Challenges MetLessons LearnedShaler Area School DistrictShannon Howard, Assistant High School PrincipalAnne Frazier, Department Co-ChairKate Elder , Department Co-ChairHeather Tomko, Teacher

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Shaler Area High School

Shaler Area School District• Shaler Area School District is a

suburban public school district serving students from Etna, Millvale, Reserve, and Shaler

• 5 Primary Buildings (K-3)• 1 Elementary School (4-6)• 1 Middle School (7-8)• 1 High School (9-12)

• 5027 students in district

Challenges

• Horizontal and Vertical Alignment, especially between buildings

• Merging the curriculum document (as it was) with the format used with the Curriculum Mapper

• The “blank page”• Time

OUR SOLUTIONShaler Area High School

Unit Template

Why a Template?

• Wanted a graphic organizer to help with information gathering (visual learner, linear process spiral thinker)

• Only certain members of the department were working on the mapping process

• Everyone’s input needed for building units in courses

• We needed a way to have all information for input in hand for each meeting

• Includes major components of each course unit in EdInsight:

Design

How We Used It

• Gave a copy of the template to each member of the department

• Each individual teacher outlined major units taught in each course

• Grade level teams collaborated on changes to common units

• Input team used completed templates to map courses

Benefits of Using the Template

• Forced conversation about course structure– Common units = horizontal alignment– Essential skills to be taught v. unessential =

helped grade level teams see where we were focusing instruction and time

– Complete revision of CP 10 World Literature– Assessments formative v. summative

• Helped input team work more efficiently

Our Experience with Curriculum Mapping

• Used already established baseline curriculum, so it was an easier process for our group and a logical starting point for the high school. – Common mid-term & Final– Common novel units

• Forced us to standardize grammar concepts which we weren’t previously doing– Subject/Verb agreement– Apostrophes

• Used the template to guide us through the process.

Lessons Learned• Establish a common departmental

vocabulary for mapping process (i.e., EdInsight input categories).

• Establish common goals for department and grade levels (i.e., horizontal and vertical alignment).

• Spend more time in the early stages making department-wide decisions and gathering information – input doesn’t take as long if process and goals

are clear.

• Realize this may not be a quick process, but it is extremely valuable!

NEXT STEPSShaler Area High School

Questions?