You have the map, what is next?

[Shahwar Qureshi]

From what I have been reading, creating the map is only the beginning. What are you doing with the map? I would love to learn more from those of you who have taken the next step(s) and analyzed the map, revised the curriculum and more. Any unexpected benefits?
Thanks!

[Andrea Fanjoy]

Yes, the benefit is the nurturing of a school culture where all teachers are empowered to drive the school curriculum forward. We started five years ago with Atlas Rubicon, mapping all the subjects in our 1-8 school. After spending the first year creating the maps, we initiated the reviews of language arts, math, art, French, music, physical education and health. I say 'initiated' because I have discovered that, once you start, the culture of ongoing improvement means you never end up stopping. By giving the teachers a process where they know what is happening throughout the school, and are expected to share in the ongoing improvement of the school, the teachers have become much more vocal in pointing out any numbers of ways in which we need to get better. Teachers have taken on informal leadership positions because they saw curriculum development opportunities of interest to them. Others have been totally open and willing to engage in all efforts to improve that were led by their colleagues.

Here's a more specific example of an unexpected benefit. Last year, for unusual reasons, I announced to faculty that there would be relatively little new activity as we didn't have the manpower to manage it. Despite that, we ended up totally revamping our student discipline process, made big strides in improving student organisation, introduced an innovative program in student leadership and more. The teachers spoke up, wanted improvements, rolled up their sleeves and made great things happen.

While we have stayed true to most of what H. Hayes-Jacobs outlined in her book, there are a number of other things we have done which have been pivotal to our success with mapping, I believe. I also find myself not totally onboard with where mapping is going, in terms of the new capabilities of the mapping websites. Be mindful that if you ask teachers to devote time to meeting the 'needs' of administrators (making sure all curriculum expectations are checked off, discussing why an administrator's analysis of maps indicates this or that problem), then mapping will not have the same impact whatsoever, I fear. Make sure the mapping process helps teachers achieve what they joined the profession to achieve.

If anyone would like more detail on the specifics of what we did with our maps, please reply.

Andrea

[Dan Slack]

Andrea,

As both an administrator and teacher involved in curriculum mapping, I appreciate your important reminder about the primary purpose of mapping: it is to help TEACHERS make more informed and intentional curricular decisions to improve their students' experience. As administrators we need to find ways to provide teachers with time to use maps for meaningful, teacher-led, conversations about real curricular issues.

We are heading into our first planned round of small group map reviews. Can those of you who have been doing this for a while share your advice? What has worked in your school? If you were starting over, would you do anything differently?

[Andrea Fanjoy]

Hi Dan

I have attached an article I wrote describing our mapping experience in a bit more detail. In addition to the basic process, I would add the following:

- The tone of the school is paramount. Mapping, by exposing what we do as teachers, could be perceived as threatening and uncomfortable. Administrators need to be very mindful of this, and ensure a culture that is respectful and supportive. Politics and unprofessional behaviour on anyone's part can be very destructive to the whole process, as the mere threat of being mistreated as a result of mapping will just reinforce the status quo of working in relative isolation.

- I found the Handbook for SMART School Teams very helpful. When you reach the stage of prioritizing the complex resolutions, teachers were given a number of stickers (for ex, for a list of 20 items, each teacher received about 5-6 stickers) and were asked to put their stickers next to the items they felt were the biggest priority. When all were done, it was evident where we needed to start.

- Finally, follow-through has to happen, and that is the primary responsibility of the person overseeing the mapping. If the exercise becomes overly taxing to your teachers,  it isn't helping. If action and positive impact doesn't become evident, then this is just another experience of a new idea that doesn't go anywhere.

[Michelle Podulka]

HI Andrea,
I was wondering what the "pivotal" parts of your success were. There are a small group of us trying to get curricular mapping off the ground and we are interested in learning from your experience.

[Andrea Fanjoy]

Hi Michelle

 

I have touched on some of the pivotal parts in my reply to Dan above. Here is how I woud list them all:

1. Ensure teachers have time to not only map but also participate in the reviews and the subsequent meetings necessary to deliver on the improvement projects that result from the review.
2. Ensure teachers feel respected and supported at all times; some will be fast adopters, some not; respect, support, and flexibility so that it happens at a pace that your faculty can handle is extremely important.
3. Ensure you (administrators) are ready to listen. Mapping empowers faculty to talk openly about what they see happening in curriculum. If they say something needs to be addressed, admin needs to be ready to listen.
4. Ensure the administrator who oversees mapping has ample time to lead the follow-through. Our experience is that once the ball is rolling, all sorts of worthy projects will surface. While you can't do everything at once, you need enough time to do as much as possible.
5. Use a web-based mapping product. We have used Rubicon Atlas and been very pleased with it.
6. Learn about organizational learning (see the work of Peter Senge, for example) and change leadership (Michael Fullan, Tony Wagner and many others). It will help explain the reason why mapping can be huge for schools, how it needs to be managed and why.