some thoughts

I should clarify my reasons for researching in depth VanTassel Baska's Integrated Curriculum Model. I have for many years been following the research of Mirca Gross who is now director of GERRIC. Gross is fiercely supportive of exceleration and specialised classes for academically gifted students. But eight years since I began reading Gross's work, little has been done for most academically students and certainly to my knowledge in classrooms little has been done for creatively gifted students. The Integrated Curriculum model is a model that can work in a conservative and often stubborn environment that is the primary and secondary school system. I was interested to know whether or not this method could be applied by a classroom teacher within the constraints of curriculum reform and existing guidelines. It looks promising.

As a teacher it also looks like a method that would benefit all classroom students and thus support the move toward a fully implemented inclusive schools program. The Integrated Curriculum Model is certainly one I am eager to experiment with myself to gain first hand knowledge to its success within a classroom in the ACT. I would like to continue to research any other adaptions of this method within inclusive classrooms.

I have particular interest in its ability to teach creativity and higher order thinking.

Hopefully there is more to uncover.

Concept ICM model

1. change
2. system
3. pattern
4. cause and effect

these are the four primary concepts as per http://cfge.wm.edu/Curr_listing.html

concept themes

Under the language arts curriculum found at http://cfge.wm.edu/Curr_listing.html there are a number of units that can be purchased. Below is a list of concept topics I have retrieved from the descriptions of these units of work.

1. figurative language
2. change
3. cyclic patterns (nature, knowledge, history, human life)
4. persuasion
5. utopia
6. -isms as change agents
7. choices that lead to change

Some that have come to mind as I am reading these outlines of units that might be appropriate for art teaching in addition to those above are:

1. classification
2. elements

Maths curriculum:

1. transition between one dimension, two dimension and three dimensional tasks
2. place value
3. spatial reasoning

Science curriculum:

1. systems
2. solve this issue, real world problems
3. change

Social studies curriculum

1. interdependent systems
2. systems
3. cause and effect

There are many curriculum resources available via this website along with guides on how to use them.

I am beginning to understand how an overarching concept may be used in the classroom to design differentiated curriculum. Most units of work are open ended allowing students to apply the level of knowledge to the project given. Teacher assistance is most likely to be the primary method of delivering differentiation. Students are as a result encouraged to be self motivated.

Retrieved from the Centre for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary, 4/7/2010

http://cfge.wm.edu/Curr_listing.html

some thoughts

The integrated curriculum model seems to be a model that can be used within an inclusive classroom. I still need to get my head around just how the model works and how to apply it within a classroom. From what I have read so far it is a model where lessons are taught based on a concept rather than a topic. This however I knew before beginning this research and is what set me off in this direction in the first place, what got me interested in VanTassel-Baska. I still have yet to uncover just how this might be played out within a lesson. Vantassel-Baska advocates differential curriculum which it would seem can be done more easily if every child is learning the same concept but at a different level of advancement. My goal by the end of today is to be able to picture in my mind exactly what this kind of classroom would look like.

VanTassel-Baska says...

'The first issue needing attention is that administrators need to be clearly aware of the research evidence indicating the benefits of higher level instruction and flexible delivery—not just to gifted learners, but to all learners.' p. 361

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'The second comment I would make on that relates to how teachers can work within inclusion classroom settings. If teachers want to survive and have all students thrive, they’re going to have to use flexible grouping and employ differentiated materials to accomplish that end.' p. 361

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'We place some unreasonable expectations on teachers by expecting that they will have sufficient time and expertise to design and deliver quality curriculum for the full range of learners consistently and effectively.' pp. 361-2

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'Through the arts there is an opportunity for students to explore emotion, to understand their own emotions, and to understand other people’s, as well as to be able to develop ways to regulate and channel emotion in ways that will enhance and inform their cognition. I think all of those reasons support the importance of

including the arts in a curriculum for gifted students.' p.363

.......................................

'...differentiation for the gifted should begin with the core curriculum and then branch out, based on other considerations about the learner and the environment. One of the key considerations is the level of evolving ability of the student. Students can have interests at certain stages, but if their aptitude doesn’t match the interest, then they’re not going to stay motivated. If the aptitude is there but the interest isn’t there, then they’re not likely to stay motivated either, so the two really go hand in glove.' p.364

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'Whenever you start to look at a different content area at a given point in time, you suddenly realize that there are different ways of conceptualizing how to transform that content understanding into a curriculum unit of study. I continue to be challenged by that. I think also that working with new groups of learners causes us to shift our lens and think about how we can either adapt, cus-tomize, or create curriculum that is more appropriate for them.' p.365

Source: Journal of Advanced Academics

January 1, 2009

The Last Word:

Always Pushing the Rock Uphill—

An Interview With Joyce VanTassel-Baska

Catherine A. Little

University of Connecticut