Does our instructional framework guide curriculum, teaching, assessment, and the learning climate?
Leaders in the schools we studied credit much of their success to a high level of instructional program coherence. Several of the schools began their improvement efforts by adopting a comprehensive school reform model. For example, P.S./M.S. 124 selected Core Knowledge, whose framework emphasizes building students’ knowledge base in world history, geography, civics, literature, science, art, and music. Schools customized the reform models to better fit their needs. Finding the content to be “too Eurocentric,” teachers at P.S./M.S. 124 have added content relating to Africa, Latin America, and Asia. In addition, they have incorporated knowledge about the various ethnicities and cultures represented in their student body. Do we have common assessments, and do we embrace assessment literacy? High-performing/high-poverty schools establish clear learning targets and engage their students in activities that help them acquire assessment literacy. These activities include selecting individual l
