Curriculum Compacting:
A Tool for Differentiation in the Classroom
I was so
excited this summer to once again attend Confratute, a week-long educational
conference held on the beautiful University of Connecticut campus in Storrs,
Connecticut, just outside of Hartford.
While there, I had the opportunity to participate in an exploration of
Curriculum Compacting, led by Dr. Deb Goldbeck, a leading researcher in this
area. Dr. Goldbeck shared with us much
of the research surrounding the practice of curriculum compacting as well as a
wealth of information about the tools and resources that are available to
facilitate the implementation of curriculum compacting in the general education
setting. I have attempted to share just a taste of her wisdom in the paragraphs
below, but I am looking forward to sharing more information as the year
progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is curriculum compacting?
Curriculum
compacting is simply another tool that can be used to differentiate classroom
learning experiences so that we are able to effectively meet the unique needs
of every learner. Dr. Goldbeck defines
it this way: “Curriculum compacting is a procedure used to streamline the
regular curriculum for students who are capable of mastering it at a faster
pace.” In other words, we do not
continue to require students to practice those skills and concepts in which
they have already demonstrated mastery.
Instead, we create experiences which allow them to explore those
concepts at a higher level of depth and complexity and in a way that relates to
their own personal interests and talents.
What are the benefits curriculum compacting?
The
systematic use of curriculum compacting will allow us as educators to provide
an appropriate level of challenge to our high ability students while also
ensuring mastery of the skills and content requirements of the basic
curriculum. Compacting
curriculum also creates time in the school day for Type 2 and Type 3 enrichment
activities, and allows students to explore a topic of study in a way that
relates to their own areas of interest.
This leads to an increase in student engagement
and academic growth as well as a decrease in off task and disruptive behavior
in the classroom.
How do I identify students that need
curriculum compacting?
Students
will often “tell” us they might be good candidates for curriculum compacting
through their behaviors in the classroom.
I have listed below some behaviors that might suggest that compacting is
necessary.
·
Student
consistently finishes tasks quickly
·
Student
consistently finishes reading assignments first
·
Student
appears bored during instruction
·
Student
consistently daydreams during instruction
·
Student
creates his/her own puzzles, games, diversions
·
Student
consistently demonstrates high performance in one or more academic areas
·
Student
asks questions which indicate an advanced familiarity with a concept or unit of
study
·
Student
demonstrates advanced vocabulary and verbal expression
·
Student
expresses interest in pursuing alternative or advanced topics.
Of course,
these are only indicators and cannot be used as the sole criteria for
determining who should participate in curriculum compacting at any given time
throughout the year. Pre-assessments
must be used to determine exactly which skills and concepts a student has
mastered. Equally important is identifying those skills a student has not yet
mastered, so that we do not create gaps in a student’s learning. Once we have developed a clear picture of
each student’s learning, we can then determine which students might benefit
from curriculum compacting and develop a plan that will meet their needs.
I am looking
forward to working with teachers throughout the year to develop the use of this
tool in our classrooms, and I am incredibly excited about the potential impact it
will have on the learning and talent development of our students.
-Liz Malone, GT Facilitator & SEM Coordinator
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