Misconceptions About Integrated Thematic Instruction (ITI)

As an educator, I have followed with interest the questions raised about ITI (Integrated Thematic Instruction).

I have great faith in the ability of the parents of Fayette County Schools to see through some of the statements being made about ITI that are simply not true, or create a negative reference by the mere mention of an idea.

Allow me to illustrate. I remember a Cajun comedian, Justin Wilson, who told the story of a rich man who could not decide between two universities, LSU and SMU, upon which he was going to bestow a considerable endowment. A friend of LSU approached the benefactor and said, "You can't give the money to SMU. Don't you know they let boys and girls use the same curriculum?"

This illustrates how a reference, the word "curriculum," by its mere mention is portrayed in a negative light. Another misleading example may include a reference not unlike Guy Millner's statement in the last gubernatorial race that Roy Barnes wanted to raise the homestead exemption, hoping those who did not understand would think it was a tax increase.

Those attacking ITI use similar techniques to fan the sensationalism of their concerns. May I address a few such points?

It was stated ITI considers the past irrelevant so children will no longer study history.

Fact: One of the primary goals of ITI is to make history relevant to the learner.

For example, sixth graders in Fayette County study ancient civilizations. Using some of the ideas encouraged by an integrated thematic approach (ITI), the students may work in groups to study an ancient civilization, such as the Greeks, Persians or Phoenicians and then prepare a debate around which civilization made the greatest impact on history.

Instead of a curriculum that is a mile wide and an inch deep, the students would have the dual advantage of being able to study a subject in depth, yet still have the exposure to the required curriculum.

It may be said that each student has not covered each civilization. To this I would respond that by using the ITI model you instill in the student a desire that may well cause him to be unable to resist picking up a National Geographic in the media center and pouring over an article on the Aztecs.

The social studies teacher would work with the English teacher to help students organize and prepare the debate.

Can you see the myriad of writing skills being applied? This would be made relevant to the student by applying an aspect of our civilization in the same context.

An example of this might include the students exploring the question, "What aspect of our technological age do you think will have the greatest impact on history?"

That's not all. ITI can be so engaging to the students that such a study will take on a life of its own. In other words, the students enjoy it so much that it can go on and on.

Compare this to the more traditional practices such as lecture and note-taking or just reading the chapter and answering the questions at the end.

ITI encourages the teacher to set a time limit on a particular unit of study and plan a culminating activity. A crowning activity could be a field trip to the Indian mounds at Cartersville or having the students design and build a civilization of their own using the several components outlined in the social studies curriculum guide.

This is not a pipe dream. I have done it. I have looked into the eyes of your children and seen them come alive when they are given such advantages as choice, the chance to have enough time to truly master something instead starting and stopping every 30 minutes, and opportunity to work in an enriched environment.

Another statement that is incorrect is: Memorizing facts, studying worksheets, and acquiring core knowledge are meaningless, so kids will learn by hands-on projects, and learn only those concepts which can be applied to real life experience.

Fact: Guilty as charged! Can't you remember those worksheets? In my day they were purple. We called them purple passions (ditto masters). Didn't you wish you could stick your hand in some paper maché, use your creativity to build a model of the Panama Canal instead of doing a worksheet?

Another idea that comes to mind would be to have the student prioritize the problems the builders of the Panama Canal faced. What was a bigger problem, finding a cure for yellow fever that plagued the workers or one of the many construction challenges the builders faced? Could it have been the treaty agreement made with the government of Panama?

What ITI attempts to do is build to the higher skills such as analyzing, synthesizing , and evaluating. Caine and Caine, "Making Connections," p.137, supports this point: "When immersion is orchestrated properly, including the fact that the learner is intrinsically motivated, the learner will have spontaneous and often unnoticeable shifts or flashes of insight those 'ahas' that represent felt meaning."

You can't get to the higher skills if you don't have facts and the basic knowledge of a subject. Integrated Thematic Instruction considers it essential that students be able to relate to the subject.

I remember teaching the unification of Italy. How could this relate to real life experiences? It is the concept that is important. Can you name the three men credited with unifying Italy? Or is it more important for the students to understand that unification of a people involves complex issues? What would I do as a teacher to help students relate to this and make it mean something to them? Maybe a trip to Andersonville would be in order. I think it has a clear and unmistakable relationship with the concept of unification.

The Georgia Teacher Evaluation Program (GTEP) has a component known as "transfer." Transfer can be achieved when the teacher provides an initial focus, provides a summary or conclusion, emphasizes content, or relates material to real life situations. ITI and GTEP agree that relating what is studied to real life is an element worthy of our best efforts.

It was also stated that information can be found on the Internet and through other sources, so children no longer need textbooks.

Textbooks are a traditionally important issue in education and rightfully so. However, the above reference is the sacred "curriculum scare illusion" referred at the beginning of this article.

Textbooks are not holy writ. Fayette County has a curriculum and the textbooks we adopt are not written specifically for our curriculum. National publishers, who seek to sell to the broadest market available, write them. Textbooks are a valuable resource. As a teacher using ITI, I would not use one textbook; I would use several.

Could a seventh grade student studying the climate of Africa find pertinent information in his sibling's high school textbook? You better believe it! However, I am afraid those who attack ITI would accuse schools of violating the sanctity of that curriculum reserved for high school.

I would want my students to use as many resources as they could. Consider the resources of an entire library. Aren't they far greater than a single textbook? Today it is called the media center. It has hundred of textbooks. How does one media center compare with the Internet?

Another incorrect allegation was this: The home and church are often the places where kids are exposed to bad influences or incorrect thinking; therefore the new role of the school is to develop the whole child and make them think like "good citizens." Correct social behavior training is taught using techniques found in the book "Tribes".

Fact: Into every school and district mission statement I have ever read is the idea that one of the most important responsibilities of the school is to help our children become contributing members of a democracy. Guilty again.

ITI seeks to build good citizens. This is one of its highest goals. Never has the home and family been attacked. Please see the "McCarthy-like" scare that is being added to the extremist hue and cry. Don't be taken in by it. Correct social behavior is central to society.

ITI uses an approach to reinforce the concepts taught in our homes. It's called LIFESKILLS. If anyone says it is not the school's responsibility to teach social skills, follow me around one day and see how important social skills are in a school with over 1,000 students. I think you will find these skills central to the home and the church and absolutely essential to the foundation of learning.

They are, to mention a few: integrity, initiative, flexibility, perseverance, organization, effort, common sense, problem-solving, responsibility, patience, friendship, curiosity, and cooperation.

I am not writing this because I like to read what I write in the papers. I write it because I know the good people of Fayette County can see through the smoke and mirrors of those who want our children taught in anachronistic, lock-step junior high schools that ignore effective educational practices.

The punch line to the story about the rich benefactor his reply was, "I'm giving the money to SMU. I was young once myself."

I was young once myself and I wish I had the opportunities Integrated Thematic Instruction affords our children. Fayette County schools continually strive to implement the best educational practice that creates optimal learning for our children.