How committed and prepared are your staff members to implement changes in curriculum, instruction, and assessment? What conditions are conducive to implementing interdisciplinary teamed instruction? How can you build commitment to curriculum integration and the inevitable changes in schooling that it brings? Failure to consider such questions may result in frustrated efforts to integrate the curriculum that have little chance to succeed. Before initiating curriculum integration, middle and high school faculties should take time to explore interdisciplinary teamed instruction and its implications for school change.

Dissolving the Boundaries is a unique professional development tool that can assist middle and high school faculties with the curriculum-decision-making process. In 6-12 hours in a group setting, a school faculty, or other decision-making group, can build readiness for curriculum integration by completing these tasks:

• explore five stages of curriculum integration--comparing and contrasting each to the school's current approach to teaching and learning;
• identify benefits and challenges of integration to students, teachers, and community;
• make an individual and collective commitment to interdisciplinary teamed instruction; and
• establish a plan for how the school might best proceed with curriculum integration.

Dissolving the Boundaries is research-based. It reflects current theory about teaching and learning and is enriched by the wisdom of teachers and administrators who have designed, implemented, and evaluated interdisciplinary teamed instruction.

The accompanying Facilitator's Guide provides step-by-step directions for activities, transparency masters, and participant handouts. With copies of Dissolving the Boundaries for each participate, a facilitator may use these materials in a professional development setting.

Dissolving theBoundaries with Facilitator's Guide, is $31.00; additional copies of Dissolving theBoundaries, $16.00. Prices include shipping and handling.

To order, send an e-mail message to santrocl@ael.org, and include your purchase order number, name, UPS shipping address, and number of copies needed. Or, contact Linda Santrock at 800-624-9120, 304-347-0410, or fax 304-347-0487.