ERIC ED362262: Connecting the Curriculum through Interdisciplinary Instruction.

167 Pages·1992·3.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 021 652.
ED 362 262
Lounsbury, John H., Ed.
AUTHOR
Interdisciplinary
Connecting the Curriculum through
TITLE
Instruction.
OH.
National Middle School Association, Columbus,
INSTITUTION
ISBN-1-56090-071-7
REPORT NO
PUB DATE
92
167p.
NOTE
4807 Evanswood
National Middle School Association,
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Teaching Guides (For
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Curriculum
Classroom Techniques; Curriculum Design;
DESCRIPTORS
Design;
Development; *Fused Curriculum; Instructional
Curriculum;
Instructional Development; *Integrated
*Interdisciplinary Approach; Intermediate Grades;
Middle
Junior High Schools; Learning Activities;
Teaching; *Unified
Schools; Teaching Methods; *Team
Studies Curriculum
*Integrated Learning Systems
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
key
Interdisciplinary education has been considered a
1960s. Interdisciplinary
element of middle level education since the
interdisciplinary units of
teaching teams and multi-disciplinary and
middle level schools since then.
study have been frequently found in
to support it, actual
Although changes have been incorporated
continues to fall short
implementation of interdisciplinary education
recognizing the need for schools to
of its full potential. While
interdisciplinary world, it remains
reflect the reality of life in an
curriculum into a more
difficult to restructure content-separated
collection of articles
interdisciplinary, or integrated, one. This
teaching teams
offers guidance to both new and established
Articles in the first
implementing integrated instruction programs.
organization for
section focus on the positive aspects of team
students, and student evaluation
teachers, the effects of teaming on
section offers suggestions for
of interdisciplinary units. The second
for developing an
organizing the teaching team and techniques
presents several examples of
integrated curriculum. The third section
implemented
interdisciplinary instruction units that were
United States. The final section
successfully in schools across the
of the interdisciplinary team,
examines the evolutionary development
and some of the limitations
methods of evaluating the teaching team,,
interdisciplinary instruction.
of, and problems associated with,
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MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED
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TO THE EDUCATIONAL
INFORMATION CENTER IERIC1
Connecting the Curriculum
Through
Interdisciplinary Instruction
JOHN H. LOUNSBURY, EDITOR
NATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
nmsa
NATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Most of the articles that comprise this volume appeared previously in the Middle
School Journal. When appropriate, authors supplemented
or updated their pieces. Some
new articles and many additional features in the form of selected excerpts, quotes, lists,
and charts have been included to increase the volumes usefulness.
Mary Mitchell, assistant to the editor, deserves special commendation for her careful
work in formatting this volume for printing. Appreciation is also expressed
to Robert
Brindley, Christopher Reddick, and Abe Bonowitz for their photographs which enrich
the publication and to Teri McCook for the cover design.
Copyright © 1992 by National Middle School Association
4807 Evanswood Drive
Columbus, OH 43229-6292
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
or transmit-
ted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews or articles.
The materials printed herein are the expressions of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the policies of NMSA.
1-56090-071-7
ISBN:
Foreword
CONTENTS
Editor's
Introduction
1
What Team Organization Can Do for Teachers
7
What Interdisciplin-
The Effects of Teaming and Collaborative Arrangements
15
ary Instruction
The Effects of Teaming on Students
23
Can Do for You
Students
37
Are Interdisciplinary Units Worthwhile? Ask
5
Teaming: Its Burdens and Its Blessings
45
Planning for
Webbing: A Format for Planning
57
Interdisciplinary
Teaching
Planning: The Key to Successful Interdisciplinary
61
Instruction
The Natural for Interdisciplinary Instruction
67
43
Cross-Curricular Connections
73
In
Teaming: Two Novices Find Success
Interdisciplinary
81
Instruction in It Happens in the Huddle
87
Action
There Is No Finish Line
93
It's Here to Stay
97
The Interdisciplinary Unit
79
The Simulation Technique Applied in an IDU
103
Interdisciplinary Units: Keystones of Learning
109
The Roaring Twenties
115
Learning by Solving Real Problems
121
Watershed: At the Confluence of Curricula
129
IV
Four Phases in the Life of a Team
135
Nurturing
Teams
143
The Evolutionary Development of Interdisciplinary
Teaming and
of Teaming
145
A Guide for Assessing the Development
Guiding Growth
Evaluating Teams: Something to Grow On
149
'133
Interdisciplinary Instruction: A Voyage Not a Harbor
155
For Further
information
159
Ill
TEA-M
Together Everyone Achieves More
Foreword
SUE SWAIM
importance
The 1991-92 President of NMSA highlightt the
challenge.
of interdisciplinary instruction and offers a
remained difficult to restructure our pigeon-
Education during the decade of the 90s will
holed, content-separated curriculum to a more
be noted for its intensified efforts to restructure
interdisciplinary/integrated one.
curriculum, instruction, and assessment on pre-
school through college levels. A significant
The challenge which faces middle level
part of this restructuring process has centered
educators today is to expand our vision and our
around the development and implementation
implementation of interdisciplinary education.
of interdisciplinary teaming and interdiscipli-
Even where interdisciplinary teaching teams
nary curricula. While this is by no means a new
and units of sti"y exist they oftell stop short of
idea, the renewed enthusiasm for its potential
actually restruc.dring curriculum, instruction,
to be a focal point for the deve )pment of a
and assessment. Completing three or four inter-
for
more relevant and meaningful curriculum
disciplinary units of study per year should be
the learner cannot be ignored.
viewed as part of the transition to an interdisci-
plinary curriculum ... not as THE interdiscipli-
Certainly interdisciplinary education has
nary curriculum.
been considered a key element of middle level
education since the 1960s. Interdisciplinary
I am confident this book will be a valuable
teaching teams and multi-disciplinary and in-
striving to
resource for middle level educators
terdisciplinary units of study have been fre-
implement interdisciplinary education. Its true
quently found in middle level schools since the
value will be measured by how readers use the
beginning of the movement. Flexible sched-
ideas and strategies presented here to push the
ules, common planning time, staffing patterns,
and
status quo beyond current expectations
and school buildings have all been created or
install truly integrated education. Together we
changed to support interdisciplinary educa-
chal-
must continue to stretch the vision and
tion. Yet, despite all these efforts the actual
lenge old assumptions about what we teach and
implementation of interdisciplinary education
how we teach so the goal of a meaningful and
continues to fall short of its full potential.
relevant curriculum based upon the needs and
While we've come to realize the importance of
characteristics of young adolescent learners
living in an interdisciplinary world and the
can be achieved. A
need for schools to reflect this reality, it has
V
Interdisciplinary Team Organization Supported by
1988 National Middle School Association Resolution
Whereas, when middle school teachers share a common group of
students and have quality time to discuss the special needs, interests, and
styles of those students, miracles can occur, and Whereas, in middle
schools, the interdisciplinary team is the organizational unit that facili-
tates this collaborative planning and teaching, and Whereas, as middle
schools continue to increase in size and complexity, the interdisciplinary
team promotes a climate of smallness essential to student success and
teacher efficacy, and Whereas, departmentalization does not enable
teachers from varying subject areas to collaborate regularly nor does it
promote the quality of teacher-student involvement essential to the
effective middle school,
Therefore, be it resolved that middle school personnel affirm the
interdisciplinary team organization as the most appropriate ar-
rangement for middle level teachers and students.
rm
0
EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION
Interdisciplinary Instruction:
Nineties
A Mandate for the
JOHN H. LOUNSBURY
instruction !s not
Connecting the curriculum via interdisciplinary
it's mandatory.
for middle level educators
an optional activity
in-
ation to the benefits of interdisciplinary
The junior high school is not meeting the
struction and take some action in relationship
needs of its students. Such a view had come to
is strong
to it. The push to integrate instruction
be generally accepted by the 1960s. And to
and will not abate. Even those middle level
alter that reality in rode the middle school with
schools that for one reason or another choose
promises of reform. The subject-centered and
confront
not to establish teams will still have to
compartmentalized junior high school day, a
be
the issue. This is not a matter that can simply
carbon copy of the high school, was the major
waited out.
school advo-
concern. To counter it, middle
in which
cates offered interdisciplinary teaming
The integration of separate subject instruc-
several subject area teachers would be respon-
tion is not just another "innovation" that will
and
sible for a common group of students
fade away in due time. Successful middle school
collaborate on instruction.
teachers in the year 2000 will be those who
have been able to rise up out of their certifica-
Almost immediately the concept of team-
tion comfort zones and see themselves as much
ing became the key characteristic of the new
instructors. There
more than single subject
middle school. It has come to be seen as the sine
simply will be no place for those unable to
school. Probably no
qua non of a real middle
redefine and broaden their roles in the effective
single word has been more frequently cited in
middle school of the next century. Not only will
relationship to the middle school than has the
in
all middle level schools become involved
word interdisciplinary. As the movement has
efforts to unify learning and connect the cur-
fragmentation
grown the resolve to counter the
riculum, but high schools in substantial num-
of the typical subject-centered day has become
bers will take up the torch of interdisciplinary
continues as the
even firmer. And teaming
instruction, as a small but surprising number
major means advanced to connect the curricu-
already ha ve. Increasingly it is being recog-
lum. Its importance as an educational practice
nized that there will be no significant "restruc-
simply cannot be ignored.
turing" of schools until reform efforts attack
and make fundamental changes in the curricu-
Teaching in a middle level school during
lum of content and the instructional approaches
will
this last decade of the twentieth century
what and how kids learn.
utilized
inevitably require one to give serious consider-
1
If such be the case, as I firmly believe it is, then it behooves all
who are involved in the education of 10-14
year olds to become
thoroughly grounded in the theory and practice of interdisciplinary
instruction. There is much to teaming; it is complex and evolves
slowly; it calls for adjustments and compromises. Evaluation
proce-
dures must undergo revision, and the need for varied instructional
materials increases greatly.The creation of interdisciplinary teams
"Beware of enter-
with common planning time and a block schedule is
a prerequisite for
prises that require
interdisciplinary instruction. However, administratively organizing
teams only provides opportunities. It is a great mistake to establish
new clothes and not
teams and declare victory.
rather a new
wearer of clothes."
It is especially important torecognize that implementing ,aterdis-
Henry David
ciplinary instruction will require a change in the teacher's role. Unless
Thoreau
the teachers themselves are willing and able to alter
some established
practices, the gains from placing them on a team will be minimal. As
Henry David Thoreau wisely warned us, "Beware of enterprises that
require new clothes and not rather a new wearer of clothes."
Because of the new demands and changes in established routines
that entering into teaming requires, few teams reach their potential
during the first two or three years
some never do. Although
conducting real interdisciplinary instruction is not an early expecta-
tion of teaming it should remain as a stated goal to be sought by all.
The materials in this volume will give guidance to both beginners in
teaming and those in established teams who are now ready for actually
initiating integrated instruction built around the solving of problems
rather than simply relating instruction in several subjects. Some
The mandated
articles describe well-developed correlation approaches, others illus-
twice-a-year
trate bolder ventures that involve a whole grade in a project.
thematic unit
Creating interdisciplinary teams in every school serving 10-14
does not justify
year olds would be a giant step forward. Significant benefits to youth
business as
would result as teachers collaborate on various routines and occasion-
usual the rest
ally correlate their presentations, even fusing subjects
once in awhile.
of the time.
The administratively-mandated twice-a-year thematic unit, however,
does not justify business as usual (read: departmentalized instruction)
the rest of the time. Unfortunately, the experiences of the last two
decades have shown that changes in the content of schooling do
not
automatically follow from organizing teams.
Interdisciplinary instruction, even when done rather comprehen-
sively, is not a panacea. Teachers, while eagerly moving to
connect
the curriculum through interdisciplinary instruction need to under-
stand that teaming has its weaknesses and its limitations. These
are
addressed in the closing article.
2