Spiraling Up and Spiraling Down

When I was in school, teaching was much different than it is now. In math, for example, the whole class studied addition until most of the students acquired the competency expected at that grade level and then went on to subtraction. In reading we read a "Dick and Jane" story over and over until all the children could read it.

In graduate school, many years later, I learned about a different approach, the spiral curriculum. The spiral curriculum introduces many topics at an early level and then repeats those topics at ever higher levels during that school year and through the grades. In this way the student reviews what has been learned and adds to previous learning each time the theme returns. The spiral curriculum is very popular in today's textbooks, especially in math. When the spiral curriculum is being used, each chapter includes a variety of subjects. The spiral curriculum keeps students interested and lifts the students who follow it very high very fast.

So, what's the problem with the spiral approach? The problem is that so many topics are introduced so fast that too many students fail to follow all of them and begin to slide downward. At the same time the teacher also feels frustrated because there is never enough time for adequate practice in every area for every student. Some students end up half-learning various topics and moving on before they are ready.

Every time a topic comes up that confused the student in the past, the student again experiences the negative feelings associated with that theme. After this happens a few times, the student learns to tune out and wait until the class begins a new topic before paying attention again. The problem doesn't affect test grades too much at first because the student is still successful with many areas of the subject. By the time the problem is discovered the student has often acquired large holes in his or her knowledge of the subject along with fears of not being able to learn and avoidance behaviors as well.

Success with today's spiral curriculum requires awareness on the part of parents and teachers of students who start to fall behind. When test grades begin to slide downward a head-in-the-sand, wait-and-see attitude is quite dangerous to the student's academic success. Action needs to be taken.

A basic solution to an academic problem is to increase teaching and practice time in the problem area. This extra teaching can be done by the parent, a tutor, and/or the classroom teacher. Some teachers provide after-school test preparation classes. Another important a pproach is to increase positive social interaction with adults. This action reduces anxiety and increases self-confidence for the student. Maximizing health by improving diet plus increasing exercise and sleep helps the student feel calmer and concentrate better. Reducing over stimulation via TV, videos, video games, and instant messaging may also be vitally important to the success of many students.

Approaching a problem from several angles is far more powerful than just depending upon a solution in one area. When the student acquires the necessary competencies for success, becomes capable of increased attention to task, feels stronger, calmer and more self-confident, the student can begin to move upward on the spiral again When that happens, the spiral will lift the student to the heights of success.

What do you think? What are your experiences? Do you have questions about this article? Please contact me at newskill7@msn.com. Happy teaching.

Mary Sue Laing, M.Ed.
Resource Teacher, St. Ambrose School

by Mary Sue Laing, M. Ed., New Skill, Inc. Academic Tutor