Schooling by Design & Understanding by Design
With Jay McTighe
Friday, February 13-14, 2009
EARCOS Sponsored Weekend Workshop
*Saigon South International School (SSIS) and International School of Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC)*
The “Schooling by Design & Under-
Jay McTighe, spreading standing by Design” Workshop with
the message of UbD Jay McTighe was well attended and
well received by more than 115
educators from nine different countries in Asia. Why
would so many educators spend their precious weekend
working on unit planning? “UbD” is the answer.
It is the design within Understanding by Design, or
UbD, that has become an increasingly popular tool for
educational planning focused on "teaching for under-
standing" across the United States and recently, in the
international school circuit. The UbD framework is the
brainchild of both Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, ex-
perts in the field of curriculum, assessment, and teach-
ing for understanding. The emphasis of the UbD tem-
plate is on the three-stages of backward design, which
is the practice of looking at the desired outcomes in
order to design curriculum units, performance assess-
ments, and classroom instruction.
Jay McTighe has a long history as an educator. He is
well known for his work with "thinking skills," statewide
coordination to develop instructional strategies, cur-
riculum models, and assessment procedures for im-
proving the quality of student thinking. We were very
fortunate to have Jay McTighe explain and demonstrate
the principles of UbD and the applicability in our class-
room. According to Jay,
“We’re used to jumping [in] to lesson and
activity ideas, before clarifying our perform-
ance goals for students…By thinking through
the assessments upfront, we ensure greater
alignment of our goals and means, and [thus]
teaching is focused on [the] desired results.”
His main objective for the workshop was to help us
ponder and investigate the following questions:
 What does "teaching for understanding" look like?
 What would we expect to see in an Understanding
by Design classroom?
 How can we unpack content standards to identify
the big ideas that we want students to understand?
 How do schools use “backward design” to plan for
curriculum mapping and school improvement?
It was time well-spent on the
essential aspects of teaching
for understanding. Despite the
various levels of prior knowl-
edge, many of the participants
UbD Unit Planning
Co-Sponsored by
noted that their skills advanced along the UbD contin-
uum as a result of the workshop. Their deeper un-
derstanding of UbD was put to the test as they
drafted a unit utilizing the three-stages of backward
design. Collaboration, creativity and alignment of the
three stages were keys to the success of the design
process. The participants left the workshop with a
unit that they could actually use in the classrooms, More than 115 workshop participants in front
contacts with job-alike teachers to share information,
and a commitment to continue with the UbD process.
One of the teachers stated, “Finally, an interactive
But don‟t forget to have students look deep inside,
workshop with practical uses! I am also leaving with That is where self-knowledge will always reside.
something I will actually use in my classroom, I am so These six facets of understanding are the evidence we use to
thankful for that.” assess,
As an added value, Jay introduced us to Schooling by
Design, or SbD. The SbD process utilizes the elements
of UbD to help staff plan for schoolwide curriculum
development. Even though time did not allow for fur-
ther investigations into SbD, like any effective educa-
tor, Jay left us with a plethora of resources, ideas and
questions to ponder further.
Theresa Flaspohler
Curriculum Director, SSIS
“The End in Mind” by Joseph Graziano & Theresa Flaspohler
To capture the essence of this workshop, here‟s a summary adapted
from the poem, Twas the Night before Christmas,” by Clement
Moore.
Twas the day before the workshop, when all
through the schools,
All the staff at SSIS and ISHCMC were
stirring, even the con chuots (VN rats).
The auditorium was set with artwork, 3-min. Reflection
electronics, and chairs,
In hopes that Jay McTighe soon would be there.
At the SSIS auditorium, there rose such a clatter.
Registering teachers, that was the matter.
“Free coffee!” they offered; people made a mad dash.
They all piled into the workshop in a loud crash.
Our “Understanding by Design” guru, Jay McTighe,
Explained his journey with UbD against the traditional tide.
It all starts by keeping the end clear in mind,
When focusing on Stage One of the backward design.
What are the Enduring Understandings we want students to gain?
What Essential Questions will make it all germane?
What should students know and be able to do?
Are the content standards aligned? Now, there‟s a clue.
“That‟s not all,” Jay McTighe said with a great shout.
Assessing for understanding is what the Second Stage is about.
“Can they explain, interpret, and apply the content?” he said with a
grin.
“Can they empathize or understand a new perspective that they are
placed in?”
of SSIS Auditorium.
To determine if our students have met the goals for success.
G.R.A.S.P.S. is a tool to help us develop performance tasks
“What is the Goal of the activity,” is the question we must ask.
Identify the Role for the student to make the task seem real.
If they address an Audience, it will give the task appeal.
What is the Situation for the task‟s occurrence?
What is the criterion for a successful Performance?
At last, by what Standards will the work be judged?
Now, you can make the GRASP without the administrator‟s
nudge.
Stage Three uses W.H.E.R.E.T.O. to set the LEARNING PLAN into
motion.
“Where are we headed?” should be the students‟ first ques-
tion.
“How will the students be „Hooked‟?” the teachers ask.
Give them opportunities to Experience and Explore
when setting the tasks.
Provide opportunities to Rethink, Rehearse, Refine and
Revise.
Utilize rubrics when Evaluating; then there won‟t be a
„scoring‟ surprise.
Tailor the tasks to meet individual needs, interests,
and styles.
Organize activities for maximum engagement and notice the
smiles.
"Now participants! Now teachers, administrators, and all!
Onto backward designing and planning! Let‟s get on the ball!
Now design away! Design away! But don‟t pull out your hair!
There‟s info‟ at the UbD “ning.com” to be shared.
As he spoke and he listened, oh how Jay‟s eyes twinkled!
As he moved around the room, UbD knowledge, he sprinkled!
And oh, how our knowledge and skills, they did grow.
But he cautioned, when you start UbD, take it slow.
Then Jay sprang to his taxi, to the airport,
To fly back to his work at the UbD court.
But I heard him exclaim as the taxi drove out of sight,
"All the best in designing, helping
students to understand with
delight!
Workshop Coordinators:
Theresa & Laura