Curriculum Equity

Aligning curriculum or achieving curriculum equity, though it sounds like a great idea, exists in a vacuum. It doesn’t exist from one class period to the very next, day to day, from one teacher to another or from one school to another, let alone from one student to the next. And though a particular course or courses between schools may give the same assessment, provide for a common exam or share the same objectives that doesn’t mean equity has been arrived at.

One has to dig deep into teaching and learning to understand just how difficult it would be to arrive at so called curriculum equity. One can teach beginning Calculus, if there is such a course, during 1st period and turn around and teach the same material on the same day during 3rd period. And the results are likely to be drastically different. Why? Because those first period students might well be a bit sleepy or a little less than fully prepared. The teacher may have just hurried to class or may be teaching this lesson for the very first time. Those third period students may have 5 fewer students in the class and they might have had a second period study hall to be prepared for their third period Calculus class. This same 1st period teacher may have learned what did/didn’t work in first period and made adjustments for their 3rd period class. Also, the composition of one class, aside from a difference in class size, may well have a difference in the number of students who get support services not to mention the background they possess as they enter Calculus. This isn’t some fiction. Ask any teacher and they’ll explain the same dynamic I’ve just cited.

More important than curriculum equity is the idea of curriculum excellence, providing challenges to students. And those challenges aren’t necessarily prescribed in the same course outline or program of studies. They are predicated on many environmental, teaching and learning factors, a small portion to which I’ve alluded to. The same book, online exercise or homework assignment doesn’t achieve equity. The challenge of educators is far more important. It’s one born in helping students find meaning, being inspired, staying engaged and progressing.

Dick