Suggestions based on lessons learned

• The role of the curriculum in teaching and learning: Too many people still see the curriculum materials as the curriculum and as the script, rather than as a tool. So all of the discussions begin to focus on whether these are the perfect materials rather than the effective teaching and learning of mathematics. The materials become the bone of contention rather than the starting place for discussion and refinement of practice.
• Seeing a program as the answer to student achievement issues: It seems that administrators often think the program will solve the problem rather than that people will solve the problem of under-achieving students. In District 2, we believed that it was more important to invest in people development over purchase of programs. The only "adopted" programs in District 2 were Investigations, Connected Math, and Mathematics Modeling Our World. All other subject areas were taught using primary source materials and a variety of other resources.
• Confusing adoption with implementation: We came to understand that the perception among principals, parents and the school board was that once a program was adopted it was automatically implemented. Those of us in the field understood that adoption was the first and easiest step. Implementation was a long, uphill climb and is a never-ending one. All of the woes of math education were blamed on the new curriculum which wasn't even in practice in most classrooms by the time the critics began to attack.
• It is important to listen to all the views and perceptions about the program and how it is working - especially the ones you disagree with. Your critics are the ones who can teach you the most about what is effective or ineffective about the work.
• It is not always possible to build bridges between the views of the critics and the views of the educators implementing the policy, because sometimes the critic's agenda is not to find common ground, but rather to win.
• It is difficult to organize contented parents. It is easier to organize a few angry parents and to use mathematics reform as the scapegoat for all of their frustrations. Thus it is important to create some kind of parent leader structures very early in the initiative and include these parents whenever possible in professional development activities.
• Communication is key and often the most difficult part of the work. All your words come back to haunt you - so choose carefully your message. Make it simple and clear and repeat it often until it permeates the talk in the district.