Janet Hale is a national curriculum mapping consultant and trainer whose assists rural, urban, and inner-city schools, districts, and dioceses throughout the United States. She often works with teachers and administrators from the moment they are considering curriculum mapping until their mapping initiative is well established. She also specializes in aiding those having trouble with implementation by diagnosing wherein the problems lie; creating an action plan; and working closely with all involved during the modification process.
Mrs. Hale has taught elementary, middle, and high school students. Her undergraduate work in elementary and special education, as well as her Masters Degree in Leadership and Curriculum, has provided her personal insight into the complexities of creating aligned curriculum and empowering teachers in the process of curriculum design.
Session Participation
Throughout her sessions, Mrs. Hale encourages Webcasters to be actively involved in their learning process. During each live session she provides interactive moments for you to discuss points made with colleagues, engage in question-and-answer opportunities, and participate in mini-activities.
If possible, it is recommended that you view each upcoming session’s PowerPoint presentation prior to the meeting date. Since curriculum mapping is a complex concept previewing opportunities may aid you in your learning process. If desired, have questions prepared to ask Mrs. Hale regarding a session’s topic during the live Webcast.
If you have never participated in a Webcast forum before, take a moment to view an archived clip (5 minutes) of a live session with Janet Hale.
Session 1 - Curriculum Mapping: An Introduction and a Look at Mapping Systems
The session focuses on the benefits of curriculum mapping in relationship to improving student learning and teacher instruction. Mrs. Hale discusses the ten tenets of curriculum mapping; three reasons why mapping is most often initiated; four types of curriculum maps; and how, with the establishment of Dr. Jacobs’ Curriculum Mapping Model, teachers are recognized as curriculum leaders and curriculum designers. Curriculum mapping requires the use of 21 st century technology—on-line mapping systems—to record and review the planned and operational curriculum in a school or throughout a learning organization. Therefore, insight into the necessity of using an on-line Web-based mapping system is included in this session.
Session 2 - Writing Quality Curriculum Maps
A quality curriculum map is defined as a map wherein map readers do not need the map writer or writers present to correctly interpret the map’s data. This session addresses the vital importance of learning to write quality maps. Mrs. Hale explains an overview of the five most common initial map elements: intra-alignment of content, skills, assessments, standards, and resources when recording a Projected Map or Diary Map. Sample map months are provided to visually connect the learning to actual map displays.
Session 3 - The Curriculum Mapping Review Process
Dr. Jacobs’ states that “mapping is like a coin with two sides. One side is data collection. The other side is using the data to make informed curriculum decision making.” Jacobs’ Seven-Step Review Process is the key focus in this session as you explore the other side of the coin—using the collected planned and operational data.
The curriculum review process involves formal protocols and procedures that require teacher participation in collaborative configurations and conversations that may challenge how a learning organization currently functions. Mrs. Hale will explain each step in the review process as well as provide examples of problems, issues, or concerns that may be addressed using maps and a mapping system’s search and report features to aid in collegial data-driven decision making reviews.
Session 4 - Collaborative Curriculum Design: Concensus Maps/Essential Maps
The fourth session provides insight into developing collaborative, teacher-designed curriculum for both school-site Consensus Maps and districtwide Essential Maps. Specific protocols and procedures are explained including breaking apart the standards and determining power standards. The need for teachers to meet in horizontal and vertical review teams is also emphasized, as well the use of Seven-Step Review Process to enhance the process of designing these two types of planned-learning maps.
Session 5 - Curriculum Mapping Intra-Organizations and Developing Your Action Plans
Given what has been shared in previous sessions, this session focuses on three critical points. The first is the necessity to establish strategic mapping intra-organizations and conducting a prologue before implementation. While the roles of a curriculum mapping coordinator, cadre, cabinet, and councils is discussed, you may discover that your learning organization does not need to incorporate all types of intra-organizations. The second focus is the consideration for five critical components that must be discussed and in place at the onset of the implementation to ensure sustainability. The third focus emphasizes the necessity for administrative support at all levels, but especially at the school-site level, as well as the emotional factors that second-order systemic change causes.
Session 6- Option A: Attend Any Previous Session: 1-5
Since there a large amount of knowledge to grasp in the first five sessions, you may choose to re-focus on any one of the previously attended session to better internalize the complexities of the curriculum mapping process. If desired, you may instead choose Option B and participate in a session focused on the concept of Essential Questions.
Option B: Refining Maps Through the Incorporation of Essential Questions
Refining is defined as using precise distinctions. As teachers begin to refine the horizontal and vertical curriculum, a natural next step is to add rigor to student learning expectations by incorporating conceptual-based essential questions and supporting questions within established or new units of study. Mrs. Hale provides insights into the intent and purpose of using conceptual questions. Since the incorporation of these questions will effect learning, instruction, and assessment practice, it is important to be aware of how they may impact the current established curriculum as well as instructional methods.
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