SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AT THE GEORGETOWN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

As a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools the Georgetown International Academy has a commitment to continuous school improvement
Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year GIA undertook the onerous task of curriculum review in response to one of the recommendations made by a SACS visiting team as well as feedback gained from the school community through a needs assessment exercise

OUR VISION

The school’s vision as set out in the Mission and Philosophy statement is defined primarily in terms of a curriculum : “The curriculum is based on the American model and is designed to provide the highest possible standard of education within the scope of the facilities available; to develop the best intellectual and cultural qualities of each student which encouraging useful and helpful skills; to present a challenge to every student to realize his potential; to maintain high educational standards and practices based on new developments and discoveries in the various academic disciplines.”

THE REALITY

While the existing curriculum documents were written reflecting then current curriculum practices vis-à-vis content, teaching methodologies, and assessment practices, the documents became very quickly dated and less useful--especially to new members of staff.

This was due to a number of factors:

1. The curriculum is not interactive, i.e., has no built in mechanism for updating and amending.
2. Does not document curriculum advance in both subject integration and thematic teaching.
3. Does not reflect the considerable progress made by our staff in terms of both teaching and assessment methodologies.
4 .Does not provide for new input as implied in our vision.

The curriculum documents were becoming archive documents which, due to their size, were not easily accessible to members of the school community, and, because of being out-of-date, were of more and more limited value to the teaching staff.

OUR PLAN FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Our Goals

1. To address the curriculum concerns expressed in school needs assessment exercises re the lack of easy access to the school curriculum.
2. To respond to the SACS visiting team recommendations re curriculum development.
3. To make the curriculum more of a live and interactive document.
4. To document the considerable progress made in terms of teaching and assessment methodologies used in curriculum delivery.
5. To further institutionalize curriculum integration and theme teaching.
6. To make the curriculum responsive to the entire school community.
7. To coordinate staff development with curriculum development.

What we have done.

The Board and director facilitated the initiation of curriculum review by arranging a full day workshop for all the members of staff with three terms of reference:

1. look at the school’s existing curriculum and curriculum practice.
2. Introduce the staff to the AERO standards.
3. Introduce the staff to the concept of backwards design and the “Understanding by Design” approach to lesson planning.

There were three major outcomes of the workshop:

1. The entire school staff by consensus bought into both the idea of standards
(The implementation of a standards based curriculum was seen as a natural and logical development from the school’s existing curriculum.)
2. The entire staff also bought into “backwards design” and the principles of “understanding by design.” (This was seen as a natural and logical development from the use of unit plans that had been in place at the Georgetown International Academy for some years.)
3. The staff decided to proceed with curriculum review on a consensus basis
development of the lesson and the Ubd approach to lesson planning and decided to proceed with the curriculum review exercise on a consensus basis. (This approach was seen as generating staff ownership of the curriculum which evolves from the review exercise.)

The staff also decided to retain the current practice and use of unit plans and develop the plans as a first step in a transition to a standards based curriculum. (These were seen as a valuable means of both communicating curriculum and involving students and parents in curriculum ownership and development)

A curriculum coordinator was appointed from the staff to work with the director in facilitating the ongoing work of curriculum review

Staff development was linked to curriculum development through school support for staff involvement in courses and workshops. (Two members of staff have taken part in AERO workshops, two members of staff have taken part in Ubd conferences and workshops, and the curriculum coordinator has just completed a graduate level curriculum course as part of a doctoral programme.)

What we are doing

The staff has begun the process of adopting “working“ standards which will be made available to the entire school community via the school’s web site. The existing AERO core curriculum standards for English, Math, Social Studies, and Science together with the integrated technology standards are already in use and available on the web site. (This will begin to address the problem of curriculum accessibility and invite curriculum interactivity within the school community.)

What we have still to do

1. --reviewing the working standards
2. --begin the process of mapping the curriculum
3.--put in place an ongoing process of documenting curriculum practice within
the school and make this information information available to staff and
community.
4. --establish an ongoing process for evaluating feedback from experience and
from the school community
5. -continue staff development linked to school needs that evolve from curriculum decisions. (The acceptance of integrated technology standards has resulted in school support for staff involvement this summer in technology conferences and workshops.)

How you can play your part in curriculum development and making your school better.

1. Your continued response to the lesson plans brought home by your children.
2. Your response to the curriculum standards which lesson plans will now address and which are available on the school web site.