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The Minimalist Educator Podcast

Episode 063: Mastering Curriculum Development with Jill Cross

Mar 4, 2025
26:46

Join us for a compelling journey into the art of curriculum development with our brilliant guest, Jill Cross, a National Board Certified Teacher and seasoned curriculum director. Jill shares her diverse experiences across various educational settings, from small Catholic schools to innovative museum schools, and her current role at an independent Jewish day school in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn how she deftly balances teachers' passions with the ever-evolving needs of students and standards, and discover invaluable strategies for effective curriculum changes. Through Jill's stories, we highlight the power of building strong relationships and fostering open communication with faculty to drive successful educational outcomes.

The episode also navigates the complexities of efficient classroom management and organization. We discuss personalized teacher interactions, highlighting the use of digital tools like OneDrive and digital calendars to streamline tasks. From maintaining a daily top-three task list to the art of chunking time for larger projects, we explore practical techniques to enhance productivity. Jill emphasizes the importance of blending structured plans with spontaneous demands, all while nurturing a supportive culture through informal classroom visits. Tune in for practical insights and strategies that will transform how you approach time management and school organization.

Find Jill on social media @JCrossEdu or at https://jill4learning.com/

Jill Cross is a National Board-Certified teacher and ASCD Emerging Leader with 20 years of experience in public, charter, and independent schools. Jill has coordinated curriculum development in public and private schools and frequently presents across the country on teacher leadership, object-based learning, personalized professional learning, and curriculum writing. Jill is a Colonial Williamsburg Master Teacher and the co-author of Living History in the Classroom: Performance and Pedagogy. Her passion is supporting teachers in planting seeds of change that have the capacity to transform education. Jill is the Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Bornblum Jewish Community School in Tennessee. 

This episode is sponsored by Plan Z Education Services, forward-thinking educator support.

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