History of NCHS History

K-12 Curricular Mapping

In the Spring of 2006 NCHS Social Studies teachers began to
actively discuss how to better prepare students for not only the AP Program in Social Studies @ NCHS  but in general in all classes across the board. Initially overtures were made to the K-12 NCPS Professional Development Team in an attempt to request ‘PD Time’ on Professional Development Days to develop K-12 integration of Social Studies concepts. The initial idea was to use
the College Board Vertical Teams approach as a vehicle for discussion for
Social Studies across schools; for collaboration with Saxe, NCHS and perhaps even the primary grades.

The NCHS Social Studies Department began by requesting that PD time  should
be focused initially on looking at the  K-12 scope and sequence; we wanted NCHS History teachers to see what the third grade does in the NCPS system, as well as whatthe seventh grade does (and vice versa). The NCHS Social Studies Department desired to see a fourth grader working on skills we look for at NCHS; the Vertical Team approach, it was believed, would also help with CAPT and other
standardized testing. The NCHS Social Studies Department looked at having rep
from the College Board come and show the Department the Vertical Teams approach and how to integrate it meaningfully- as a third party, to take the sting out of the process of appearing to ‘impose from above’ any radical changes. This
proved unnecessary as the staff were all for the idea;  in the end we just looked at the Vertical Team booklet format provided by the College Board to get started, and decided to do a uniquely ‘New Canaan’ hybrid approach, borrowing what fit the culture of the school and rejecting other aspects of the College Board Vertical Team . Full credit goes to Lenore Schneider who came up with this intriguing idea in the first place. Great idea, and would provide a good framework for initial
discussions. In the end, very little was actually used from the College Board
Vertical Team booklet and the NCHS teachers took a harder route: coming up with a largely more original approach.

Having been looking towards increasing dialogue between NCHS and Saxe, and for that matter even the primary grades. By the fall of 2007 a segment of one PD Day was dedicated to NCHS and Saxe teachers meeting - as well as another meeting in 2008- with teachers from Saxe, NCHS as well as teachers West, East and South meeting. Both meeting were historic in their own way- nothing like this had ever been attempted in the NCPS social Studies system. No one had ever asked to look at the big picture of what kids learned K-12, nor had asked to see what exactly kids did learn before they arrived in their classroom.

Titled ‘NCHSAXE’: Saxe and NCHS teachers looked at the
5th, 8th, and 11th Grade US History scope and sequence. Over the
years, students had exhibited apathy for certain units of study, and we wanted
to find out why. Was there at least the perception they ‘knew’ material do to
the fact it had been covered repeatedly? As a result of this tow hour session, some commonalities did show up repeatedly. Teachers were all pretty much in accord in many categories.

Teachers were supplied some questions ahead of time to
consider before meeting. They were (results included in italics):

“2-3 non-negotiable content items teachers wanted their
students to know in terms of content”. These initially were: The 20th century; The Economy in US History; Individual Leaders in US History; The Civil War; The American Revolution, and The US Constitution. Teachers were additionally asked, “What academic skills do you feel are most important for your students to know/master?” Responses were Primary Source Analysis, Citations, Reading Comprehension, Writing Skills, Note Taking, Critical Thinking, and Organization.

Teachers were asked to “include ‘life’ skills in their repetoire
and what ‘life’ skills did they think are important for their students to learn
from their class and why?” Responses included Cooperative Learning; Public speaking; Making Connections;  Development of Common
Sense/Self.

There was a historic agreement between Saxe and NCHS that students in the middle school would cover US History up to Reconstruction, and that NCHS teachers would go from their, enabling coverage of the 20th century of US History for most of the year. Teachers could still, if so desired, teach elements form outside the time period especially if it aided in deeper understanding of another time period.

The participating US History teachers (5th, 8th &11th Grade) in this exercise were John Moses, Jen Cassone, Sullivan, Robyn McManus, Ann Clay, Denise
Hubbard, Mike Patrona, Lisa Lanna, Joan McGettigan, Christian White, Jen Fine, Paul Phillips, and Richard Webb.

In 2008 part of a PD Day was expanded to include teachers from Saxe, NCHS as well as elementary teachers from East, South and West meeting. They were broken down into grade specific groups. grades 5-12: Ancient World History,
6th and 9th grade: Brett Gillan, Elaine Scott, Jessica Browner,
Douglas Farrenkopf, Kristine Goldhawk, Bob Stevenson. Modern World History 7th and 10th   Grade: Jill Sikora, Katie Campbell, Miller, Kessner, Vehslage, Lenore Schneider, Paul Phillips, Courtney Greco, Jessica Browner and Richard Webb.

Again, over the years, students had visibly exhibited apathy or excitement for certain units of study, and we wanted to find out why. Was there something we could change to combat this trend? Was there at least the perception they ‘knew’ material do to the fact it had been covered repeatedly? As a result of this two hour session, some commonalities did show up repeatedly. Better yet, Teachers were all pretty much in accord in many categories.

In 2008-2009 a K-12 Social Studies Leadership Team was
formed and with support by then Assistant Superintendent Mary Kolek who
generously provided time and introduced former Weston Educator Dick Miller as a
consultant for the team. The Team began to develop K-12 Enduring
Understandings (generalizations) that define what understandings all social
studies students should leave New Canaan Public Schools with after 13 years of
social studies experiences. This allows teachers to know what we want our
students to understand and be able to express from the study of social studies
in the New Canaan Public Schools.

Over the course of three years the team reviewed current K-12 social studies curriculum and looked for redundancies and gaps in the curriculum, and began the process of aligningcurriculum between levels (elementary to middle to high school) and the  process of aligning curriculum within grade levels. For example:

What are the assured experiences for all 9th graders in Global I?

What are the assured experiences in 3rd grade?

What are the assured experiences in 8th grade?

The team created a scope and sequence, Reviewed the state of Connecticut framework as well as reviewing other multiple state frameworks.

The K-12 team also developed ‘Enduring Understandings, large overarching concepts that  go beyond discrete facts or skills to focus on larger concepts, principles, orprocesses. They are transferable—applicable to new situations within or beyond the subject and they guide course development and assessment. These Enduring Understandings are guided by the following:

A. Historical interpretation requires questioning facts,
analyzing events, testing hypotheses and understanding points of view in order
to make informed decisions and better understand the world.

B. Making connections between the past and the present helps
us to better understand the world, avoid the mistakes of the past and guide
current and future decisions.

In the end what a New Canaan student should emerge from
after a K-12 sequence is understanding of:

•           Change over time

•           Point of view

•           Primary sources

•           Bias.

The ‘PERSIA+ GT’ Model, redux

As a result of the ‘PERSIA+GT’ Model use at NCHS in AP and ‘regular section’ (i.e., non-AP) classes 9-12, introducing this as an organizational model into mainstream classes at Saxe Middle School was discussed. This was rapidly accepted by the Saxe staff who instantly saw the validity of the model.

When the K-12 Curriculum Team met it was suggested that perhaps this model could even be extended to the 5th grade to help students organize information and for prewriting for History based essays and became over time a mainstay for many a Social Studies class at NCHS.  And then it was proposed that this model could be used as early as kindergarten. Incredibly by the NCPS what is a 10th or 12th grade classification system in use by some teachers would be adopted by six year olds.  Again this was seen as useful as a common language for students and teachers to use in Social
Studies in the NCPS.

The NCPS K-12 Team was Dawn Bartz, New Canaan High School Mary Hanna, East Elementary School; Matt Kascak, South Elementary School; Monica Sheehan, Saxe Middle School; Jill Sikora, Saxe Middle School; Richard Webb, New Canaan High School. Continuing curriculum work at all grade levels
continues.