Developing a ‘vertical’ districtwide content vision for curriculum
By Xavier Botana
We’re working to
realize the Achievement goal in our Portland Promise by strengthening core
instruction through a quality curriculum, strong teacher leadership and
sustained professional learning. One way we’re doing that is by going
“vertical” when it comes to our curriculum.
This is the third
of four monthly columns I’m dedicating to discussing four new initiatives in
the Portland Public Schools’ 2019-2020 budget. The initiatives embody the goals
in our Portland Promise, our district’s strategic plan: Equity, Whole Student,
Achievement and People. I’ve previously discussed our pre-kindergarten
expansion initiative and our behavioral health continuum initiative.
This month, my
focus is on how we’re working to strengthen core instruction. Research shows effective
supports, quality curriculum, and collective teacher efficacy improve student
achievement. This work is connected to not only our Achievement goal, but also
our Equity goal.
Under the
leadership of Melea Nalli, our assistant superintendent for teaching and
learning, we have created Core Content Vertical Teams to enhance curriculum
development. We began these teams last year in math and we’re adding English
language arts, social studies, science and health vertical teams this year. By
“vertical,” we mean that what students learn at one level – whether it’s at the
elementary, middle or high school level – will prepare them for moving on to
the next level.
This is a change
because, in the past, we haven’t focused on curriculum development from a districtwide
perspective. These vertical teams will now give us a bird’s eye view of our
curriculum across all levels. That will allow us to develop a shared and
coherent vision for instruction at all levels, based on current research and
evidence-based practices, and mesh our districtwide content vision with school
instructional visions.
It also will help
bring a lens of Equity and high expectations for all students to our current
practices, and ensure we’re evolving to meet the needs of all our students in core
content areas. Additionally, we’ll be better able to share best
practices, analyze curriculum and data, and look at instruction to inform
decision making around curriculum, structures, professional development and
policy.
In short, the
vertical teams will help everyone at the elementary, middle and high school
levels to know what we’re teaching, how we’re teaching it and what our
instruction is telling us.
Another way we’re
working to strengthen our core curriculum is by taking a critical eye toward content
and perspective. We are taking such steps as diversifying materials and
content, allowing students to demonstrate mastery in diverse ways, and ensuring
what is being taught is relevant and engaging to all students. Research shows
that this is a core strategy to improve outcomes for all our students and help
realize our Equity goal.
One example of this
is the Wabanaki Studies curriculum we’re developing. The Maliseet, Micmac,
Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes are known collectively as the Wabanaki, or
“People of the Dawnland.” Some of our students are Wabanaki, but we consider
teaching about Maine’s Indigenous peoples necessary to give ALL our students a
comprehensive understanding of the history of our state and our nation.
To ensure we’re creating
an accurate, culturally responsive, Equity driven curriculum, we are partnering
with the Abbe Museum and tribal leaders from across Maine. We are also using a
decolonizing framework to help ask tough questions about what we teach, why we
teach it, and whose perspective we’re uplifting.
We’re also working
to develop a social studies curriculum around holidays that focuses on more
culturally appropriate ways of celebrating holidays in the diverse and
inclusive setting of Portland’s public schools.
