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Conceptual Framework
>> 5. Selecting Appropriate
Professional Development Strategies and Materials
5.4. Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum implementation as a strategy for professional development is based
on two key ideas. First, it is clear that curriculum development is difficult,
time-consuming, and expensive; teachers have neither the resources nor in most
cases the background needed to develop instructional materials that are effective
in helping students learn mathematics and science content. Second, research
in teacher enhancement has highlighted the advantages of focusing professional
development on the content and instructional materials teachers are using in
their classrooms (Cohen and Hill, 1998). In fact, based on classroom observations,
teachers who have participated in professional development around the use of
particular instructional materials and are using the materials as designed are
much more effective than those who either had not received professional development
or who attempt to modify the materials (Weiss et al., 1999).
Pre-service educators are likely to devote class time to exploration
of some of the newer instructional materials, but they rarely know in
advance which materials their students will use in their teaching. Materials
such as Relearning to Teach
Arithmetic: Addition and Subtraction and Multiplication and Division
(Russell, 1999) are well-suited for use in a pre-service program since
they model a sound instructional approach to teaching concepts that are
relevant for any elementary curriculum program. Similarly, Implementing
the NCTM Standards: A Bridge to the Classroom, Grades 5-8 and 9-12
(Farrell, 1994) and Inquiry
and the National Science Education Standards (National Research
Council, 2000) will be helpful to pre-service as well as in-service teachers.
In contrast to pre-service teachers, in-service teachers have a pretty good
idea of what materials they will be using in their classrooms. Professional
development providers are increasingly focusing professional development on
the materials teachers are expected to use in their classrooms, using these
materials as a vehicle for deepening teacher content knowledge, helping them
understand student thinking, and increasing their pedagogical skills. Several
standards-based curriculum programs in mathematics (e.g., Investigations in
Number, Data, and Space; Connected Mathematics; Integrated Mathematics Program;
and Contemporary Mathematics in Context) and in science (e.g., FOSS-Full Option
Science Systems; Insights; and Science and Technology for Children) serve as
the focus of professional development programs. While student instructional
materials are not included in the TE-MAT database, detailed information about
these curriculum programs and many other curriculum resources for science and
mathematics classes may be accessed via the ENC web site: http://www.enc.org/resources.
Continue: 6.
Preparing Professional Development Providers
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