Curriculum Staff Development Plan Research Paper

Curriculum Staff Development Plan - Research Paper Example Subgroups performances According to TAK’s statistics, percentage of the white students passing the mathematics exam is higher than that of black and Hispanics students. TAK’s 2011 statistics indicates that across ethnic groups, the passing scores for algebra ranged from 85% to 92 %, and geometry ranged from 81% to 91% (Valencia, 2011). Whites had the best performance illustrated by the passing rate of 69% in algebra and 80% in geometry. The Hispanic group comes second with a passing rate of 48% in Algebra and 58% in geometry while blacks had the poorest performance indicated by TAK’s passing rate of 42% in Algebra and 50% in geometry (Valencia, 2011). Considering the performance in the grade 10 level, males had a higher passing rate than females. Females had a passing rate of 55% in algebra and 66% in geometry while males had a passing rate of 56% in algebra and 68% in geometry (Valencia, 2011). Staff Development Plan As evident from the statistics, the performan ce presented by the group varies among different subpopulations. This explains that the staff development plan should equip teachers with the skills for managing diversities. Consequently, the plan will enroll teachers to programs aimed at enhancing their diversity management skills. This is essential since an approach effective to one group may fail to be productive for the other (English, 2000). As such, the plan will initially seek to examine probable differences leading to poor performances to devise ideal strategies for managing every challenge. According to Even and Ball (2009), poor diversity management skills present a considerable challenge to most teachers. This has the potential of undermining their productivity. This plan will emphasize the need of managing diversities effectively to make teachers appreciate the idea. Such an approach would be effective since it would develop teachers, making them understands their students. Siena (2009) affirms that teachers who have di versity management skills can comfortably identify ideal solutions for addressing challenges that undermine their efforts. Studies affirm that a productive strategy that can help teachers improve the performance of their students is restructuring their teaching styles. This plan will allow teachers to utilize this strategy in enhancing their productivity. A study edited by Even and Ball (2009) suggests that teachers may create change by restructuring their classroom, by changing the topic or their teaching plan, by emphasizing diverse interpersonal skills or by promoting an attitude change. However, studies indicate that most teachers fail to evolve enough, so their classrooms stagnate. Siena (2009) argues that teachers should be trained on how to integrate curriculum effectively, and institutions can develop their education standards by providing teacher-training programs. Notably, diminishing flexibility is an influential factor contributing to poor performances noted in most curr iculum systems. Studies suggest that the poor performance presented in TAKs State exams is attributable to a rigid curriculum followed by the education system. Teachers continue to use outdated teaching aids, which fail to blend well with the contemporary ideas, so students have difficulties in comprehending subjects’