We have had the privilege of visiting Scotland and meeting the originators of this innovative approach to integrating curriculum. From time to time over the past two years of working together, we have tried to imagine what it would be like to work with the same students over a six year period in a small school setting using the Storyline method. We have decided to put our ideas into motion. Recently we presented our dream to our district elementary administrators and were encouraged to pursue it. Research shows that students participating in an interdisciplinary approach have fewer discipline problems, improve their attendance, increase homework completion and have better attitudes toward school and lifelong learning.
Storyline provides a structure that meaningfully integrates curriculum.
It also provides a balance that we wish to achieve in our proposed program. Strong skills in reading, writing and math will be developed in the morning and practiced through our Storyline topic in the afternoon. Our ideal would be to provide students with flexible and fluid groupings that would occur throughout the day. We believe that by working with a small group of teachers with similar core beliefs and philosophy we will more successfully provide continuity of skills and content, as well as consistent expectations and opportunities for our students. It is our desire to create a warm and stimulating learning community that extends beyond our classroom walls.