MCPS Teacher says Pearson Curriculum Not Ready for Prime Time
As a first grade teacher implementing the Elementary Integrated Curriculum ["School board gives preliminary nod to new elementary school curriculum guidelines," Sept. 29], I can say with authority that it is woefully incomplete. The curriculum is not ready to be used by me or my colleagues in Montgomery County Public Schools. It should come as no surprise that the EIC isn't ready to be rolled out.
MCPS and Pearson are still developing the curriculum and will be for several more years. At present, first grade teachers have no summative assessments, no new formative assessments, no standardization for grading and reporting, no differentiation of lessons, and absolutely no training on using the EIC. All six Board of Education members voted preliminary approval of the K-5 curriculum framework. The newly elected board will decide final approval in November or December. It is my hope that they will not grant that approval...
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...I am only stating emphatically that teachers should not be implementing a new curriculum with no training, no assessments, and no resources. Teachers should not be setting standards, nor doing so many other things that are needed to make the EIC usable. I hope that the Board of Education will put a stop to rolling out the EIC until it is fully developed.
Helaine Cohen, Olney
1. The MCEA (teachers' union) endorsed the four incumbents.
ReplyDelete2. The writer says that the approval of the preliminary rollout was UNANIMOUS.
3. The exact same people who voted unanimously in favor of the preliminary rollout are the ones who will be voting on final approval. The Same People. Who the Teachers' Union endorsed. Therefore, it would seem that MCEA is happy with their actions, right? They're getting what they wanted!
4. Are there any other teachers who think that maybe this rollout is premature?
The Apple Ballot wanted the private Pearson deal. The Apple Ballot got what they wanted.
ReplyDeleteKudos to this teacher who spoke out! I hope she is not "punished" by MCPS for this action..........I have met a few of the writers of MCPS' curriculum who have absolutely disagreed with the curriculum they were writing, but were either AFRAID to say one word or knew that it was useless to speak up. So sad.........
ReplyDeleteWhat has not been mentioned is that using the EIC was voluntary this year.
ReplyDeleteVoluntary? Not for teachers. If a school is piloting the curriculum that includes all of the teachers.
ReplyDelete1. Implementation was voluntary this year, schools may have made it mandatory, but that was not a county mandate.
ReplyDelete2. I can't imagine "speaking out" without even talking to the people who would hear the concerns rather than going to the media to rant. In any other business she would be fired.
3. 95% of the letter was misinformed.
4. The writers knew what the curriculum was when they applied for their jobs, don't feel sorry for them.
Seriously, how could anyone know what the new MCPS curriculum was when they applied for a teaching job? The curriculum hasn't been published and it won't be published except by Pearson.
ReplyDeleteIf you can find the new MCPS curriculum online, please post the link.