Earlier this week, I had the privilege of facilitating a webinar with a set of extraordinary leaders focusing on the impact of high-quality instructional materials in Delaware classrooms. The entire hour is packed with specific facts and examples that not only highlight the impressive outcomes of this work in Delaware, but also dive deeply into how it all happens. Here are just a few of my favorite highlights of the conversation:
-
“I constantly interrogate the curriculum and instruction that our students are exposed to and ask: how can we best demonstrate the brilliance of our students?…I will never tolerate anyone claiming that the rigor is too challenging or that the work is impossible. I demand staff to find the ‘how’ and then I expect them to do it.” Kelly Carvajal Hageman, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Seaford School District, self-proclaimed “rebel for kids” and panel-proclaimed “rock star”
-
“Districts who really leaned into their high-quality instructional materials during COVID are seeing a return on that investment. Seaford has moved from last in the state in 2015 to outperforming state averages across every school.” Kathy Kelly, Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Development, Delaware Department of Education (DDOE)
-
“In our role as a support agency, we work with districts and charters to ensure educators are shifting from initial adoption to skillful implementation of their instructional materials — and we are really intentional about that word ‘skillful.’” Dr. Monica Gant, Chief Academic Officer, DDOE
-
“Because high-quality materials are guiding teachers to act as conversation facilitators as opposed to lecturers, this has transformed some classrooms that were traditionally more teacher-led or lecture-based to spaces where students are really leading their learning through conversation….Folks are seeing more joy and engagement from their students.” Grace McCarty, Associate Director of Research Strategy & Policy, Center for Public Research and Leadership
-
“With any change management initiative, sometimes you have to see it to believe it.” Jenn Vranek, Founding & Managing Partner, EdFirst
Thanks to this incredible panel, we can see and believe the progress in Delaware.
Here’s a roundup of the resources shared during the session: