Curriculum Design
Throughout my career, I have designed curriculum and learning experiences that begin with clear learning goals and develop through purposeful instruction, meaningful practice, assessment, and reflection. My classroom experience has given me the opportunity to see curriculum in action, to observe where students struggle, identify the scaffolds they need, and continually revise instruction based on evidence of learning.
My approach to curriculum development brings together standards alignment, learning theory, instructional design, assessment, technology integration, and authentic learning experiences. I strive to create materials that are engaging for students, practical for educators to implement, and intentionally designed to improve learning outcomes.
Effective curriculum begins with the learner and the learning goal. Every instructional decision should serve both.
Standards-Aligned Curriculum & Assessment
My experience in two school districts transitioning from traditional grading practices to standards-based grading strengthened my understanding of the relationship between standards, instruction, assessment, and reporting. I have developed and used proficiency scales to clarify learning expectations, communicate levels of proficiency, and evaluate student performance based on evidence of learning rather than accumulated points.
This experience influences the way I approach curriculum development today. I begin with the intended learning outcomes, design instruction and learning experiences around those outcomes, and develop assessments that provide meaningful evidence of student proficiency.
I use a backward-design approach to translate priority standards into clear learning expectations, aligned instruction, and meaningful evidence of student learning.
Unpacking a Priority Standard
Priority Standard: Irregular Verbs
Before designing instruction for a priority standard, I use a standards-unpacking process to identify the knowledge and skills students need to demonstrate proficiency. This process helps me consider learning targets, academic vocabulary, depth of knowledge, prerequisite skills, examples of successful performance, instructional strategies, evidence of learning, and differentiation before developing lessons and assessments.
I also identify appropriate interventions for students who need additional support and extensions for students who have already demonstrated proficiency, helping ensure that instructional planning addresses a range of learner needs.
Curriculum Design Skills:
Standards Analysis • Learning Targets • Depth of Knowledge • Assessment Alignment • Differentiation • Intervention & Extension • Instructional Planning
Developing a Proficiency Scale
After unpacking a priority standard, I develop a proficiency scale that defines what student performance looks like at different levels of mastery. The scale translates the standard into clear, student-friendly criteria ranging from Beginning to Advanced.
Proficiency scales provide a common reference point for instruction, assessment, feedback, and student self-reflection. They help students understand what they are expected to learn, recognize where they are in their learning, and identify what they need to do to progress toward proficiency.
For this standard, proficiency means independently forming and using irregular verbs correctly in sentences, while advanced performance requires students to apply their understanding in more complex contexts and analyze or correct errors in usage. The original priority standard specifically requires students to form and use irregular verbs correctly in sentences.
Proficiency Scale: Irregular Verbs
Curriculum & Assessment Skills
Standards-Based Grading • Proficiency Scales • Assessment Design • Learning Progressions • Student-Friendly Learning Targets • Feedback
From Classroom Practice to Broader Impact
After years of designing learning experiences for the students in my own classroom, I am ready to apply what I have learned through classroom practice, collaboration, educational technology, and graduate study to curriculum and content development on a broader scale.
My goal is to develop high-quality educational materials and learning experiences that other educators can implement successfully. I bring the perspective of someone who understands both sides of curriculum development: how instructional materials are designed and how they actually function when placed in the hands of teachers and learners.
What Others Say
“We have worked side by side developing curriculum, designing project-based learning experiences, creating standards-based assessments, and building proficiency scales that provide clear learning targets for students.” -Tenaya Wave, Educator & Colleague