PROBLEMATIZING MY IMAGINEIT!
As I move forward with my Math Department PLC, there are two dilemmas I would like to focus on: teachers and curriculum.
The first dilemma is teachers (they are my students). I don’t think there is a problem with my colleagues, but rather the teaming that I am asking them to do. We have been left to ourselves with minimal supervision from our administration. The PLC asks the teachers to collaborate and dive deep into what is best for our students even if that means changing the way they have been teaching prior to this year. With the professional learning community, I am attempting to change the culture of our department. I see that they are willing, but I am aware this is not an easy task.
The second dilemma is curriculum. We have a new textbook series which administration keeps calling it a new curriculum. It isn’t a new curriculum, but rather a path to navigate the Common Core Math Standards. I feel that our department should utilize the new program and push our students to learn more and learn deeper. This seems like a tug of war at times. How much time is enough? Teachers do have autonomy over their lessons, but the PLC asks the teams to discuss/plan together. My role is to drive the discussion so that the level of instruction raises the content and rigor of lessons.
The first dilemma is teachers (they are my students). I don’t think there is a problem with my colleagues, but rather the teaming that I am asking them to do. We have been left to ourselves with minimal supervision from our administration. The PLC asks the teachers to collaborate and dive deep into what is best for our students even if that means changing the way they have been teaching prior to this year. With the professional learning community, I am attempting to change the culture of our department. I see that they are willing, but I am aware this is not an easy task.
The second dilemma is curriculum. We have a new textbook series which administration keeps calling it a new curriculum. It isn’t a new curriculum, but rather a path to navigate the Common Core Math Standards. I feel that our department should utilize the new program and push our students to learn more and learn deeper. This seems like a tug of war at times. How much time is enough? Teachers do have autonomy over their lessons, but the PLC asks the teams to discuss/plan together. My role is to drive the discussion so that the level of instruction raises the content and rigor of lessons.