In our small, rural district in Huntington County, Pennsylvania, we face a number of challenges including a high rate of poverty, a rather pronounced teacher shortage, and a limited budget. Given these challenges, education technology is a resource we can’t afford to go without.
For instance, just 18 months ago, we had no central place where our curriculum was housed, revised, or accessible to students or to the public. We had no effective way to track what we were teaching, whether our courses were aligned to state standards, and if teachers were adequately addressing those standards. Then we heard about Chalk, an edtech tool that helps districts map curriculum from grades K-12 and eliminates gaps in instruction.
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Starting in January of 2018, we formed building-level teams that met to learn about this tool and start the curriculum writing process. Using a “train the trainer” approach, these teams received professional development via webinars. They then began sharing what they had learned with others in their individual buildings, involving a wider pool of teachers in the process, and providing support, as needed.
About the Author:
Mike Hummel is Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Mount Union Area School District, Pennsylvania. A 2009 graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, he completed his teaching certification requirements at Wilson College, Chambersburg PA in 2013. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA in 2017 and is currently pursuing his doctorate with Shippensburg and Millersville Universities.
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