At the heart of education are two fundamental questions: What should we teach? and How should we teach it? Educators striving to design and deliver the best-possible learning experiences can feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. To help them make these critical decisions, Angela Di Michele Lalor identifies five key priorities of a curriculum that matters--practices, deep thinking, social and emotional learning, civic engagement and discourse, and equity.

Emphasizing the importance of schools' determining their own path forward, Lalor provides a framework for action by

* Describing how each element contributes to a rigorous, meaningful curriculum,
* Providing strategies for incorporating each element into daily instruction and assessment, and
* Offering reflection activities to identify strengths, needs, and possible next steps.

With insightful observations, research-based background information, and real-world examples from a variety of schools and districts, Making Curriculum Matter presents teachers and administrators with a path for reaching their most important overall goal: to provide comprehensive, meaningful learning to all students.

Lalor, Angela Di Michele

Angela Di Michele Lalor is a national educational consultant and curriculum design expert who has facilitated schoolwide professional development initiatives for more than 20 years. Her primary focus has been helping districts develop curriculum, assessment, and instruction practices that reflect the vision and mission of their schools.

Lalor is also the author of Ensuring High-Quality Curriculum: How to Design, Revise, or Adopt Curriculum Aligned to Student Success, which provides a comprehensive guide for educators looking to create, revise, or evaluate curriculum. Additional information about Lalor and her work is available at adlalorconsulting.com. She can be reached at angela@adlalorconsulting.com and found on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/angela-di-michele-lalor-2319677b/) and Twitter (@ADiLalor).