Reframing Fidelity Toward Freedom in Teaching

Rebecca Tompkins, Director of Curriculum, Sycamore Community Schools

Rebecca Tompkins, Director of Curriculum, Sycamore Community Schools

When I reflect on my work in curriculum, teaching and learning, one core value stands out: the essential role teachers play in the lives of their students. For me, it comes down to a simple yet powerful question: How can I best support teachers with resources they can trust and provide opportunities for them to collaborate meaningfully through engaging learning experiences, so that students reach their full potential and teachers feel valued and supported?

Over the years, I’ve led significant curriculum initiatives, including adopting and implementing new resources, designing MTSS frameworks and supporting shifts in instructional practice. Each of these efforts brings change and change in schools is never simple. That’s why I believe implementation has to be both strategic and human-centered. It’s about balancing the evidence-based foundations of resources while giving teachers the flexibility they need to meet the unique needs of their students.

One idea I often think about is reframing the “F-word”: fidelity. Too often, implementing with fidelity feels like a loss of teacher autonomy or creativity. I see it differently. For me, fidelity means truly understanding the foundations and fundamentals of a program or resource—knowing why it works, how it’s designed and what it’s meant to do—so teachers can make confident, intentional instructional decisions in their classrooms.

This idea connects closely to jazz. Great jazz musicians can improvise effortlessly, but only because they’ve mastered the fundamentals. Similarly, before we can make meaningful changes to a curriculum, we must thoroughly understand its design, philosophy and purpose. With that foundation, teachers can improvise with confidence, creating learning experiences that are both creative and deeply impactful for students.

“The best professional learning doesn’t focus on what’s missing; it amplifies what’s strong and encourages meaningful professional collaboration.”

Assessment data can feel overwhelming or even discouraging when it’s viewed as just another box to check or a tool for punishment. Instead, assessment data should be evidence-informed and learner-driven: a tool that sparks collaboration, fuels conversation and makes planning more effective. Used strategically, data reveals more than academics; it shows what’s working, where students need support and how to build their confidence as learners.

One of the most rewarding parts of my role is coordinating professional learning experiences that support and empower teachers. I’ve seen the difference it makes when learning opportunities shift from a deficit mindset to a strengths-based approach, helping educators recognize and build on the assets they already bring to their work. The best professional learning doesn’t focus on what’s missing; it amplifies what’s strong and encourages meaningful professional collaboration. It invites teachers to see themselves not just as experts, but as learners and collaborators, reflecting, sharing and growing together to make their classrooms even more impactful. When teachers see their strengths, they see themselves as learners, collaborators and innovators who can grow together.

Ultimately, curriculum, teaching and learning aren’t just about materials or data; they’re about people. They’re about giving teachers the tools, confidence and community they need to do their best work and empowering them to use their strengths to impact all students’ learning positively. I hope that the work I do continues to strengthen collaboration among teachers, build confidence in students and help schools grow into places where both teaching and learning feel meaningful and joyful. At its heart, education is about connections between teachers, students and the teaching that changes lives.