This week I was introduced to the concept of Backward Mapping, a method of lesson planning that begins with...the end. You start by asking yourself what you want your students to know and do by the end of the lesson, create assessments that demonstrate their knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge, then design the actual lessons. Formative assessments along the way are also helpful to help you gauge student progress along the way (Backward Design, 2013). Certainly, having worked as a Project Manager and Theatrical Producer-Director, working backwards is not a new idea. I started with the end goal, a successfully completed project or production, and worked my way backwards on the calendar, identifying what needed to be accomplished when.
But the focus was more on the required tasks and time frames, not learning outcomes, given these were not educational goals. I have applied this method to my teaching many times. But it has only been partly successful because there were not clearly defined learning/performance outcomes and applicable assessment tools. Take, for example, the high school theatre classes I have taught. While there was always an educational component thrown in, the end we were working towards was a final production with only loosely defined grading criteria. I am thrilled to learn and apply what had previously been missing.
So today, I am going to apply Backwards Mapping to a California Theatre Arts standard for grades 9-12. Published by the California Department of Education in 2004, many states use California’s standards as a jumping off point for drafting their own because theirs are rigorous standards specific to each discipline (music, dance, theatre, visual arts) with broad applications (Visual and Performing Arts Framework, 2004 and AFT Resolution, 2014). I especially like the standard I picked because it creates more broad relevance for the student, connecting skills learned in theatre to other areas of life. As an advocate for arts in education, I always strive to help people understand how, among other benefits, practicing the arts develops useful life and job skills.
For this exercise, I have chosen Standard 5.1: Describe how skills acquired in theatre may be applied to other content areas and careers. Students will need to understand the various skills learned in the process of mounting a theatrical production. They will also need to understand the kinds of skills students need to succeed in other subject areas as well as skills needed for a variety of jobs not theatre-related. They will demonstrate this understanding by describing the connection between theatre skills and the world beyond theatre, either in an essay, multimedia presentation, or oral presentation (differentiated according to student choice/special needs).
I recreated the design template created by Grant Wiggins to guide me through the process (Wiggins, 2005). I admit that I still struggle with this process because much of it feels redundant, like I am simply restating the same thing in different ways. But maybe that’s because I picked a simple standard for this exercise. Time will tell. The part of the process I appreciate most is that it ensures the activities in each lesson are relevant rather than random, always leading to up to meaningful assessments which exist to serve the originally stated goals. This is going to improve my teaching significantly. Click on the image to see lesson plan.
Sources
AFT Resolution: Require Comprehensive Data Collection In the Visual and Performing Arts. 2014. American Federation of Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.aft.org/resolution/require-comprehensive-data-collection-visual-and-performing-arts
Backward Design. 2013. The Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/backward-design/Wiggins, Grant. Understanding by Design - Overview of UBD and the Design Template. September 2005. Retrieved from http://www.grantwiggins.org/documents/UbDQuikvue1005.pdf
Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools. 2004. California Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/vpaframewrk.pdf
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