Commentary: New Paradigms for Understanding Elementary Teachers’ Interactions with Instructional Materials

Abstract

The rapidly changing landscape of instructional materials in elementary education has involved both a wider range of available materials, particularly online, as well as increasing use of materials provided to teachers by other teachers on sites such as Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers. In this commentary, I outline three key shifts in teacher-curriculum interactions associated with this changing landscape—shifts in the verbs used to describe teachers’ actions in choosing and using instructional materials as well as a shift in the preparation and support of teachers. I then share key implications of and questions raised by these shifts, particularly with respect to equity for teachers and students.