Dear parents /
guardians:
The following is an overview of Layered
CurriculumTM: what it is, its purpose, and how it
works. I have also included at the end,
some important ways that I believe this delivery method enhances children’s
learning.
Introducing Layered
Curriculum
Layered CurriculumTM is a
curriculum delivery method which puts a different focus on learning. It was originally developed by Dr. Kathie
Nunley to address the varied learning needs of struggling students. Its student-centered approach allows all
students to be successful, regardless of learning style(s) or abilities. Although Layered CurriculumTM can be used for teaching any subject area, in my
classroom I use it most often with various science and Social Studies units,
and Language Arts Novel Studies.
What does “Layered” CurriculumTM mean? Layered refers to the different layers of
learning. The bottom layer lays the
foundation skills / knowledge of a subject area. The middle layer builds on
that information and challenges students to use what they have learned. The top
layer extends the learning further, requiring students to use their new
knowledge / skills in ways beyond the specific unit itself.
Purpose of Layered CurriculumTM: The intent of
this program is to give students choices about how they learn and how they
present their understanding, make them accountable for their learning, and
challenge them to think at higher levels (based on Bloom’s taxonomy of
learning). Please let your child
struggle at times, especially while researching at the upper two levels of the
model triangle; this will develop more ‘branching’ in the brain!
How it works: Students are
to choose enough activities at the Base Level to add up to the required number
of points. I then ask students to
‘defend’ their learning through individual meetings upon the completion of each
of their activities. This one-on-one
‘question and answer’ approach determines a student’s success for each
assignment. Next, students are expected
to choose an assignment from both of the next two levels. All assignments must
be completed to a satisfactory quality, as per the instructions. Assessment is
ongoing through-out each unit.
How Layered CurriculumTM benefits students:
As mentioned, the
three key aspects of Layered CurriculumTM are choice, accountability, and
higher-level thinking. So how do these
benefit students?
1)
Choice
– Giving students choice gives them a sense of control, allowing them to engage
their cortex. It empowers them to make
decisions about how they are going to learn, when they are going to work on a
certain project, and how they are going to express their knowledge and
understanding. Choice can make learning more personal, meaningful and fun;
emotions connected to learning helps kids remember.
2)
Accountability-
There are several ways that Layered CurriculumTM encourages accountability in students. Giving students choices about what and how to
learn also involves when! Students learn to make
decisions, plan their work according to due dates, and how to use their class
time wisely. While ample time is usually
given in class to complete assignments, some students may choose to do work at
home.
A huge aspect of accountability is the oral defence
each child must do to demonstrate their understanding. For
example, a student may work with another to complete a board game. During the individual oral defence
(one-on-one interview), students have the opportunity to show that they know
what they’re talking about. If they
can’t answer questions about their project, they didn’t learn much and probably
didn’t do much of the work. In other words, students are rewarded for what they
have learned, not just for completing the work.
I have added a schedule outline to the program. The schedule is to help children organize
their choices and plan accordingly. A maximum of one project can be defended
per student per day so a student who puts things off to the last day would be
unable to have all projects assessed. Setting goals for completion dates is a life-long
skill.
Lastly, students themselves have an on-going record of
how well they’re doing. They always have the choice to redo an oral defence to
prove their understanding, especially if they want to improve their marks.
3)
Higher-level
thinking – Students not only learn the basics of a topic (knowledge &
comprehension), but are challenged to extend their learning (application &
analysis) and ultimately transfer their learning to other situations (synthesis
& evaluation). Students demonstrate
these higher levels of thinking by putting extra thought and effort into
what they are learning. Their thinking
is clearly and accurately communicated.
Overall, Layered CurriculumTM encourages students to take responsibility
for their learning, and challenges them to stretch their thinking. The skills they learn while doing this are
life-long skills required and appreciated in school and later in the
workplace. Above all, learning should be
fun, and the desire should come from within.
In summary, Layered
CurriculumTM benefits students in the following ways:
ü
Accountability
ü
Personal
responsibility
ü
Goal-setting
and planning
ü
Decision-making
ü
Higher-level
thinking
ü
Self-motivation
ü
Acquisition
of “tools” for their “toolbox”
BLOOM'S TAXONOMY OF THINKING:
