Teachers who’ve been part of past curriculum rollouts identify time as the most important factor contributing to success. Professional development and collaboration are also key elements. Ideally, the three elements work in combination as teachers adjust to a new program of studies.
What we’ve learned from implementing curriculum in Alberta:
Time
Time to provide input
Teachers have an integral understanding of child development, pedagogy and instructional strategies, and safe classroom environments and curriculum. Providing teachers the time and opportunity to provide thoughtful input and feedback on curriculum is instrumental in implementing successful change.
Time between subjects being changed
When a new curriculum is being implemented, it is like being a first-year teacher again. The amount of time required for unit, lesson, resource and assessment planning, and development is immense. Changing only one curriculum in a year enables teachers to learn and deliver the new curriculum effectively.
Professional development
Time for professional development BEFORE implementation
When teachers had time to attend prioritized professional development opportunities the spring before implementation, they felt better equipped for delivery in the fall.
Time for professional development DURING implementation
When teachers had time to attend targeted professional development opportunities during implementation, it strengthened their understanding and allowed them to access “Monday ready” strategies for engaging students.
Time for pedagogical professional development
Even during a new curriculum rollout, teachers desire choice in their professional learning. Ensuring that there is still time for teachers to choose different professional development opportunities that may be outside of the new curriculum rollout is essential to their growth.
Collaboration
Time for grade-level learning communities
When teachers had embedded time to gather in grade-level teams to learn and plan together, it made for smoother implementation for teachers and better learning for students.
Time for divisional vertical collaboration
During the days of Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) funds, teachers had the opportunity to collaborate with teachers from the grades above and below them. These times were valuable professional learning opportunities to better understand the progression of student learning.
Time for collaboration around implementation
In some schools, teachers would meet monthly to evaluate how things were going and compile meaningful feedback on the new curriculum.
Time for collaboration around assessment
Teachers understand that assessment goes hand in hand with new curriculum. When time is provided to collaborate with others to develop and revise new assessments, it enhances curriculum rollout.
Time when some teachers are teaching a new curriculum and others are not
Teachers are collaborative by nature. During prior implementations, they would come together to support each other. When one teacher was implementing a new curriculum, colleagues would lend additional support by helping provide extra prep time, cover supervision or pick up additional committee responsibilities.
The voices of experience
Teachers provide insight based on previous encounters with new curriculum
Heather Rootsaert
“The collaboration between AB ED [Alberta Education] and district staff across the province was extremely beneficial for continuity and support. It felt like we were all working together to achieve the same goals. That said, sadly, there wasn’t enough money to continue the implementation process after the first year, so areas like assessment fell short.”
Erin Luong
“I was a member of the AISI team in the early 2000s. When we were rolling out our new program, I found our monthly professional development and collaboration meetings extremely helpful. These provided us not only with opportunities to connect with others, but also allowed us to reflect on our practice and modify our approaches in a timely manner.”
April Brown
“I benefited tremendously from PD and the math consultant hired to train teachers in the region. This consultant worked with school divisions in the region to deliver ongoing PD. It was not just a one-day event but a series of workshops over several years.”
Jennifer Williams
“In my school division there were funds allocated for teachers to get together during the school day. I was new to the school division and was placed with two master teachers from other schools to meet three times during the school year. Our collaboration time was invaluable.”
Mark Sylvestre
“The ability to discuss with other administrators the frustrations of a problematic new curriculum was very valuable. Our conversations about the implications of an improper rollout and the supports our teacher needed revealed some great strategies and suggestions.”
The lifeguard approach
Under prior models of curriculum development, it was typical to have about 10 per cent of teachers in a school implementing new curriculum in any given year. The rest of the teachers would rally around those teachers and support them by taking on other duties and extracurricular activities because they knew that, at some point, they would be the ones implementing new curriculum.
The 90 per cent of teachers serve as lifeguards to prevent the 10 per cent from drowning. If all teachers are implementing new curriculum all at once in a school, then there are no lifeguards and everyone is in danger of drowning.