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I agree with this teacher's comments. One must realize that horizontally and vertically articulated curriculum maps are ~90% curriculum design and ~10% curriculum practice. A teacher's daily lessons plans are the opposite: ~90% curriculum practice and ~10% curriculum design. Teachers' daily practices are the reason most of us get into this profession! While we are genuinely concerned with what we want students to know (content) and be able to do (skills), which is curriculum design, we are inspired and motivated by the planning and implementation of the "how" to make the knowing/doing learning expectations come alive as we interact with our students (curriculum practice). Oftentimes, the most memorable teaching moments happen in an instant in real time. These best-practice moments can be recorded in a Projected/Diary Map as an Activities/Strategies summary or as an attached Lesson Plan that is intra-aligned to the appropriate content/skills learning expectations. When such moments are incorporated into the ongoing Projected/Diary Maps, which this blogger refers to as looking "very flat and lifeless," the maps naturally transform into three-dimensional living histories of the "gift" of teaching, which the next "artists" will definitely enjoy viewing.

"Where are we with curriculum mapping, seven years on? Teachers have documented 269 courses. The map is publicly available on our website. Curriculum map pages receive approximately 100 page views per day."

The second-to-last-paragraph says it all! Curriculum mapping is truly about an ongoing process wherein curriculum maps become the by-products of collegial dialogues and decision-makings of teachers both horizontally and vertically in a school and throughout a learning organization.

Note: While I agree with much of what Randy shares in his blog, regarding his recap points: 1) Dr. Doug Reeves addresses myths about change and a learning organization cannot wait until 100% are "on board." Statistically this will never happen in a social organization; 2) Curriculum mapping is not a program, it is a systemic-change model. Therefore, I agree with Randy that it will take time--and longer than thought--to fully implement and sustain the model to the point wherein mapping becomes "normal business"; 3) Yes, Grilled Stuffed Burritos are awesome!