How do teachers know what to teach?
How do we know when a student is ready to advance?
What is an effective way to place students?
How can I ensure that students are ready for the next level?
How could our program be more consistent?
How could classes be better aligned?

Minneapolis – Adult Education
Curriculum Alignment Project
2012 COABE National Conference - Norfolk, VA
Curriculum Coordinators: Janice Bisch, Heather
Turngren and Amy Vickers


How do teachers know what to teach?

How do we know when a student is ready to advance?

What is an effective way to place students?

How can I ensure that students are ready for the next level?

How could our program be more consistent?

How are classes better aligned?

Participants will gain knowledge of
 a process to weave 21 st century and transitions skills into all levels of ABE and ELL classrooms
 the collaborative process developed and used to create learning targets and assessments
 related curriculum resources


MPS-AE didn’t meet state NRS goals a few years ago

MPS-AE applied curriculum alignment as one strategy for NRS goal improvement

Curriculum Coordinator positions were created

Curriculum Coordinators began the curriculum alignment plan

Goals of Curriculum Alignment Project

Minneapolis AE course guide

21 st Century & Transition Skills are explicitly included in every class and at every level

Career pathway creation

Program-wide curriculum consistency

Curriculum is written once and actively used in the classroom

3-Year Curriculum Alignment Project

Year 1: 2010 – 2011 Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum

Year 2: 2011 – 2012 Focus on Instructional Methods
Revised: Focus on Implementation of Aligned Curriculum

Year 3: 2012 – 2013 Focus on Lesson Plans/Planning
Revised: Focus on Instructional Methods

Curriculum Alignment Project: Year 1
Focus on Aligning Program-wide Curriculum

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
MPS-AE Workteams

Contract staff have monthly obligated meeting times

Teams of teachers grouped by curriculum area

Monthly meetings facilitated by chairs

Chairs & Curriculum Coordinators meet

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
Teams of teachers worked on 8 – 10 learning outcomes of what students should know and be able to do upon completing each class

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
Creating Learning Outcomes

A learning outcome is the combination of learning objectives with the teacher-specified assessment chosen to measure to what degree the learning objective is met.
Objective + Assessment = Learning Outcome

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
21 st Century & Transition Skills

Literacy

Work

Life

Academic

Technology

Numeracy

Critical Thinking

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
Mid year shift:

Request by staff for assessment training

Connected with District curriculum resources to have more alignment with K-12 and AE

Created learning targets to be used by all staff
(registration, teachers, counseling, administration, planning, etc.)

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
Learning Targets

Learning outcomes were changed to “I can…” statements which we call learning targets

Define what a student should know and be able to do to complete a class

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
Assessments

Common assessments measure learning targets

Created by teachers when possible (helps to avoid copyright issues)

Varied formats (checklists, rubrics, multiple-choice, essay, fill-out documents, online, projects, etc.)

Year 1: Focus on Aligning Program-wide
Curriculum
Examples:

Writing 3

ELL Core 3

ABE Math 1

abe.mpls.k12.mn.us

Class Description:
This is the third course in the
ELL writing sequence. It includes writing and typing for work, life, and school.
Prerequisites:
Exit Requirements:
Completion of class content
Career Pathways:
ELLWriting 3
Learning Targets
This list defines what a learner will know and be able to do upon completing this class.
03/2012

2.
3.
4.
5.
ELL Writing 3 Assessment 1
Learning Target: I can write or type present perfect tense in sentences.
Writing Prompt:
Write 5 sentences about what you have done since you moved to the United
States. Use a different verb in each sentence.
1.

Assessment 1 Beginning Whole Number Review Page 17
New Basic Skills with Math Whole Numbers
Jerry Howett
Cambridge Adult Education 1999
ISBN 0-835-95736-5
Learning Targets:
1. I can read and write whole numbers.
2. I can identify digits, whole numbers, place values, and the value of a digit in a certain place.
3. I can round and estimate whole numbers when solving real math problems.
Student completes review on notebook paper.

Curriculum Alignment Project: Year 2
Focus on Implementation of Aligned Curriculum

Year 2: Focus on Implementation of
Aligned Curriculum
Key points of implementation:

All current classes will have learning targets with corresponding assessments by the end of the school year

Learning targets and assessments are actively used in each classroom

Year 2: Focus on Implementation of
Aligned Curriculum
In each classroom we …

Use learning targets and assessments

Communicate learning targets to learners

Using assessments to provide feedback to learners

Year 2: Focus on Implementation of
Aligned Curriculum
As a program we …

Have classes that are more focused

Continue to develop assessments

Evaluate learning targets and assessments

Year 2: Focus on Implementation of
Aligned Curriculum
Process for
Improving
Learning Targets and
Assessments
Changes are posted on website quarterly
Use learning targets & assessments in classroom
Reflect on
Learning
Targets & assessments in Workteams
Recommend
Learning
Target &
Assessment changes

Curriculum Alignment Project: Year 3
Focus on Instructional Methods

Year 3: Focus on Instructional Methods




Staff members will complete an E-training module about learning targets and assessments
Staff members will develop career pathways
Staff members will improve various aspects placement, advancement, feedback, and advising model
Teachers will meet in small groups (PLCs) to share classroom assessment data and discuss ways to improve instruction

Use assessments in classroom
Implement instructional changes
Analyze assessment data in
PLCs
Recommend instructional changes

Revisiting Goals of Curriculum
Alignment Project

Minneapolis AE course guide

21 st Century & Transition Skills are explicitly included in every class and at every level

Career pathway creation

Program-wide curriculum consistency

Curriculum is written once and actively used in the classroom


Trust

Implementation

Recognize that it takes time and practice

Communication

Integrating national and state trends

Explicit opportunities for feedback are crucial

Minneapolis ABE abe.mpls.k12.mn.us/
Janice Bisch – Janice.Bisch@mpls.k12.mn.us
Heather Turngren – Heather.Turngren@mpls.k12.mn.us
Amy Vickers – Amy.Vickers@mpls.k12.mn.us