Program Outcome 1 Reflection
For this program outcome I chose my curriculum analysis paper from CUR 512, Curriculum Analysis and Planning. In this course we defined curriculum, the aspects that are considered when writing curriculum, the theoretical perspectives found within curriculum, and the goals of the curriculum. By writing this paper, I was able to focus in on a unit that I teach in third grade social studies to get a full picture of the curriculum. I was also able to see the complex issues surrounding the curriculum that I never previously noticed.
Curriculum is so much more than the paper copy of lessons and activities that we receive as teachers, but before this course I never really thought of curriculum as being much more. When planning curriculum there are various aspects that need to be considered, such as the content and objectives covered, the materials used, the sequencing of the unit, teacher training and much more. The content and objectives covered starts higher than the county curriculum. During my research on the social studies unit, I looked at the national, state, and local curriculum for third grade social studies. It was very difficult to find connections to the national curriculum, but I saw a strong correlation between the state and local curriculum. By investigating these connections I was able to see the broad scope of the curriculum at the state level and how the local school system had focused the content to create the units that the teachers use in their classrooms. These connections helped me understand how the state curriculum influences and drives our local curriculum.
Through my research, I also looked at the types of curriculum taught in our classrooms. For example,...
... middle of paper ...
...omplex process in which a lot of things are taken into consideration. The curriculum developed needs to align with the curriculum that is taught and tested within the classroom. This is especially important with the hopes of developing continuity within a school system and now continuity nationwide. Through engaging and well-developed curriculum we can effectively support student learning and impact their academic growth for years to come.
References
Common Core State Standards Intiative. (2012). Common core state standards. Retrieved
from http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards
Posner, G. (2004). Analyzing the curriculum. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Glatthorn, A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B., & Boschee, B. (2012). Curriculum leadership.
United Kingdom: Sage Publications, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.uk.sagepub.com/upm-data/44331_10.pdf
Connected to this theme is the development of a shared, lived experience, where students and teacher are involved in an ongoing negotiation of curriculum. In the first 13 chapters, Paley’s central focus is to develop a learning community within the safety of the classroom. In the second half of her book, Paley illustrates how the combination of these two themes in turn offers an opportunity for what we call an opening up of the definition of curriculum. This review is an analysis of these three themes within the organizational framework of Paley’s book. The theme of children and teachers as co-creators of curriculum is established in the first chapter when Paley says, “Each year I wait to be reawakened by a Reeny … something to ponder deeply and expand upon extravagantly” (p.10). Reeny responds to this call by asserting herself early on as a curriculum leader in Paley’s classroom. Because children themselves are curriculum makers and leaders, curriculum cannot be imposed upon the learner. Ultimately, this opening up of the discussion of what curriculum means is established by Reeny in the last lines of the book when she announces: “But I’m thinking, why don’t you stay and we’ll talk about it. Don’t fly away. See we can keep talking about it, okay?” (p. 99). It is in Reeny’s utterance that we understand—the curriculum conversation must necessarily begin with students’
and what does it intend to achieve, should it prepare a child for the future or should it help a child understand what he/she learns. When we think of curriculum there are various types of curriculum that one comes across like objective driven, content driven, process driven and many a time it is a combination of one or more curriculum that is in practice. When we talk of curriculum should it be designed to give children the confidence and ability to face the world and should it help them apply the knowledge they gained in their own daily situations. In a culturally diverse country like India it is good to include local culture and traditional skills and also no one particular curriculum will serve the purpose and hence it has to be a mix. Just as the Indian Educational philosophers envisaged, education to be an engagement of mind along with body and spirit where it should not focus on preparation for a job but rather a preparation for life and it has to help build self confidence among the children to face their fear and must also give the agency to the learner . Pedagogical practices must thereby enable students to engage with creative processes that are unique and provide the freedom of expression for their ideas through exploration and experimentation therefore freedom must be an intrinsic part of pedagogy and teachers must act as facilitators rather than controllers to help guide the creative process in a
Different theories present own opinion of the most effective way through curriculum models. ‘Curriculum models are approaches or procedures for implementing a curriculum’. (Wilson, 2009: 522) Commonly curriculum are described as product, process and praxis. While curriculum as a product depends on the objectives as the learning goals and the measured means, a process model focuses on learning and relationship between learner and teacher. Chosen curriculum model depends on teaching and assessment strategies in some cases determinate by awarding bodies, organisational constrains, funding body and political initiatives. The dominant modes of describing and managing education are today couched in the productive form. Objectives are set, a plan drawn up, then applied, and the outcomes (products) measured. It is a way of thinking about education that has grown in influence in the United Kingdom since the late 1970s with the rise of ‘vocationalism’ and the concern of competencies. In the late 1980s and the 1990s many of the debates about the National Curriculum for schools did not so much concern how the curriculum was thought about as to what its objectives and content might be. (Wilson, 2009)
...m while having freedom to choose how to teach it. This allows the curriculum to become more personable. Teachers currently associate curriculum with government mandates. They believe that curriculum is what they are told to teach instead of what is desired to learn. Curriculum in the educational setting, according to Pinar, is intended to be used to teach us to think intellectually, sensitively, and with courage to prepare us to be individuals committed to other individuals.
Curriculum committees are a district staple. They are implemented as District-wide, building-specific, subject, and behavior for evaluation and revision of current curriculum and accompany resources. Feedback is solicited from Parent-groups, maintaining responsiveness to community priorities. Textbooks are adopted as tools to support concept application and generalization. However, they are not considered thee source of knowledge. Instructors are empowered to create and differentiate multi-faceted lessons. Cross-curricular collaboration aids this objective as well as promotes critical-thinking and creativity for students. Joint planning periods as well as on going and embedded profession development are also essential elements. Curriculum development and execution cannot be separated from professional training. They are interlocked facets of
Sitwe, M. B. (2010, October 29). Mkandawire Benson Sitwe (2010). How theories of learning influence curriculum specialists during the development Stages of the curriculum | sitwe. sitwe. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://sitwe.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/mkandawire-benson-sitwe-2010-how-theories-of-learning-influence-curriculum-specialists-during-the-development-stages-of-the-curriculum/
Curriculum mapping within a professional learning community is a procedure for collecting and documenting what is taught in the classrooms. The focus on mapping is on units, content, skills, strategies, assessments, and resources that can be used to improve student learning and performance. According to Perkins interview with Jacobs, the key to curriculum mapping is that colleagues can share electronic data immediately so that everyone knows what is being taught in other classrooms today, last year, and in the future (2003). Technology makes mapping easier because educators can share and revise instantly. There are many ways that schools can make and use a curriculum map. Schools within a district can all participate in the creating and using of the curriculum map or one school in a district can write a map and then share it with other schools in the district depending on the size and needs of a district. Technology is helpful in both approaches and allows work to be done without the need for everyone to be in the same location at the same time. The process of curriculum mapping requires collaboration of knowledgeable teachers and administrators and is an ongoing process where all stakeholders reflect and revise constantly. The professional learning community (PLC) is an important part of the process because many can work together to create a better curriculum with a collective set of goals and reflective practice. According to Vdellhofen, reflective practice, collective focus of student learning, collaboration of clear and focused learning goals are all attributes to using PLC’s to map curriculum (2011). Schools are constantly trying to find ways to improve student learning and performance. Vdellhofen states that...
Definitions for curriculum are many and varied. Broad sweeping statements claim that curriculum is what is taught in various subjects and the amount of time given to each. While a more specific view is that curriculum are performance objectives for students that focus on specific skills or knowledge (Marsh, 2010). Marsh (2010, p. 93) defines curriculum as “an interrelated set of plans and experiences” that are completed at school. The curriculum used in education can have various interpretations, it may refer to the curriculum as a plan that encompasses all the learning that is planned and directed by the school. Cu...
One of my most influential experiences took place with my very first class, ED 523 taught by Dr. Howe. In this course, I learned about the Understanding by Design (UbD) Framework created by Wiggins and McTighe. This framework focuses on a backward design approach that uses big ideas, essential questions, and authentic assessments to create and guide curriculum (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005). The design encourages educators to “start with the end in mind.” Along with UbD, I also learned about a calendar-based curriculum mapping process created by Heidi Hayes Jacobs. The curriculum map allows for educators to examine curriculum both horizontally in a course and also vertically over the student’s K-12 academic career (Jacobs, 1997).
Curriculum is important being it’s the underlying factor that plays a role in determining ones growth, achievement and success. The majority of curriculum con...
Educational institutions today are increasing their emphasis on high standards as a crucial factor in improving the quality of education imparted to their students. They are, therefore, looking at new and better ways to develop such a curriculum that meets all the pre-decided standards. This calls for a change in the way schools are run and the methods of teaching in order to design, implement and evaluate curriculum effectively.
According to Marsh (2010) curriculum is “An interrelated set of plans and experiences which students complete under the guidance of the school or early childhood settings.”(p. 93). The curriculum is many things, it is a document containing a set of expected performance outcomes and content to guide teachers. Curriculum can also be the delivery of objectives and personal experiences to accelerate student learning (A. Smith, personal communication, April 10, 2014).
Contrary to popular belief, curriculum integration entails more than simply linking lessons together along a common theme. It is more than just "rearranging existing lesson plans", it is an attempt to organize "curriculum around significant problems and issues…without regard for subject-area boundaries" (Beane, 1997). The goal of curriculum integration is to have students gain a deeper level of understanding across subject areas through interrelated thematic study. Themes are drawn from life "as it is being lived and experienced" with knowledge based around problem solving rather than rote skill acquisition (Beane, 1997).
Designing curriculum, instruction, and assessments are steps teachers use to help them make sense of the concepts they teach and helps drive instruction. These steps can take on many different forms and drive a classroom in a plethora of ways. These steps, when developed properly, can help a teacher utilize each moment in the classroom and help students gain more insight to the standards they need to become proficient.
When it comes to implementing a curriculum everyone has an opinion. Whether it is the organization of the curriculum or the evaluation of the curriculum, everyone from administers, teachers, and parents will have their opinions on the new curriculum. The curriculum development group has many difficult decisions to make. They have to decide when and how to implement, who will be in charge, what data will be collected, and how will the curriculum be evaluated.