“It’s not just a knowledge-rich curriculum. It’s a knowledge-rich curriculum that is carefully sequenced. The ideal is that when we put a text in front of a child for the child to read, they have all the background knowledge in place to read the text and comprehend that text... comfortably, but maybe not quite everything, so they have to reach just a little bit.” Daniel Willingham explains the importance of coherent learning in the curriculum, in order to support reading comprehension and enable new learning. As soon as you understand this principle, you become a curriculum person. This kind of coherence is only possible if there is central planning in a school’s curriculum. If every teacher is left to his or her own devices in developing curriculum, you can have every teacher introducing the same content, and a failure to expose kids to maximal breadth and depth of content in K-5. Core learning about the world (seasons and animal adaptations, history fundamentals, civics basics) are foundations, too… foundations for comprehension and foundations for more sophisticated learning. From the a discussion of NAEP outcomes hosted by JHU Education Policy:show more

I think the term "central planning" scares teachers who value independence. But how much content is skipped, repeated, unorganized etc, because there exists so little central planning? These are really important questions that schools need to consider.

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I’ve tried really hard to understand this obsession w/ “knowledge rich curriculum”. When CKLA came to a TN district, it was absurd to think Kinders want to listen to stories about spices from India while a teacher was watched like a hawk to read the script provided.

Before knowkedge-building curriculum has really become popular, I wrote this, and it still links to some of the best reading to understand why this matters. I have visited a lot of CKLA classrooms where teachers report kids LOVING the study of classic topics, but in any case, there are 8 knowledge-building curriculum options, so schools that don’t like CKLA’s content can make a different choice.

Cue the armies of curriculum specialists who will grace us with their holistic ersatz "all there is" product and process, so we can waste anither generation's time with it. Do I sound like I've seen this movie? Won't watch it again.

the curriculum doesn't need to be centrally planned top down and given to teachers. We are more than capable of working together to develop our own curriculum and sequence it thoughtfully across grade levels. Empower teachers to create knowledge rich curricula

A lot of teachers say that, and while it’s theoretically possible, most districts don’t have the capacity which means teachers don’t have the time. We’re in a teacher shortage… who would responsibly suggest that when eight good knowledge-building options exist?

@DTWillingham Every few years a new fetish in education & a bevy of experts cashing in. It's hard to watch & not get a little bit cynical. Advocacy of "central planning" has to overcome that & skepticism about whether the smartest people are in the role of central planner. Heavy lift?

I'm finding it such a battle because of a generation of teachers who only want to hear about what "skills" are being taught in history classes. 🙄

Exactly. The limit of AI training engine is chip "coherence." The individual brain, as a training engine, also requires coherence. (Logical connections, consistency) Recursion requires understanding commensurate with developmental stage in order to process and assimilate.