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Beginning the New School Year with a
Layered Curriculum® Classroom
© Dr Kathie F Nunley, 2016
A new school year is one of the easiest times for introducing the concept of a Layered Curriculum classroom. While the student-centered environment makes for happy students and happy teacher - the concept needs to be introduced slowly.
Most students come into our room accustomed to teacher-centered classrooms. So the switch in activity and responsibility may be a bit unnerving to them at first. I find it best to start with something that looks somewhat familiar to the students and then slowly add more and more pieces of the method as students gain confidence and increased comfort.
Regardless of grade or subject level, most traditional classrooms run in a 3 part method. Part one is called "whole class instruction". Whole class instruction is the time where the teacher is actively introducing or "teaching" a subject to the entire class and the students generally are passively involved. eg: a lecture, a teacher demonstration, a story or video. Part 2 of the lesson involves some type of student activity which feeds off the whole class instruction. For example, practice problems, book work, small group discussion, writing, etc. And finally part 3 of the lesson involves some type of assessment of the learning by the teacher.
So, based on this 3-part instructional assumption, the best place to start Layered Curriculum is in part 2 - the student work. This means that you, the teacher will begin the class with a traditional "whole class instruction" approach. Use whatever traditional methods would be used to introduce the day's lesson - be it a lecture or video, board demo, etc. This allows a sense of familiarity for the students. It's what they are "used to."
However, when you get to part 2 - the student activity - it's time to introduce the concept of student choice. Offer students 2 or 3 activities which are all designed around reinforcing or elaborating on the day's lesson. Try to include a variety of learning modalities. (Don't just offer 3 different worksheets). If possible, try to allow choice in small group versus independent work as well. Make sure the students understand what the learning objective is to the assignment and that that objective remains the same, regardless of which assignment they choose. Make sure they understand that the assignment will be graded via an assessment on the learning objective. Explain that all students will have the same quiz over the student work.
Part 3 - the assessment can also remain relatively traditional. Consider a quick paper or board quiz at the start of the next day to check for learning or understanding. Help students grasp the concept that it is this assessment that determines their "grade" on the student activity or homework.
This so-called "Daily Method" of Layered Curriculum is a great way to introduce the concept to students in a student-friendly form. They learn about making choices. They learn that all assignment choices are built around learning objectives. They learn that the point and purpose of the assignment is the learning objective itself and not simply "doing an assignment".
You can actually walk the class through an entire C layer using this daily method. Even those of you who are adding B and A layers from the beginning may want to consider using a daily method for the whole thing - walking students though the C layer "en mass" and then having the whole class do a B layer together and an A layer together.
Students need help transitioning to a student-centered classroom. Once they make the transition, they love it - but it takes some time to understand the process, take responsibility and see the relationship between assignments and learning.
Many teachers use a daily method for a sizeable portion of the year. I recommend teachers always start the year with one. It's also a good process to return to any time you feel the class has gotten off track or lost focus.
About the Author:
Dr Kathie Nunley is an educational psychologist, researcher and author of several books on parenting and teaching, including A Student's Brain (Brains.org) and the best selling, "Differentiating the High School Classroom" (Corwin Press). She is the developer of the Layered Curriculum® method of instruction and has worked with parents and educators around the world to better structure schools to make brain-friendly environments. In addition, her work has been used by the Boeing Corporation, Family Circle Magazine, the Washington Post, and ABC television.
Email her: Kathie (at) brains.org
Copyright © 1998 - current year by Kathie F. Nunley.
All Rights Reserved.
Layered
Curriculum is a registered trademark developed by
Dr. Kathie F. Nunley.