Curriculum Audit: 5 Quick Questions to Guide Your End-of-Year Reflection

 

Don’t hate me, but… my first week back-to-school plans for next school year are already done. The copies? Sitting neatly in my file cabinet drawer.  

Granted, I’ve done this for over 20 years, so I begin most school years similarly, though I vary activities somewhat from year to year.  For me, getting ahead like this allows me to truly relax and unwind in the summer because I know that I don’t have anything that I HAVE to do before school starts.  

But before I completely unplug, I take a little time to reflect on the school year while everything’s still fresh.  I’m not talking about a full curriculum overhaul or color-coding pacing guides. I’m talking about a light, meaningful audit that takes (maybe) 30 minutes and helps me avoid repeating the same mistakes next year.  

The beginning of summer is the sweet spot for doing a curriculum audit: you’re far enough removed to see the big picture, but still close enough to remember the day-to-day wins and challenges.  And, if you’ve been taking notes over the year, like I talked about here, then this reflection is practically done already!

So if you’re looking for a simple way to capture what worked (and what didn’t), these five reflection questions are a perfect place to start.

5 Quick Questions to Guide Your Curriculum Audit

Grab a notebook, a Google Doc, or even the Notes app on your phone OR if you used my Pacing Calendar and took notes all year, open that document.  Then, take a few minutes and answer these questions:

1. What lesson or unit lit your students up the most?
Think about the times that participation spiked, discussion felt real, or writing clicked. What made it work?

2. What unit, text or lesson did you dread teaching? Why?
If you felt disengaged, your students probably did too. Was it the pacing? The content? The level? The structure?

3. Where did your students struggle the most? Was it the content or the skill?
Sometimes the issue isn’t the unit, but sometimes the root issue is deeper (like gaps in reading stamina or background knowledge).

4. What felt too rushed or way too long?
Timelines matter. Which units needed breathing room? Which ones dragged?

5. What’s one thing you wish you’d done differently?
Don’t beat yourself up.  You just need to note it so you can make a small shift next time.

What to do with Your Answers?

You don’t need to overhaul your entire year in June. The goal here is to capture insights while they’re still fresh.  Come August, those aha moments will be a lot harder to recall.  It’s important to have these insights all in one place so when you’re ready to dive into planning, you’re not starting from scratch. You’ll have your reflections organized and ready to guide you.

You can stop right there because you’ve done what matters most by capturing your insights. BUT, if you happen to feel inspired, now is a great time to quickly sketch out tweaks or ideas you want to try next year.  Some things you might sketch out using your notes as a guide:

• Swapping out that short story or lesson that fell flat
• Jot ways to add more scaffolding before a research unit
• Starting your novel study later (or earlier) in the quarter
• Giving students more voice and choice in your writing assignments

Think of this as planting seeds, and don't worry about doing the gardening. Even the smallest notes can lead to big improvements later.

You’ve done the hard work. You made it to June. Now it’s time to reflect fully rest! Enjoy your summer!!

Want to go a little deeper?

Download my free Curriculum Planning Guide to record your insights, sketch out big-picture goals, and note ideas for next year. It’s simple, flexible, and gives you space to reflect at your own pace.

And if you're in planning mode, you might also enjoy these blog posts:

• Plan Smarter, Not Harder: The Benefits of Taking Notes Throughout the Year
• Secondary ELA: Curriculum Planning Part I: What are You Teaching?
• Secondary ELA: Curriculum Planning Part 2: Why are You Teaching It?
• Secondary ELA: Curriculum Planning Part 3: Create Your Pacing Guide
• 5 Must-Have Routines to Start the Year Strong
• Not in School Yet? 5 Tips to Prepare for a GREAT year!
• 5+ Must-Haves for My ELA Classroom
• The Keys to Classroom Management
• Debunking Common Classroom Management Myths

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