Teaching with High Quality Instructional Materials Bringing Your Adopted Curriculum to Life

Introduction: Introduction to HQIM & How to Use This Guide  1. HQIM and Making the Shift  2. HQIM and  Instructional Standards  3. HQ (High Quality) HQIM  4. HQIM and Internalization Versus Planning  5. HQIM and Instructional Units  6. HQIM and Assessments & Data  7. HQIM and Lesson Plans  8. HQIM and Learning Activities  9. HQIM and Thoughtful Adjustments  10. HQIM and Students Who Are Multilingual Learners  11. HQIM and Students Who Are Exceptional Learners  Epilogue: HQIM and You

Biography

Deborah Connelie currently designs curriculum and teaches courses for Middle Grades in-service teachers at Relay Graduate School of Education. As a Middle School Generalist, she has also taught and designed district-implemented curriculum for 8th grade ELA.

MaryAnn DeRosa, Ed. D is currently an elementary school teacher. She is also an international education consultant, supporting schools in curriculum implementation and instruction. Previously, she was a professor and curriculum designer at Relay Graduate School of Education.

Jacob Shiffrin currently designs and teaches content coursework for in-service elementary teachers at Relay Graduate School of Education. He has previously been a teacher, principal, district administrator, and educational consultant.

"This is the kind of book only true practitioner‑scholars could write. These authors began their careers as teachers, became teacher educators, and now bring that full arc of experience to the page. You can feel their classroom wisdom in every chapter — from making the instructional shift to internalizing curriculum, planning units, using assessments well, and supporting multilingual learners and teaching students with unique needs.

What I love most is how accessible the guide is. It respects the realities of busy educators: clear structure, practical guidance, and even cartoons that make complex ideas feel inviting rather than intimidating. There’s no unnecessary jargon — just thoughtful, grounded support for teachers who want to bring their curriculum to life with purpose and confidence.

This book is a celebration of what happens when real practitioners lead the work!"

Rebecca Good, Vice Provost, Relay Graduate School of Education, USA

"Teaching with High Quality Instructional Materials: Bringing Your Adopted Curriculum to Life is a much needed guide at a time when resources are everywhere, yet the vetting for quality and developmental appropriateness is less evident. Connelie, DeRosa, and Shiffrin speak with credibility on a practical continuous cycle of improvement from planning to implementation to assessment, rinse and repeat. This is a rich resource you can share with your entire faculty, build professional learning around, and even conduct a monthly book study: 12 chapters for 12 months. I appreciate the book's intentional approach and the practitioner voice. You will, too!"

Walter McKenzie, Founder, The Worthy Educator, USA

"I love this book. It is the perfect “second teacher’s guide” to using HQIM curriculum effectively. The tables used to explain the concepts are so helpful, and the illustrations are delightful. The chapters on “Internalization vs. Planning” and “Thoughtful Adjustments” really spoke to me as a Literacy Coach; however, I learned many new ideas from reading through all the chapters. The authors speak from research, experience, and practice - and it shows."

Malinda Murphy, Literacy Coach, Metro Nashville Public Schools, USA