Getting Results with Curriculum Mapping

by Heidi Hayes Jacobs

Curriculum mapping is said to remove the clutter that may interfere with learning and teaching. It sorts lessons and units into consistent plans that teachers, schools, and districts can access to ensure content is consistent and also progresses along with students. Jacobs and her contributors describe how to set up a mapping project, work on the project as a team, and use mapping in special settings such as in an independent or alternative school. They show how to create consistent benchmarks and use the resulting maps to integrate new technology, new data, decision-making structures, and staff development opportunities. The appendices include samples.

Preparing educators to implement mapping procedures,
* Using software to create unique mapping databases,
* Integrating decision-making structures and staff development initiatives through mapping,
* Helping school communities adjust to new curriculum review processes, and
* Making mapping an integral part of literacy training.

Genres: Education, Teaching

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs is an author and internationally recognized education leader known for her work in curriculum mapping, curriculum integration,and developing 21st century approaches to teaching and learning.
Jacobs is President of Curriculum Designers, Inc. and Executive Director of the Curriculum Mapping Institute. She works as an education consultant with schools and districts K–12 on issues and practices pertaining to: curriculum reform, instructional strategies to encourage critical thinking, and strategic planning.

Reviews

[Adricarrillo]

When you are planning to map your present curriculum you may feel lonely and separate from reality. You may start to wonder if it really needs to be done.
A book like this gives you what will help you: questions.
The right ones to find out where to start, such as:
who has been doing this during the last years?
are the institution's goals taken into account?
is there any efficiency shown during the process?
I would highly recommend this book by H. H. Jacobs because of its guidance and company during a trip that looks hard at the beginning.

[JB · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the ideas in this book are important and helpful, the chapters are more of a narrative of "this is how we did it" and could have used a little tighter editing. Still, a number of the resources are useful and this will not take curriculum readers/writers much time to read at all.

[Jonathan Peto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forgot I was reading this!

It was published about 20 years ago, and I started reading it just before taking a course with the author, to familiarize myself a little.

I read 3 chapters very carefully: Ch. 1, Ch. 2 and Ch. 5.

I may return to this book someday, but I am calling it a day now. Many of the chapters are not by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, and based on the chapter titles, I think there are other education books I need to prioritize.

It was a good PD. I may return to this if I think it will elaborate on my notes.

[Jessyca505 · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Curriculum maps are among the simplest yet most effective tools for improving teaching and learning. Because they require people to draw explicit connections between content, skills, and assessment measures, these maps help ensure that all aspects of a lesson are aligned not only with each other, but also with mandated standards and tests." A good review to the most basic and fundamental reason schools can be better.

[Jan Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Move away 20th century syllabus and outlines, curriculum mapping blends all of these to paint a bigger picture of what students must know, do, and be. Although it is not as detailed as lesson as those in UbD frameworks, curriculum maps frames the entire picture of projects, problems, and phases students must go through to achieve learning goals.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would have been more helpful if we were further along in the process and I think reading the other book first would have been more helpful for getting started. It did have some good ideas and resources.

[Ellon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh just terrible.