Voorheesville is using curriculum mapping to improve teaching and learning

In order to enhance student achievement and instruction, district officials and teachers are mapping the curriculum taught in each subject at every grade level.

Across the district, teachers are being asked to “map” what they teach by creating a chart that outlines:

• the essential questions that will be answered in each course;

• the course content;

• the skills and lessons taught;

• the assessments used;

• what resources are available; and

• how their curriculum aligns with the New York State standards for education.

“This is going to be very important for our schools,” said Superintendent Linda Langevin.

As members of the Successful Practices Network, Voorheesville Central School District teachers can collaborate with other educators through an online service designed to help them improve lessons and curriculum.

The SPN is a not-for-profit organization comprised of more than 700 schools across the country that are considered successful yet still want to improve. It provides a way for schools to share data, experiences and practices with one another.

For example, Voorheesville teachers can access lessons and collaborate with teachers at different schools, in order to boost the rigor and relevance of their own teaching in the classroom.

Through the SPN, Voorheesville teachers are also able to examine the global relevance of their curriculum, in order to make it as pertinent as possible to today’s world.

Langevin said the district is committed to providing learning opportunities that will allow students to apply their lessons to a broader context of a global economy. By analyzing test data, administrators and teachers will be able to closely examine areas in the curriculum that need to be strengthened in order to improve student test scores, although the district’s scores already meet state and federal standards.

Through reflection, the curriculum maps can also be deepened and strengthened to further enhance student learning.