Foreword

As active collaborators and imaginative practitioners, Hale and Fisher have served up a 21st century curriculum feast for readers who sit at their table. Through their collaborative efforts, they have both expanded and refined the menu for improving the classroom lives of students and teachers. The expansion is evidenced through engaging case studies (Hale and Fisher call them "transformational snapshots") that reflect how real educators in specific settings have modernized units of study. These examples are marvelously personal, not only because the authors' writing style is so accessible but also because these stories are authentic. Hale and Fisher are two of the most vibrant and committed educators I know. They draw from a wealth of professional development experiences in schools across the United States and overseas. I have no doubt that the details of each snapshot will ring true, whether that snapshot focuses on enlivening a social justice unit, engaging primary-level learners with Flat Stanley gone global, or giving a math teacher a set of ten-frames to deepen students' understanding. A key feature of the snapshots is their creative applications of digital and media tools, thoughtfully organized based on a planning process that leads us to appraise and brainstorm, commit and communicate, react and reflect, and revise.

In addition to expanding the menu, the authors have also refined it. This refinement is evident in what I believe will prove a touchstone to the field: their transformational matrix. A dynamic and precise set of planning markers, this model provides a professional handrail to hold onto as we make the challenging transition from past practice to new versions of schooling. The matrix is timely given that we are in the midst of a confluence of messages regarding accountability, the Common Core State Standards, teacher effectiveness, and student performance. Yet overarching all these messages is the reality that we are now in the second decade of a new century that is requiring us to collectively step up curriculum in terms of both learning and teaching. Making this transition is daunting, and our schools need help in becoming contemporary institutions. It is reassuring to have this book in our hands and on our tablets.

On a personal level, it is a privilege to call Janet and Mike my colleagues and my friends. They are highly respected members of our Curriculum 21 faculty and can always be called on to step up and assist another teammate at the drop of a hat. Their work ethic is consistently rigorous, their sincere commitment to students is unquestionable, and their love of our work is contagious. I continue to learn from each of them as individuals, but in this foreword I want to particularly honor their collaboration. As you read this book, you will see how strongly they believe in communication and networking among professionals as crucial to quality transformation. In these pages, they have worked together to model what they preach through this dynamic and exciting opportunity to upgrade your curriculum.

Heidi Hayes Jacobs

The Curriculum 21 Project