Why Teachers Struggle with Great Curriculum

High-quality instructional materials are the way forward for enhancing educational outcomes. But, they still have their downsides. 

On one hand, these materials spur student growth and raise achievement. On the other hand, their density and lack of practical support often overwhelm educators, leaving these resources underutilized. By combining smart technology and meaningful professional support, we can harness their full potential.

High-Quality Materials Drive Results

Substantial research confirms the importance of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM). 

A 2017 Johns Hopkins study found that curriculum is a key factor in academic success. They state:

• Using a content-rich curriculum significantly improves academic results
• A comprehensive, content-rich curriculum is a common feature of academically high-performing countries
• Because the majority of instructional materials are self-selected by individual teachers, most students are taught through disparate curricula that are not defined by school districts or states.

But, perhaps one of the most important findings is that the impact of HQIM is cumulative. In-year performance improvements are one thing, but continued use of an HQIM through grade bands leads to exponential growth, with large leaps in student achievement seen in the upper grades. 

Density Undermines Access

Despite their promise, HQIM’s impact often falls short once implemented. These materials typically carry a high level of complexity, demanding deep content understanding and instructional practice. 

Teachers, even experienced ones, can feel buried under the weight of unfamiliar content and mechanics. But, educators don’t have time to learn a new curriculum while simultaneously teaching their students. It becomes impossible to teach every part of a high-quality curriculum, prompting them to skim through or abandon fidelity altogether. 

Further compounding the problem, the curriculum also often arrives with minimal professional development. Without structured learning opportunities or coaching, teachers guess at pacing, student supports, and content scaffolding. New and less experienced teachers, many of whom were fast-tracked into classrooms post-pandemic, suffer most without the experience needed to interpret, adapt, and assess.

Even though about 68% of teachers believe HQIM positively impacts student outcomes, 40% or less report using it with actual fidelity. That gap comes from a mismatch: powerful materials meet limited support, leaving teachers under-resourced and students underserved.

Transforming Complexity into Classroom Clarity

When it comes to increasing the fidelity that which HQIM is implemented, technology like Kiddom can make a massive difference.

Learning Intelligence Technology centralizes HQIM content within an educator-friendly digital workspace. HQIM becomes more navigable, manageable, and with the help of AI-driven tools that automatically score student work, provide immediate feedback, and generate targeted practice.. teachers become more effective. 

Crucially, though, this AI only refers to the HQIM itself, ensuring that all tasks are performed within the context of high-quality instructional sequences to not dilute the rigor. Instead, it breaks complexity into manageable steps, saving teachers time and helping them see how HQIM aligns with student needs and pacing.

As Kiddom CEO Ahsan Rizvi explains, HQIM carries rigor by design, but “they also tend to sit in fundamental tension because they’re dense and require a significant level of training and development for teachers to use with integrity.” Kiddom tackles exactly that challenge. By reducing busywork and clarifying instructional paths, Kiddom empowers teachers to use HQIM with confidence and effectiveness.

True Gains Come from Guided Support

Technology alone doesn’t solve everything. The deepest gains happen when educators receive meaningful support from both curriculum creators and tech providers.

Notably, student growth increases when teachers utilize HQIM combined with professional development and coaching. Effective implementation of high-quality instructional materials requires more than just technology or resources. 

Educators must receive substantial support from curriculum creators and tech providers to achieve significant learning gains. For example, districts that implement frequent coaching and collaborative planning alongside HQIM experience exceptional results.

Similarly, aligning teacher learning with core instructional materials and student needs is essential for true educational quality. States like Texas that prioritized leadership and ongoing teacher development observed that these investments enabled teachers to implement HQIM more effectively, leading to improved student performance.

Unleashing the Power of HQIM

High-quality instructional materials wield immense power. But that power often lies dormant unless teachers can unpack, adapt, and apply it authentically. To unlock their full potential, schools must:

• Embrace platforms like Kiddom to streamline implementation and sharpen focus on student learning.
  
  
• Invest in sustained professional learning, co-designed by curriculum and tech providers to build teacher capacity.
  
  
• Equip instructional leaders to reinforce HQIM fidelity in classrooms every day.
  
  

When educators gain clarity, tools, and ongoing support, they can deliver great content confidently, and students experience the rewards. Let’s close the gap by making HQIM not just aspirational, but accessible, implementable, and transformative.

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