Curriculum Specialists
Excerpt from Sudbury Public Schools' FAQs:
Curriculum Specialists (sometimes referred to as CITs) are teachers who, instead of teaching 25 or so children, teach 150 or so teachers how to effectively teach various areas of our curriculum. They bear primary responsibility for many of our curriculum initiatives in areas such as math and literacy. These positions are particularly important since they are one of the few means we have to ensure that there is instructional consistency from school-to-school and classroom-to-classroom.
We want the best possible teachers in front of our children using consistent, best instructional practices. Curriculum Specialists are key to making that happen. Without these positions it would be very difficult to accomplish our goal of ensuring that quality is not left to chance, or determined by where someone lives or which teacher a student has.
CITs are teachers, not administrators. They cannot evaluate teachers, nor do they supervise them. They are coaches, models, and leaders of teachers to ensure curriculum is being taught and that the best instructional methods we have available in the system are being used. With new curriculum evolving continually, and best practices being identified, it is impossible for individual teachers on their own to embrace, learn, and use these in their classrooms. CITs are the catalyst for that. CITs plan, develop, and lead professional development, lead sessions on ILAP days, analyze MCAS and other assessment results, and model lessons for teachers. They also order shared materials on a district-wide basis, thus saving money. They work with teachers to extend lessons and provide materials for the talented students. Over the years, the district has reduced the number of Curriculum Specialists. Again in FY09, the roles of the Social Studies and Wellness specialists have been cut back. Currently, there are full time or part time CITs in ELA (English Language Arts), Math, Science, Technology Integration, and Health/ Wellness. The loss of the Social Studies Curriculum Specialist comes at a particularly inopportune time as social studies will become an MCAS-tested subject next year.
Excerpt from Sudbury Public Schools' FAQs:
This position had been full time for the past five years, but, due to fiscal restraints, was reduced to half time in FY09. The scope of the position involves providing:
- Direct teaching services to students
- Curriculum development and support (K – 8)
- Professional development
- Data collection and reporting
- Staff wellness activities
- Parent education
- Leadership and involvement in local and regional arenas
Direct teaching involves disease prevention lessons K – 1 (i.e. hand-washing) and (K – 5) (i.e., social competency, fitness, nutrition, fire safety, and injury protection.) The Health/Wellness CIT delivers a six-lesson unit on puberty and human development to all grade five classes. She works with special education students on health issues at both the middle school and grade five, dealing with appropriate individual and personal health situations. She also provides support to new physical education and health teachers in all schools. The HW CIT coordinates the efforts of phys ed., health, and family/consumer science during professional development days and early release sessions. She oversees curriculum map development in all of these areas.
This CIT further coordinates the regular implementation of the School Adolescent Behavior Survey in grades 6 – 8 and analyzes and reports the results of this instrument to the staff, School Committee, and the community. She leads the Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee, coordinating extensive instructional programs, awareness activities, and data collection and reporting. This role makes a significant contribution to the culture within our schools and in the sense of safety among our students. Among a number of other responsibilities, the HW CIT works extensively with PE staff on assessments for fitness and Body Mass Index (BMI). A major, ongoing contribution in both planning and implementation of the grade four Odyssey program is provided by this specialist. She interfaces with or facilitates a number of committees including the Health Advisory Committee, Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee, LSRHS Health Advisory Committee, Sudbury Youth Commission, and the EDCO working group for regional Wellness Coordinators. She provides a number of parent education programs in support of district goals. Each year the HW Specialist prepares and oversees the Safe and Drug Free School Grant that supports resources for the district health curriculum and training for teachers in the Open Circle social competency program.
The above is a sampling and not a complete summary of the contributions made by the Heath/ Wellness Curriculum Specialist. Clearly, there are significant reasons for consideration of restoring this position to full-time status.
Excerpt from Sudbury Public Schools' FAQs:
Sudbury’s curriculum is based upon the Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks, available in core academic subjects. These frameworks in turn have their foundation in research-based standards and principles of instruction from national professional organizations. Although the State Frameworks are continually updated over time, the change is typically neither rapid nor disruptive. Locally, any new curriculum initiative takes about five to seven years to totally implement, from pilot stages to full implementation to program assessment. For example, SPS has, over the past few years, adopted a new middle school math program, a K-5 writing program, and an updated elementary math program. Sometimes curriculum innovation occurs in only a few grades at a time (i.e., recently, a new early elementary phonics program.)
It is not curriculum change alone that justifies the need for Curriculum Specialists (CITs). The CITs have responsibility for working with teams of teachers at developing and maintaining Curriculum Maps that align with these frameworks and describe local expectations for student learning at each grade level. The mapping also describes scope and sequence of specific units, what core resources are available for each unit, what supplementary materials might help in differentiation, and what assessments are appropriate. This ongoing refinement, often based upon MCAS analysis, helps build consistency across classrooms and schools. It also promotes effective instructional consistency as students move from grade to grade.
Although the curriculum content might change slowly, the teaching staff at any grade level undergoes constant turnover, with about half the staff being different every five years or so. The CITs plan and deliver professional development within their disciplines for full days as well as early release days. Discussions regarding best practices are constantly being shared to promote consistency. Ideas for integrating technology with the curriculum emerge with regularity. Forums on how to integrate two or more curriculum areas (i.e., science and social studies with literacy) are ongoing. Teachers who need help in their teaching practice are provided with modeling and support from the CITs to aid in their success.