Connecticut School Fights the Textbook Monopoly

I see this moving away from textbooks cutting both ways.

I am for it.
I design my own curriculum(s). And I see textbooks in history as
a reference source for the students and not something to guide me
or my students. In other courses this cannot be the case.

Since I am a professional and an expert I should be able to create
a curriculum tailored to the needs of my students and my teaching
style. This cannot be done as well by any textbook, which by their
nature have to be mindful of what students in TX and CA need.

The other side is as a parent you know what the kids are learning
if a class is text based – using it to guide the curriculum.
This also would make the teacher bound to the text as well and
more easily criticized for teaching their own thing (btw, I am not
for this – I am of the mind tell me what needs to be taught and
let me decide how it gets taught).

The move to state standards could lead to better textbooks, but
imo has not. For instance, a publisher who was on the ball could
tailor the textbook to each state’s requirements. This has not
happened in MA. We still have to choose from the general
texts that are available throughout the country. It has happened
for TX and CA because of their strength in #s.

I've also stopped using textbooks (aside from their use as references). I've dealt with a lot of flack from parents because of it.

One change I made in response to parents is that I give the students a sheet at the beginning of each unit that lists the terms and concepts they are expected to know. I find that very few actually use it, but it does put a quick halt to complaints.

I also see standards as a great way to move teachers away from textbooks. While the standards could be better (especially in my state) they do provide guidance. Some teachers might use the standards to pick and choose chapters (and topics in those chapters). Others, like me, design a course around the standards.

During my first year, I'll admit I would have been lost without my textbooks. I had 6 different courses and a degree in only Physics. I'm glad there's only ever one first year.