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.