UBD reflection

I found the UBD group project very difficult and very stressful. However, "fleshing out" (once I understood it meant lesson plan) a two hour training segment of the 15 hours of novice teacher professional development, was extremely interesting and very valuable to the learning process of UBD. So the actual UBD method of teaching, presenting new material to students, really works! It made sense to me that it would work after finishing the Wiggins & McTighe book but to actually plan a lesson plan was the full circle of our true UBD course.

I am not sure if everyone really understands that this is the point of the whole course. No spoon feeding or memorizing. We are supposed to weekly UNDERSTAND the process by doing. I think the problem for me was not enough time in our groups to work on each section and then not enough feedback. But a very interesting way to change the way we think and learn about how to teach.

Core Curriculum and Content Standards and all the other bull......

Now I do understand the importance of these standards. But I find it hard to believe that until about 14 years or so ago NJ didn't even have them. I guess we just wandered around interpreting national standards from each content area's national organization. No wonder why when I headed to college I was at such a disadvantage. At a NY state school all the kids from NY, that were college bound, had been studying Regent's courses. they had a set curricula for each high school subject and took a state wide standardized test. There I was from NJ missing all that basic knowledge that every NY student had been taught. Then as Freshman in college we all took introductory courses in the basics which followed the Regent's curriculum. No wonder I was in big trouble that whole first year of college.

My point is I still find these standards confusing and difficult to interpret but they are a very necessary starting point for all school districts to follow. In my opinion.

Budget Voting

Tomorrow is the big day for NJ. Voters all over the state will go out and vote on their school budgets. Hopefully we will pass our budget in Midland Park. We have been committed to financially supporting professional development for our teachers in Curriculum mapping. Next will be Understanding by Design. I have already suggested it to the administration.

We just hired a new Superintendent last week but he is from NY. He never mentioned UBD during any of his interviews. All of the other good candidates mentioned UBD in some manner during the interview process. So I am now wondering if this UBD is not sweeping across the US. Is it only in NJ and Maryland because that is where the two authors currently work, Wiggins and McTighe. I hope this is not the case and other states are reading about it and using it.

Since my youngest son is a senior in high school my only hope is for grandchildren to go through this type of curriculum writing and teaching. I wish it had been around for me!