Pacing Guides

Today at our grade level chair meeting, our AP told us that we are going to have to create pacing guides for our language arts programs. This is part of being a program improvement school. When she said it, I cringed, and wondered really, what was the point of making the move that I had to this school. I think my reaction is mostly due to HOW pacing guides were implemented at my last school, with a rigidity that meant you would be written up no matter how your students were doing, or if the reason you were not on track was that your kids needed some reteaching.

I understand the frustration with having curriculum that you need to follow and having students that didn't get through LAST year's curriculum because their teacher only taught 2 units. (Out of 12) At the same time, a pacing guide has to allow room for flexibility. If you're going to use curriculum there must be some common sense involved too.