Curriculum Development for Pre-Algebra in Select Las Vegas High Schools
Quinn Kendall
NSHE ID: 2002513292
(702) 799-7185 ex. 3808
Curriculum and Instruction in Secondary Mathematics
Dr. Peter Wiens
CIS 684 1001
Section 1: Introduction
Definition of Curriculum
When comparing the various definitions of curriculum as presented by Ornstein & Hunkins, the definition that I strive for when developing my own curriculum is “dealing with the learner’s experiences” (p. 26). Therefore, before I can begin to organize the content for my curriculum, I need to understand the backgrounds of the students who will follow the curriculum, since their full lived experience will tie into the curriculum as a whole. I will be designing a unit on two-step equations for high school Pre-Algebra, and throughout the curriculum design, I will always have in mind the experiences that my students have–inside and outside of the classroom, both before I was their teacher and while they are under my instruction.
Although this year I teach 7th grade math, I have decided to design a unit for Pre-Algebra at the high school level. I made this choice because 7th grade math classes in CCSD already follow a very strict curriculum designed by Carnegie Learning across all middle schools, but high schools have leniency when deciding how to teach Pre-Algebra, since the course is meant to be taught in middle school. Additionally, high schools are explicitly forbidden to use the middle school curriculum provided by Carnegie Learning, despite the fact that Carnegie’s Pre-Algebra curriculum is approved for Pre-Algebra classes in middle school. The other factor influencing my choice to design a unit for Pre-Algebra instead of 7th grade math is that I intend to transfer to Rancho High School next school year to teach Pre-Algebra, with administrators expecting me to help with the curriculum design for Pre-Algebra classes there. Since Pre-Algebra topics are middle school topics, the department at Rancho finds my skill set as a 7th grade math teacher at one of their feeder schools, Jim Bridger Middle School, suitable for the position, especially considering the plethora of ideas that I have as to ways the school can enhance their Pre-Algebra curriculum. Thus, this project could not come at a better time, as it will prepare me for my job next year.
Aligning the Unit with DEI Theory
My unit will be structured around two important theories relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and Critical Race Theory. In tandem, the theories result in a classroom that acknowledges the different backgrounds of the students within it, and seeks to help students view their background as an advantage rather than a barrier to learning. The unit will also draw upon the work of Erikson, Havighurst, and Maslow, to take into consideration their work in humanist approaches to curriculum.
This background data and the definition that I am using for the curriculum directly align with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion theory. By its very nature, DEI deals with a students background and prior experiences before entering a teacher’s classroom, aiming to foster a collaborative and encouraging classroom for each student regardless of their background. By considering a school’s demographics, a teacher can be aware of the racially diverse students coming into the classroom, but teachers also can take into account the fact that their students will be diverse in how they learn, the activities they prefer, the classes they feel strongest in, their hopes, dreams, and even fears. This uses Critical Race Theory in an attempt to examine how the race and background of students in the classroom influences the learning, so the unit will be designed with the demographics of the seven schools in mind to try to approach the content from an angle that acknowledges the different experiences of disenfranchised communities compared to the societal stereotype of “normal” meaning white, middle class families.
Equity is all about ensuring that the content is accessible to all students, which means a unit aligning with DEI theory will include visual models, both written and spoken directions, access to translations as needed for ELLs, and diverse methods of assessment built on diverse types of assignments. Inclusion is built around a safe classroom environment and is well-achieved by incorporating high levels of student-to-student interactions, fostering positive social relationships and highly collaborative learning–which is distinctly different from simple group work, as not all group work is actually collaborative. It is also important to help bridge the language gap, even though the curriculum is for math, so there will be numerous opportunities for students to improve their ability to explain their answers in the context of the question. However, I will do my best to align these questions with theories on Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, so that the students are not expected to assimilate into dominant norms, but instead express their unique understanding, without one single correct answer.
I recognize that some aspects of tailoring instruction to the needs of the students falls onto the teacher, but by designing a curriculum that is hyper-focused on these seven schools with students of similar backgrounds, I aim to provide curriculum materials that meet as many instructional needs of the teacher as possible. As such, my unit on two-step equations will have highly interactive activities, a plethora of visual models, accessible content for different levels of comprehension due to language barriers or IEPs, and collaborative assignments to foster a community within the classroom. I intend to incorporate 3-Act Math activities and Kagan learning structures into lessons to accomplish these goals and to align my unit with both my curriculum definition and DEI theories. These strategies align with the humanistic approach to curriculum design, inspired by theories crafted by Frederick Erikson, Robert Havighurst, and Abraham Maslow (Ornstein & Hunkins, p. 25).
I particularly want to use Erikson’s belief that a student’s cultural background is a strength rather than a deficit through his work in understanding the cultural context of students (Ciechalski & Locke, p. 48). Havighurst also has key ideas relating to developmental tasks, since he acknowledges that students from different backgrounds may encounter and interact with tasks in unique ways based on their individual background (Ciechalski & Locke, p. 52). Lastly, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is well known, but worth mentioning in an educational lens, since students will be unable to enter a learning state of mind if they do not feel safe and cared for inside the classroom, meeting all tiers below “cognitive” on the pyramid (Ciechalski & Locke, p. 136).
In summary, the goal of designing a humanistic curriculum based on the student experiences would be near impossible without narrowing the field for which students the curriculum is designed. Using my demographic research, I will be tailoring a Pre-Algebra curriculum to the needs of the students at seven similar schools in CCSD, to create a culturally responsive unit that meets the potential needs of all students and makes the content as accessible and equitable as possible. I draw upon CRT and CSP theories, the previous work of Erikson, Havighurst, and Maslow, and my own experiences using 3-Act Math activities and Kagan structures to create a well-rounded unit on two-step equations for high school students enrolled in Pre-Algebra.
Quinn Kendall, Educator 