Taylor (2013)

Replacing the 'Teacher-proof' Curriculum With the 'Curriculum-proof' Teacher: Toward More Effective Interactions With Mathematics Textbooks

• Author: Megan Taylor
• Journal: Journal of Curriculum Studies
• Year: 2013
• Source: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220272.2012.710253

Abstract

This research examines secondary mathematics teachers' use of textbook curriculum materials within 'typical' cycles of planning and teaching in a school year. The curriculum use of four teachers from the western US was examined before and after engagement in a form of professional development focused on more purposeful and flexible curriculum use. A multiple case study approach was used in order to uncover and describe patterns of curriculum use over time in greater detail. Planning and teaching materials were collected, grouped, and coded for reflectivity of more effective adaptations. Overall, the number of textbook materials teachers used as-is dropped dramatically while the number of materials they adapted increased. This finding was true regardless of teaching experience, teaching context, textbook used, or content taught. Furthermore, the types of adaptations teachers made to their curricula were more deliberate and student-specific in the spring than they were in the beginning of the school year. This research sits within the broader domain of understanding how mathematics teachers use curriculum and raises new questions about how, when, and why teachers make changes to textbook materials.

Outline of Article Headings

• Introduction
  • Effective Curriculum Use: An Organizing Framework
• Research Question
• Method
  • Participants
  • The Professional Development Course
  • Immediate Use
  • Sustained Use
  • Manageable Use
  • Addressing 'Big Issues' in Practice
  • Data Sources and Initial Analyses
  • Types of Adaptation
  • Material Categories
  • Design and Use of Rubrics
• Results
  • 'Curriculum adaptation is inevitable and difficult' (Schnepp, 2009)
  • Changes in Categories of Materials
  • Changes in Material Types
  • Changes in Material Sub-types
  • Changes in Materials' Reflectivity of the MCAA Process
• Interpretation of Results
• Implications and Future Directions
  • Facilitating Teacher Change
  • Contributions to the Field

About

APA

Taylor, M. W. (2013). Replacing the "teacher-proof" curriculum with the "curriculum-proof" teacher: Toward more effective interactions with mathematics textbooks. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45(3), 295–321. doi:10.1080/00220272.2012.710253

BibTeX

@article{Taylor2013,
abstract = {This research examines secondary mathematics teachers’ use of textbook curriculum materials within ‘typical’ cycles of planning and teaching in a school year. The curriculum use of four teachers from the western US was examined before and after engagement in a form of professional development focused on more purposeful and flexible curriculum use. A multiple case study approach was used in order to uncover and describe patterns of curriculum use over time in greater detail. Planning and teaching materials were collected, grouped, and coded for reflectivity of more effective adaptations. Overall, the number of textbook materials teachers used as-is dropped dramatically while the number of materials they adapted increased. This finding was true regardless of teaching experience, teaching context, textbook used, or content taught. Furthermore, the types of adaptations teachers made to their curricula were more deliberate and student-specific in the spring than they were in the beginning of the school year. This research sits within the broader domain of understanding how mathematics teachers use curriculum and raises new questions about how, when, and why teachers make changes to textbook materials.},
author = {Taylor, Megan Westwood},
doi = {10.1080/00220272.2012.710253},
issn = {0022-0272},
journal = {Journal of Curriculum Studies},
keywords = {curriculum adaptation,mathematics curriculum,mathematics teachers,professional development},
month = jun,
number = {3},
pages = {295--321},
title = {{Replacing the 'teacher-proof' curriculum with the 'curriculum-proof' teacher: Toward more effective interactions with mathematics textbooks}},
url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220272.2012.710253},
volume = {45},
year = {2013}
}