Leading Theme Integration Increase Team Knowledge on Integration Design
Facilitation Team members, especially the project director, benefit from being well informed on key topics, such as integration design. This knowledge can guide other teams as they develop action plans to move the work forward in very deliberate ways. The Facilitation Team will need to do some advance work to better understand the topic of integration design, introduce terminology to faculty, and help develop the framework for theme integration.
To supplement existing knowledge on integration design, reference the downloadable Primer on Integrated Curriculum Design (doc).
School example For one recently created arts magnet school, clearly articulating how to integrate theme and curriculum was the first step in developing a cohesive plan. Some staff members weren’t sure how to build authentic connections between the arts and their instruction, and leaders were concerned about the time required to develop and implement a schoolwide, theme-based curriculum. After observing curricular strategies of other magnets and examining their own existing practices, the leadership team decided the staff was ready to take on shared planning and implementation. Relatively new to collaboration, the staff scaled up slowly, starting with two teachers from different content areas and developing an integrated curriculum that would eventually connect to other content areas.
LEADERSHIP TIP
Within the Facilitation Team, discuss what is being learned from the resources on curriculum integration and arrive at a shared understanding of the various types of integration design.
