Dissolving the Boundaries: Planning for Curriculum Integration in Middle and Secondary Schools [and] Facilitator's Guide

This manual provides information and materials for a professional development program aimed at assisting middle and high school faculties with decision making regarding curriculum integration. The program is an outgrowth of a 2-year research and development project on interdisciplinary teamed instruction conducted in four rural secondary schools in Virginia. Curriculum integration is a holistic approach to learning that stresses connections and relationships rather than delineations across academic disciplines and between academic and vocational programs. Section I presents a rationale for curriculum integration and a continuum of models ranging from discipline-based to fully integrated. The goal is for staff to find answers to three important questions: What is curriculum integration? Why do we need to integrate? How do we integrate? Section II discusses four conditions in the school environment that are conducive to curriculum integration: collaborative school culture, compatible core beliefs, support for change, and facilitating structures. The goal is for staff to determine their readiness for change and to make an informed decision about integrating the curriculum. Section III provides first steps in curriculum integration, such as selecting team members, choosing team structures, and designing appropriate schedules. An accompanying facilitator's guide includes objectives to guide planning of group meetings and processes; an overview of suggested activities, including recommended time structures and agendas for meetings; a complete description of each suggested activity to facilitate group consideration of curriculum integration, including general tips to the facilitator; handouts for participants; and overhead transparencies. (LP)