Program Participants Tell of New Challenges

Educators across the city are facing what many say has been their greatest career challenge: teaching the new Department of Education curriculum requirements.

For some, it’s mastering balanced literacy - an approach to teaching which emphasizes how students learn using structured activities like shared and guided reading, small group and independent class work and writer’s workshop. For others, it’s learning newly introduced curricula such as Month-by-Month Phonics, Voyager Passport, Ramp Up, Everyday Math, and Impact Math.

Participating teachers in the Peer Intervention Program had a lot to say about the challenges of teaching the new programs - not to mention learning them in a very short time - and handling the dramatic classroom changes that these programs call for.

According to a sampling of opinions from participants, one of the biggest challenges has been time management: how to fit the subject matter that needs to be covered within the allotted time frame. These include aligning the needs of students to the requirements of the new curricula and completing lessons according to a specific structured format.

Some teachers had questions and concerns about what is expected with requirements apparently changing from school to school. "Everything is so new that it’s not yet clear what is expected of us," said one teacher.

For others, teaching within a framework that lays out goals without specific procedural guidelines has been frustrating. As one participant put it, "I find it more difficult to plan for a philosophy than for a clear program."

One of the biggest changes in format is the increased emphasis on group work. The focus has shifted from whole class instruction to small group interactions. One participant noted that "the challenge is constantly monitoring what groups are doing, how they’re doing it and provide them all with appropriate assistance."Learning the new programs and formats has been a source of stress for many participants. "Take the time to get up to speed," one advised. "It’s okay not to be perfect." Another couldn’t agree more. "Learning and planning is crucial," she said.

All of the teachers emphasized that when it comes to handling the new curricula they feel less at sea than many of their school colleagues because of the help they’re getting from their intervenors.