Curriculum compacting is a practical, inexpensive method for ending boredom in bright students. It enables teachers to streamline the regular curriculum, ensure students’ mastery of basic skills, and provide time for challenging enrichment and/or acceleration activities. In other words, it allows students who have already mastered content or who can master it more quickly than other students the opportunity to pursue new or advanced content instead of repeating what they already know. This book covers everything teachers need to understand, justify, and implement curriculum compacting for advanced learners.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: History and Rationale of Curriculum Compacting
The Definition and History of Compacting
Rationale for Curriculum Compacting
Reason One: Students Already Know Most of their Text's Content
Reason Two: Textbooks Have Been "Dumbed Down"
Reason Three: The Quality of Textbooks Has Failed to Improve
Reason Four: The Needs of High-ability Students Are Not Often Met
Reason Five: Compacting Provides Time
Reason Six: Instruction and Practice Time Can Be Modified
Reason Seven: Compacting Guarantees Educational Accountability
Chapter 2: An Overview of Curriculum Compacting
Eight Steps for Implementing Curriculum Compacting
Step One: Identifying the objectives in a given subject area
Step Two: Find appropriate pretests
Step Three: Indentify students who should be pretested
Step Four: Pretest students
Step Five: Eliminate instructional time for students who show mastery
Step Six: Streamline instruction
Step Seven: Offer challenging options for time provided by compacting
Step Eight: Keep records
Chapter 3: Record Keeping and Enrichment Options
Record-keeping on the Compactor Form
Completing the First Column of the Compactor
Completing the Second Column of the Compactor
Completing the Third Column of the Compactor
The Importance of Documentation
Examples of Curriculum Compacting
Sample Elementary Grade Compactors
Sample Secondary Grade Compactors
Examining Available Alternatives Within the School District or Community
Enrichment Materials to Use in Classrooms
Other Compacting Strategies
Interest Assessment
Interest Development Centers
Guiding Students Through Independent Study
Step One: Assess, Find or Create Student Interests
Step Two: Conduct an Interview to Determine the Strength of the Interests
Step Three: Help Students Find a Question (Questions) to Research
Step Four: Develop a Written Plan
Step Five: Help Students Locate Multiple Resources
Step Six: Provide Methodological Assistance
Step Seven: Help Students Decide Which Question(s) to Answer
Step Eight: Provide Managerial Assistance
Step Nine: Identify Final Products and Audiences
Step Ten: Offer Encouragement, Praise and Critical Assistance
Step Eleven: Escalate the Process
Step Twelve: Evaluate
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Challenges, Recommendations and Questions
Challenges and Problems Associated with Compacting
Problem 1: Repetition in the Grade Level Curriculum
Problem 2: Poor Curriculum Organization
Problem 3: Attitudes of Co-workers
Problem 4: Insufficient Enrichment Resources
Problem 5: The Need for Flexible Classroom Management
Problem 6: The Need for Staff Development
Recommendations for Implementing Compacting Based on Current Research
Recommendations for Implementation
Frequently Asked Questions About Compacting
Orienting Parents and Students to the Process of Compacting
Strategies to Make Compacting Easier
Finding Challenging Student Work for Time Saved by Compacting
Compacting in Specific Content or Skill Areas
Grouping and Classroom Management Strategies
Compacting in Advanced Classes
Determining Mastery
Grades and Compacting
Compacting for Non-Identified Students
Appendices
Appendix A: Eliminating Tracking Will Harm Students
Appendix B: "Exceptional" Ruling Pits School District Against Parents
Appendix C: Ability Grouping and Cooperative Learning
Appendix D: Overview of Curriculum Compacting
References
Read a short article on curriculum compacting.