Project 3 - TSMA Curriculum Developer
Overview
The TSMA (Technology Science Math Academy) program at Washington Middle School is in its second year of implementation. The goal of the program is to prepare students for the 21st century through a project-based learning curriculum. In the TSMA program, students apply and extend what they have learned in science to complete long-term, technology-based, collaborative projects. The TSMA teachers meet together monthly to reflect on our instruction and plan out shared projects. Some of the projects that the TSMA teachers have developed include the Space Exploration Debate, animations about Stem Cell Research and the Zootopia Competition (see links below). As the TSMA curriculum developer, my main goals are:
- To facilitate a vision for the pilot program curriculum that fits the needs of students.
- To provide instructional and curriculum support, resources and best practices for implementing a project-based curriculum.
Activities
- Develop and administer student surveys to inform program instruction
- Develop instructional materials for TSMA projects
- Organize field trips for TSMA students (Endeavor at CA Science Center and LA Zoo)
- Organize student presentation event (Zootopia Competition)
- Network and exchange resources with PBL teachers from High Tech High and Southeast Middle School
- Communicate program needs to school administration
Below is a slideshow of TSMA student work at the Zootopia Competition this year. First, students conducted research about an animal of their choice through fieldwork at the LA Zoo and using the internet. Second, they designed enclosures that met the needs of the animal, the public and the zookeeper. Third, each of the three team members completed an individual project that utilized programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Google SketchUp and Microsoft Publisher. All team members presented their projects to a panel of community members (Mayor, Superintendent, Principals, etc.) during the Zootopia Competition. Below is a sample of three of the projects.
Reflection
Being a part of of the curriculum development for a pilot program has been a rewarding, yet challenging journey. Since the onset of the program, our school leaders have given the TSMA teachers and I great flexibility in developing our own vision for the program. I found it to be a time-consuming, yet a valuable task. Without the vision, our team of teachers would have remained in her own instructional comfort zone, possibly marginalizing student needs.We all made the commitment to the vision of preparing our students for the 21st century, which meant expanding our instruction to non-traditional methods and resources. This commitment has involved a lot of risk-taking and time investment on the teachers' part as they developed and tested out a project-based learning curriculum, infused with technology. To quote one of our teachers, developing a new curriculum for a pilot program was "like building a plane and flying it at the same time". Although it was a challenge to simultaneously construct the curriculum while implementing it, developing such a meaningful and challenging vision based on student needs has really framed our program in a way that has allowed our teachers to demonstrate their creativity, investment in continual professional growth and commitment towards providing the best for our students. The blossoming of this program, its teachers and students would not have been possible if our school leaders had not trusted us with the responsibility of creating a vision for this program.
CPSEL's
- 1.1: Develop a Shared Vision (During the program’s infancy, I helped to develop a shared vision amongst the TSMA teachers that was informed by student needs.)
- 1.2: Plan and implement Activities Around the Vision (Through my role as the TSMA Curriculum Developer, I work with teachers monthly across grade levels to ensure that all curriculum is aligned to our program’s vision.)
- 2.2: Guide the Instructional Program (I facilitate the use of a variety of content-based learning materials and strategies when developing the instructional materials for TSMA projects.)
- 3.3 Create an Infrastructure to Support an Effective Learning Environment (The monthly meetings provide a consistent time and place for all TSMA teachers to reflect, trouble-shoot and support one another’s practice.)
