From: btennison@jb.com
Subject: Integrated & Thematic
Date sent: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 16:54:23 -0800

[Response to previous unarchived message]

Sorry that I am so late in responding to your post. This will of course come as no surprise to you and the old timers on the loop, but of course the South Lane School District has been teaching "integrated thematic" curricula since the reforms began in 1992 and it is a disaster in my opinion. We weren't even allowed the courtesy of a meeting to introduce us to this program. It just was.

Our local OBE/Change Agent/Delphi expert/curriculum director/assistant superintendent (swine) introduced this "wonderful" new concept and I sure don't recall any mention of it at any school board meeting. Hummmm!

When curriculum is integrated only about 1/4 of the normal content is taught. When the theme is taught it usually lasts for an entire trimester and the same theme is taught in all classes, including math. It's disgusting and the kids certainly don't learn much. This is where the remediation comes in. The kids learn the same thing over and over. When the theme was John Smith and Pocahontas, the kids got to "vote" on whether or not John Smith actually lived. I was outraged when I read that. What right do teachers have to let the kids vote on whether or not a figure from our history existed. And we won't EVEN get into the attitude and behavior modification part of this program as I don't believe I have the time or space to print it all. As most of you know, it's there for sure and the kids WILL not move forward UNTIL they show that they have "internalized" the proper values, attitude and behaviors required by this program.