Challenging the Norm: level 2

Raising the Bar

You’re in the gym, you’ve grabbed the bar, and now it’s time to start raising that bar!  

This week, we are ‘raising the bar’ into the second level of our IntegratED framework.  In this second level of the IntegratED framework, we are Challenging the Norm.  We are beginning to exercise our “muscles” that may not have been exercised recently.  The muscles of creativity, flexibility, fun, and excitement!  This level is wanting to grow you as an educator, showing you the possibilities and success you can have when integrating content in the classroom.  ​

When thinking of this level, we think of how your mindset is already changing.  You have already committed to wanting to make a change for yourself and your students and have stepped up to the bar. Now you are challenging yourself and your students to do things that may be outside your comfort zone, pushing yourself and your students just a bit further. You may also begin to challenge other educators' mindsets on what should be considered “normal” in education.  At this level, there are so many opportunities for educators and students to grow in exponential ways.    ​

In our classroom, this level is often seen as “partially holistic”. Clear as mud, right?  We use this level to have almost every subject area integrated within our day, with usually one subject as an outlier, a subject that doesn’t seem to fit naturally or authentically with the others.  Oftentimes it is the subject of math that becomes the outlier, but not always.  

We use the biggest uninterrupted amount of time for this level, creating what we call our “IntegratED Learning Workshop”.  Within this workshop students are still working on multiple subject areas and standards, but doing it in a way that is engaging and more time effective.  We are also creating classroom experiences that our students can draw from to maximize their learning presently and for in the future that falls within our IntegratED Workshop time. ​

Erosion Unit

Cultural Christmas Unit

Similar to the Confronting the Norm level, here in this second level we have a technology and arts component.  The difference is in the Challenging the Norm level we encourage both a technology AND an arts component, not an “either or” situation.  You may be thinking, “That’s a lot!  Both technology and an arts component along with all those subjects!?”  Yes.  That is exactly what we are saying.  We promise you that it works and it is not as difficult to plan/create as you may think.  With multiple subjects being taught around a common thread, the technology pieces and art pieces usually flow quite naturally.  You may even come up with multiple throughout the unit/lesson!  And remember, the arts doesn't just mean drawing a picture.  It could include song, dance, drama, storytelling, and movement. ​

To help you get started on “raising the bar” in your IntegratED teaching, we want you to have a resource that we use to help us plan…the IntegratED planner!  Click on this button and it will take you to a free sample of our IntegratED planner that you can download and use right away to help you get started! ​

IntegratED Planner

Now, do you feel ready to get started but are wanting some more coaching and support along the way? Don’t hesitate to get a hold of us at [email protected]

For more individualized and in depth learning on multi-subject integration in the classroom,  be on the lookout for the upcoming IntegratED cohort starting August 2022! Limited spots will be available!

Stay tuned for next week’s blog on Disrupting the Norm: Level 3! ​

Two teachers for teachers, 
​                                         Meg and Kara