What would instruction look like without a textbook?

This is the question our superintendent asked the district textbook advisory committee two weeks ago as they met for the first time to prepare for the review of materials for K-12 Social Studies for adoption in 2008-09. In NC, we adopt new "textbooks" every 5 years and each of the subject areas is on a rotation for adoption. This year we focus on social studies. In the past, the procedure has been to send a group of teachers to the state textbook warehouse in Raleigh to peruse the NC approved textbooks. They might narrow down the vendors to a handful and then invite them to come visit the district. The vendors then sell them on the main textbook and them schmooze them with all the "extras" such as powerpoints, lesson plans, and test generators that accompany the textbook. Some even have their textbook online.

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