If you ever have the chance to make a big purchase, over anything else, I recommend a curriculum.
When I first started teaching {seven years ago} I was given textbooks and the worksheet workbooks that come with them. The end.
The next year we received a grant and an instructional coach who introduced me to the Common Core Standards. A currciulum was unheard of at that time that aligned to CCSS. I didn't really know how to create lessons or good assessments or a curriculum at all. The coach helped me a lot and shared some lessons from other teachers as well.
Over the next few years I became very active on Twitter and math blogs and I began to beg borrow and steal any and all lessons I could, just to have something to teach or 'cover' a standard.
In years five through seven, I began to feel more confident in my ability to create lessons and activities and assessments. Although not to a level that I could comfortably call CCSS. But I had a curriculum.
Year 6 I became the only math teacher of all 4 preps. A whole new course to design. Hooray.
Year 7 an online senior math course was cut and added to my schedule. A whole new course to design. Hooray. 5 preps.
And all along I had a sinking feeling deep down. "This curriculum isn't aligned. It's not good enough. It's not even close to Common Core level. You're skipping important stuff. You're never going to fit it all in. You're teaching too slow. You're not preparing your students for college. Our math program is not as good as surrounding schools. You're lecturing too much. Everything you do is packets. You're boring. You're not doing a good job. You're failing."
This all came to a head in a meeting that didn't go well and left me feeling like a failure. I began to really hate my job for a few weeks. Like hated every day, complained, woke up mad to go to work, and really re-thinking my career choices. I was so unhappy.
I e-mailed some math teacher friends from another school and they mentioned a curriculum they had bought for one course. I looked into it and there were complete curriculums for 3 of my 5 preps. Hooray!
I presented them to my admin and used the bad meeting as a way to show them I need more support. {Short note: Although there are many disadvantages in working at a small school, like say, they won't hire another math teacher; they have always supported me with the resources I need and of course, sending me to TMC every year!}
They bought all three.
It has been great so far. {I don't really want to discuss the curriculum, this is a general praise for any curriculum that you don't have to make!}
No curriculum is perfect or complete. But what a curriculum does is give you a foundation.
Before, my lesson planning consisted of opening a blank Word Document, googling a topic, begging on Twitter, and browsing blogs and Pinterest.
Now my lesson planning consists of cutting, copying, and pasting. I started the curriculum halfway through a school year so I can't just go with it. But now my brain has been freed up to make improvements and activities. I don't have to create every single thing so now I have the freedom to create really good things. I've made task cards, dry erase templates, puzzles, and games.
Before I looked at a blank page and thought, how can I fill this? Now, I look at the base and think of how to make it better, how to boost student engagement, how to make it interesting.
It's an important shift.
When you have to create every detail of 5 courses, there isn't always time for creativity and engagement. Sometimes it's just having a worksheet made for all seven periods.
So what I'm saying is this...maybe you can't find or afford your dream curriculum. Maybe you're stuck with a curriculum you don't love. But if you can somehow swing a curriculum to act as your base, your foundation....then you have time and freedom to build.
One good thing at a time.
P.S. If you're an administrator reading this, please please please, make sure all of your teachers have some kind of curriculum provided for them- especially newbies!
