Oberlin Schools Revisit Its Math Curriculum With A New Project

Oberlin teachers and administrators worked this fall create a coherent curriculum map for math in PK-12 for a better vertical alignment of its math curriculum. Curriculum mapping is the process that educators use to collect and record data that identifies core skills and content taught, the processes employed and the assessments used for each subject area and grade level.The purpose of the project was to identify changes in state standards, identify gaps in teachers’ instruction and to solidify conceptual misunderstandings.

Thirteen Oberlin teachers, curriculum Director William Baylis and Kent State professor (and Oberlin parent) Sonya Irving worked over six sessions to complete new curriculum maps that better align to state standards, district resources and textbooks. A large part of the work entailed looking at which standards that Oberlin students were not mastering according to state report card data and then focusing on those deficiencies in the new maps. The maps provide a coherent framework for all teachers to be able to follow as well as a “virtual warehouse” of resources so that teachers will have a one stop shop for materials and lessons to help differentiate instruction when necessary. Administrators also played a role in this initiative by completing a book study on “An Educational Leader’s Guide to Curriculum Mapping” in the fall to have a better understanding of how their efforts come into play with this district initiative.