Curriculum Trak is inviting all schools to participate in the third annual Great Map Review Event. We have had such a great response from our previous years’ participants that we knew that we needed to bring it back. This annual event is designed not only to promote and encourage the network of Curriculum Trak schools in their mapping efforts, but also to promote best practices in curriculum mapping. There is no cost for Curriculum Trak schools to be part of this event.
We recently asked Lynn Cuffari, one of the mapping specialists who reviewed the maps submitted last year, to share her reflections on and insights from the process. See her responses below, and consider joining us this year. Continue reading for more details about how this program works.
https://curriculumtrak.screencasthost.com/watch/c3f3DdVYYs8
Here is how it works:
- Review your current mapping efforts and select up to four maps you believe best exemplify your school’s current efforts and practices. These do not need to be complete or perfect, but they should be a good representation of what you are currently working toward.
- Submit those maps for review by Curriculum Trak mapping specialists. Again, our map reviewers are not looking for perfect or even fully completed curriculum maps. They will evaluate what you currently have against the practices we recommend in our training opportunities (see more on “The Curriculum Trak Way” here).
- Curriculum Trak will review those maps. Over the summer months, our curriculum mapping specialists will review the maps you have submitted against our “Exemplar Mapping Rubric” in order to highlight the quality content you have collected so far, and provide feedback and recommendations on potential improvements.
- Reviewed Maps with Recommendations will be returned in time for fall mapping. Your reviewed maps will be returned to you toward the end of the summer break with the thinking that this feedback could help launch your Fall mapping efforts and provide possible insights into your next steps.
- Exemplar Maps will be posted. From the group of maps submitted, a subset of maps which provide good insights or examples into curriculum mapping practices will be selected to be posted within the network for others to review as exemplars.
Why is Curriculum Trak hosting this event?
To serve you: Curriculum Trak desires to promote curriculum mapping among our network of schools. We see this event as a way not only to honor and encourage your efforts, but also as a way to continue driving your process forward. By offering your school the opportunity to have your maps reviewed by an external, independent mapping specialist, your best efforts will be confirmed and you will also receive input about how your maps could be stronger. This feedback might help you chart your next steps in your mapping efforts, identify professional development needs for your team, or point to an external source to support the encouragement, praise, or guidance you have been giving to your team. Of course, our input could be taken and followed, delayed until it fits your needs, or dismissed completely if you have different views, goals, or priorities.
To serve others: Our support team is contacted on a regular basis with requests for samples of what “good” curriculum maps look like. The best maps are those maps that engender the best insights into and reflection on instructional practices, and we do not have that level of insight into how the maps are serving your needs. Not to mention the fact that we can’t possibly know all of the nuggets to be found in the nearly 1.5 million unit plans available in the Curriculum Trak network. That’s why your review and submissions are so valuable. As you participate in this program identifying for us which maps you think demonstrate your school’s current best practices, we can more adequately draw from your examples to identify those “exemplar” maps others might find helpful to their process.
Click here to nominate course maps to include. Contact support with any questions or concerns.
