thoughts on curriculum

Even though I had taught for 20 years, worked through two masters programs and consider myself a thinking teacher, my initial thought of curriculum was still the guide that sat on the shelf and was very removed from what I did in my classroom. Over the course, I’ve come to see curriculum is not a static document but truly encompasses everything that goes on in a classroom, and it is only through well thought out development and implementation that we can ensure the teaching and learning we hope to achieve.

Looking at different definitions of curriculum helped me to begin to examine my own thoughts on the subject. The ideas of the Operational, Hidden, Null and Extra Curriculum made me start to examine what was really going on in schools and classrooms and how it is influenced.

The idea that the written, taught and tested curriculum can be very different was a bit of a revelation but so true when I think of the guide on the shelf being so removed from what I did in the classroom. I’ve come to understand that only through aligning these pieces can there be real success. Teachers and administrators often wonder why they are not seeing greater improvement in student achievement. Taking a closer look at the alignment of these three curriculums can hold a part of the answer. Often what is written, as the curriculum, is not what is delivered to students, and what is delivered to students is not what they are tested on or used to demonstrate their achievement.

The real problem I’ve come to think is that we don’t design curriculum in a manner that is truly usable to the teacher. Often it is designed in a manner that is unwieldy or too sparse to provide any real guidance. Too many pieces outlining everything often make it difficult to use the resource as a guide. Too little often forces the teacher to use the textbook-which should be just one resource-as a guide.

Another issue is the curriculum development process. It must begin with a philosophy and vision that guides the curriculum development and shines in the final document. I found Postman’s narratives from The End of Education most intriguing and his “gods that fail” connect well to what Ken Robinson is talking about in his TED talks on creativity and a new paradigm for schools. There needs to be a closer look at what we expect our schools to do for our students. This new vision and philosophy will guide what and how they are taught.

I’ve come to feel that delivering the curriculum in separate blocks is neither efficient nor meaningful to students. Designing curriculum to be delivered in integrated units through project-based learning can help students connect their learning to the real world. Providing the resources to implement these units, standards to be covered through them, and assessment tools through a well laid out curriculum will help teachers to deliver instruction in a manner that will engage learners and allow for creativity, critical thinking, and the building of independent learning habits. These types of projects can often be best delivered through the use of technology, helping to build 21^st century skills in a meaningful way.

Too often the curriculum doesn’t provide for teachers all the resources they need to teach all students. Universal Design for Learning theory seems to be the solution to this issue. By designing curriculum to provide multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement you plan for differentiation. By including these elements in the curriculum from the outset, teachers are provided with the tools they need to reach all learners. Integrating technology through out the curriculum design also provides teachers with the tools they need to engage today’s students.

I’ve come to see curriculum as the critical element in making changes in our schools. Designing curriculum that includes all of the important components mentioned in a manner that is user friendly and accessible to teachers can truly change what happens in the classroom.