Parallel Curriculum ModelCURRICULUMOF CONNECTIONSCURRICULUM OFPRACTICECURRICULUMOFIDENTITYKEY CURRICULUM COMPONENTSCORE CURRICULUM

Why Four Parallels?Qualitatively differentiated curriculum isnt achieved by doing only one thing or one kind of thing.Students are different.Students have different needs at different times in their lives.Students styles, talents, interests, environments and opportunities are different. Students have different levels of expertise.

The Parallel Curriculum: Four Facets of Qualitatively Differentiated CurriculumCore: The essential nature of a disciplineConnections: The relationships among knowledgePractice: The applications of facts, concepts, principles, skills, and methods as scholars, researchers, developers, or practitionersIdentity: Developing students interests and expertise, strengths, values, and character

The Core Curriculum:DefinitionThe Core Curriculum addresses the core concepts, principles, and skills of a discipline. It is designed to help students understand essential, discipline-based content through the use of representative topics, inductive teaching, and analytic learning activities.

The Curriculum of Connections: DefinitionThe Curriculum of Connections builds upon the Core Curriculum. It is a plan that includes a set of guidelines and procedures to help curriculum developers connect overarching concepts, principles, and skills within and across disciplines, time periods, cultures, places, and/or events. This parallel is designed to help students understand overarching concepts and principles as they relate to new content and content areas.

The Curriculum of Practice: DefinitionThe Curriculum of Practice is a plan that includes a set of guidelines and procedures to help students understand, use, generalize, and transfer essential knowledge, understandings, and skills in a field to authentic questions, practices, and problems. This parallel is designed to help students function with increasing skill and competency as a researcher, creator, producer, problem solver, or practitioner in a field.

The Curriculum of Identity: DefinitionThe Curriculum of Identity is a plan that includes a set of guidelines and procedures to assist students in reflecting upon the relationship between the skills and ideas in a discipline and their own lives, personal growth, and development. This parallel is designed to help students explore and participate in a discipline or field as it relates to their own interests, goals, and strengths, both now and in the future.

What does Parallel mean?Each parallel has components that align with each other.Parallels can be used singly or in combination.Each of the parallels is of equal value and use with a variety of students or with an individual student at a variety of times.The choice to use a particular parallel should be strongly related to learners profiles, the subject area, content goals, related units, lessons, and tasks.

Ascending Levels of DemandAscending levels of intellectual demand is the process that escalates one or more facets of the curriculum in order to match a learners profile and provide appropriate challenge and pacing. Prior knowledge and opportunities, existing scheme, and cognitive abilities are major attributes of a learners profile. Teachers reconfigure one or more curriculum components in order to ensure that students are working in their zone of optimal development.

Why Provide Ascending Levels of Intellectual Demand?To honor differences among studentsTo address varying levels of prior knowledge, varying opportunities, and cognitive abilitiesTo ensure optimal levels of academic achievementTo support continuous learningTo ensure intrinsic motivationTo provide appropriate levels of challenge

Ascending Levels of Intellectual Demand Take Into Consideration Students .Cognitive abilitiesPrior knowledgeSchemaOpportunities to learnLearning rateDevelopmental differencesLevels of abstraction

Ascending Levels of Intellectual DemandVary the depthAdjust the abstractionChange the complexityMake contexts and examples more or less novel or familiarAdjust the paceUse more/less advanced materials and textProvide more/less scaffoldingProvide frequent/intermittent feedbackProvide/let students infer related strategiesInfer concepts from applications and problem solvingProvide more/fewer examplesBe more/less explicit/inductiveProvide simpler/more complex problems and applicationsVary the sophistication level Provide lengthier/briefer textsProvide more/less text supportRequire more/less independence or collaborationRequire more/less evidenceAsk for/provide analogiesTeach to concepts before/after examplesTeach principles before/after examples or concepts

What are the purposes for the Parallel Curriculum Model? Provides teachers with a comprehensive framework with which they can design, evaluate, and revise existing curriculumImproves the quality of the curriculum units, lessons, and tasksEnhances the alignment among the general, gifted, ESOL, and special education curriculaIncreases the authenticity and power of the knowledge students acquire and their related learning activitiesOffers teachers the flexibility to achieve multiple purposesReinforces the need to think deeply about learners and content knowledge Uses high quality curriculum as a catalyst for observing and developing abilities in learnersAllows flexibility to address varying needs and interests of learners

Ten Unique Things About PCMDefines curriculum and curriculum modelsDescribes the 10 components of curriculum designUnifies various purposes for differentiated curriculum Identifies specific goals for each parallel Describes how curriculum can be used to address the affective domainDescribes specifics for increasing intellectual challenge Treats all parallels as equal in valueSupports an inclusive approach to special educationAddresses collaboration between ESE, gifted, and general education Stresses the development of talent and expertise for every learner

The Core CurriculumThe Core Curriculum addresses the core concepts, principles, and skills of a discipline. It is designed to help students understand essential, discipline-based content through the use of representative topics, inductive teaching, and analytic learning activities.

Core is not..Cultural literacyBasic skillsRegular education curriculum

Categories of KnowledgeFacts:A specific detail, verifiable information

Concepts:A general idea or understanding, especially a generalized idea of a thing or class of things; a category or classification

Principles:Fundamental truths, laws, doctrines, or rules, that explains the relationship between two or more concepts

Generalizations:A generalization is a principle or concept that can be applied across topics or disciples

Skills:Proficiency, ability, or technique, strategy, method or tool

AttitudesSelf-knowledge of appreciations, values,and actions related to a topic that are affective in nature

Guiding Questions within the Core Curriculum What is the essential content within this discipline?What are the powerful concepts, principles and skills within this discipline?Which topics best represent the core content discipline?Which topics are developmentally appropriate for my students?How might I help students construct an accurate scheme of this discipline?Which resources, activities, and products provide opportunities for students analytic thinking about core knowledge?How might I assess student learning?

The Curriculum of Connections: DefinitionThe Curriculum of Connections builds upon the Core Curriculum. It is a plan that includes a set of guidelines and procedures to help curriculum developers connect overarching concepts, principles, and skills within and across disciplines, time periods, cultures, places, and/or events. This parallel is designed to help students understand overarching concepts and principles as they relate to new content and content areas.

What kind of connections are we talking about?

Connections across time, events, topics, disciplines, cultures, and perspectivesConnections to self, other texts, and other people Understanding of intra and interdisciplinary macroconceptsUnderstanding of intradisciplinary generalizationsUnderstanding of interdisciplinary themes

Guiding Questions within the Curriculum of ConnectionsWhat are the major concepts and principles in this discipline?Which of these major concepts and principles link to numerous topics, people, events, time periods, cultures and other disciplines? Which topics, events, people, or time periods best represent these intra or interdisciplinary connections? Which topics, events, people, or time periods are developmentally appropriate for my students?How might I help students construct a more comprehensive scheme of this discipline, related topics, and other disciplines?Which resources, activities, and products provide opportunities for students to think metaphorically about macroconcepts, principles, and generalizations? How might I assess student learning?

The Curriculum of Practice: DefinitionThe Curriculum of Practice is a plan that includes a set of guidelines and procedures to help students understand, use, generalize, and transfer essential knowledge, understandings, and skills in a field to authentic questions, practices, and problems. This parallel is designed to help students function with increasing skill and competency as a researcher, creator, producer, problem solver, or practitioner in a field.

What is meant by the Curriculum of Practice?

Real world applicationsPractitionerProblem solverResearcherCreatorProducer

Why might we use the Curriculum of Practice?

Allows students to function as a practitioner, a producer, a researcher, a problem solver, or a creator in the disciplineAllows students to assume a leadership role in conducting their own research Provides a rationale for the persistent student question, Why is this so important to learn?Provides students with the tools and methods for independent learningProvide a means for exploring the daily lives of professionals in the disciplineOffers students the opportunity to learn how to use and apply the skills of the discipline in real world situations Supports transfer and application

Guiding Questions within the Curriculum of PracticeWhat are the common problems, practices, issues, needs, and questions within this discipline?Who are the practitioners, researchers, problem solvers, and contributors within this discipline?What are the powerful cognitive, research, reference, learning, communication, and methodological skills within this discipline?What kinds of products, services, research, or investigations are typically conducted in this discipline?Which problems, practices, issues, needs, and questions are developmentally appropriate for students?Which resources, activities, and products provide opportunities for students to act like a practicing professional within this field? How might I assess student learning?

The Curriculum of Identity: DefinitionThe Curriculum of Identity is a plan that includes a set of guidelines and procedures to assist students in reflecting upon the relationship between the skills and ideas in a discipline and their own lives, personal growth, and development. This parallel is designed to help students explore and participate in a discipline or field as it relates to their own interests, goals, and strengths, both now and in the future.

The Identity ParallelEmphasizes the role of the individual within a content areaProvides opportunities for self explorationSupports an individuals search for affinity, affiliation, and knowledge of selfOffers a sequential plan to address increasing levels of interest and commitment to a field

Guiding Questions within the Curriculum of IdentityWhat are the various interests, abilities, and learning preferences of my students?Which topics, skills, opportunities, and careers are related to my students profiles?How might I link my students profiles with the content I am required to teach?How might I introduce my students to professionals, organizations, and role models in their areas of interest and strength?How might I help my students discover their own strengths and affinities?How might I identify, measure, and help my students reflect upon their growth and progress toward self-actualization?What is our long-term plan for supporting my students self-actualization?Which opportunities and activities are appropriate for my students at this stage of their development ?Which resources, activities, and products provide opportunities for students self-reflection and personal development?

Where do standards fit in with this picture?National and state committees of content expertsIdentified core concepts, principles, generalizations, skills, attitudes, and applications in various content areas.Spiraled the content across grade levelsSSS are aligned with the Big Ideas

What is a standard?A content standard is a declarative statement that identifies the essential knowledge in a given subject area that students should attain as a result of instruction. Performance standards, or benchmarks, specify ascending levels of understanding across various grade levels.

Products Definition:Performances or work samples created by students that provide evidence of student learningPurpose:To assess student growth, to provide for student reflection, to monitor and adjust instruction, to evaluate studentsCharacteristics: Aligned with the content goals, teaching methods and students learning needs; varied; authentic; motivating; efficient

Assessments

Definition:Varied tools, techniques, and criteria teachers use to measure students acquisition of knowledge

Purpose:To ascertain the extent to which students have attained the knowledge contained within the learning goal(s), to make decisions about future areas of emphasis

Exemplary Characteristics: Aligned with the learning goal, reliable, valid, varied, efficient, equitable, motivating, have a low baseline and a high ceiling

Core: Assessments Assess students prior knowledge with regard to the representative topic and core concepts, principles, and skills.Useful assessment formats include: concept maps, journal entries, reflections, graphic organizers, charts, diagrams, tables, and collagesEvaluate the extent to which students have mastered the core concepts, principles, and skills of the discipline(s). Ask for definitions, synonyms, examples, classification, and explanations.Use rubrics to measure student learning over time. Measure the quality/depth of conceptual understanding and guiding principles.

The Relationship Between Assessment and CurriculumPrior KNOWLEDGEPREASSESSMENTReveals critical differences among students. Guides teachers decisions and planningTEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND FEEDBACKON-GOING & POST ASSESSMENT

How might we use a particular parallel? Design a unitRevise a unitDesign a lessonRevise a lessonDesign a taskRevise a taskUse in the regular classroomUse it in the gifted or ESE programUse it will all studentsUse it with some studentsUse different parallels with different curriculum components Use one parallel while another teacher uses another parallelUse one parallel after another teacher has used a different parallelMove back and forth between parallels within the same unitUse a parallel as an extension of a core unitUse parallel activities as optional activities for some students

Who might design PCM curriculum? Classroom teachersSpecial education teachersVertical teamsInclusion teamsGrade level teamsCurriculum developersSubject area departments

With whom might I use the PCM?

Individual studentsSmall groups of studentsEntire classesStudents with specific interests and affinitiesStudents who are currently unmotivated by traditional curriculumStudents with advanced levels of prior knowledge Students with latent strengths and abilitiesStudents with advanced cognitive abilities

What contextual factors should we consider when making decisions about the use of PCM?

What is the present status and quality of our curriculum?Which content areas are in greatest need of improvement?What are the varying strengths and needs of our students?How do we want students to be different as a result of our curriculum revision efforts?What kind of content learning must we do first?What kind of professional learning do we need to conduct? What information do we have or can we gather about our students in order to make decisions about the appropriate use of PCM? How might we sequence and pace a PCM initiative?

James Lee in Phi Delta KappanWhen students engage in challenging and authentic learning activities in which purposeful intellectual work is connected to the real world of problem solving and creative projects and in which a critically supportive audience responds to work in progress, students motivation and commitment to meet high expectations increase dramatically.

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