Teachers are faced with the task of covering an enormous number of topics during the school year.  Just because a topic has been "covered" does not mean that understanding has taken place.  A week after the topic has been covered, students may remember almost nothing or only a few unrelated facts about the topic.

Lynn Erickson is an educational consultant who works with schools and districts, including District 118, around the country with curriculum design.  In her book; Stirring the Head, Heart, and Soul, she states, "Under the older fact-based paradigm, depth of instruction meant teaching more facts about a topic.  In the newer paradigm, depth of instruction means teaching higher level thinking related to a significant concept and theme, problem, or issue by connecting ideas across disciplines to extend understanding, find answers, foster generalizations, and create new knowledge....  Content serves not as an end product but as a tool for thought and action."
 
 
 
 

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