Curriculum Academy

Making Curriculum Conceptual & Enhancing the Brain's Ability
to Perceive and Understand Patterns

A Highly Effective Teaching Curriculum Academy is an intense and engaging workshop that provides opportunity for educators to participate in being there experiences that are then used to form the backbone of the integrated curriculum. After returning from each experience educators receive assistance from HET Associates in writing brain-compatible curriculum based on that study trip experience.

For each group of participants, being there experiences are pre-arranged.

Goals include:

• Identify State Standards and basic skills for integration into conceptual curriculum
• Work in grade level teams under the guidance of a master HET teacher to create integrated content
• Experience the impact of conceptual curriculum based on a Being There site
• Observe the planning and creation of an enriched environment
• Create curriculum designed to foster the development of responsible citizens
• Label bodybrain-compatible strategies in action
• Examine samples of conceptually integrated curriculum

Specific content for the week emphasizes using community locations as the starting point for creating being there curriculum that is integrated conceptually. Skills that are often the target of standardized measures are taught in relation to the real-life location and topic under study. The yearlong theme and its essential construction are introduced as tools for creating integrated curriculum. Participants write key points and inquiries that become the backbone of a component of study. New pictures of what is possible become tools to guide the conversation and to sustain progress.