Meaning of curriculum

The term curriculum refers to the lessons and academic content taught in a school or
in a specific course or program. In dictionaries, curriculum is often defined as the
courses offered by a school, but it is rarely used in such a general sense in
schools. Depending on how broadly educators define or employ the
term, curriculum typically refers to the knowledge and skills students are expected to
learn, which includes the learning standards or learning objectives they are expected
to meet; the units and lessons that teachers teach; the assignments and projects given
to students; the books, materials, videos, presentations, and readings used in a course;
and the tests, assessments, and other methods used to evaluate student learning. An
individual teacher’s curriculum, for example, would be the specific learning standards,
lessons, assignments, and materials used to organize and teach a particular course.
Created by the Great Schools Partnership, the GLOSSARY OF EDUCATION REFORM
is aonline resource that describes widely used school-improvement terms, concepts,
and strategies for journalists, parents, and community members.

“A curriculum is more than a list of topics to be covered by an educational programme,

for which the more commonly accepted word is a ‘syllabus’. A curriculum is first of all a
policy statement about a piece of education, and secondly an indication as to the ways
in which that policy is to be realized through a programme of action. In practice, though,
a curriculum is more than even this; it is useful to think of it as being much wider. As a
working definition of a curriculum I would say that it is the sum of all the activities,
experiences and learning opportunities for which an institution (such as the Society) or a
teacher (such as a faculty member) takes responsibility – either deliberately or by
default. This includes in such a broad concept of curriculum the formal and the informal,
the overt and the covert, the recognised and the overlooked, the intentional and the
unintentional. A curriculum is determined as much by what is not offered, and what has
been rejected, as it is by positive actions. And very importantly the curriculum that
actually happens – that is what is realised in practice – includes informal contact
between teachers and learners as well as between the learners themselves, and this
has been termed ‘the hidden curriculum’ which often has as much influence on what is
learnt as the formal curriculum that is written down as a set of intentions. And it includes
what you decide to do on the spur of the moment. So in fact it is useful to think of there
being three faces to a curriculum: the curriculum on paper; the curriculum in action; and
the curriculum that participants actually learn.” Coles C (2003)
Analysis of Curriculum
The curriculum is a constantly changing and evolving entity or process. It can be
affected by many outside influences. Social, governmental and financial, to name but a
few, all have an impact of the way the curriculum is evolving. We, as reflective
practitioners, have a responsibility to reflect these changes in our teaching, to ensure
that our learners have a rounded knowledge and well-being of the changes within our
society.

Key Learning Points of curriculum

Summaries of the Key Points from the LTI Modules
The following summary of key points is from the Learning to Teach Inclusively (LTI)
online module, Unit 1: Inclusive curriculum developed by the LTI project team at the
University of Wolverhampton.
Summary of key points:
• Inclusive curriculum content reflects different social and cultural perspectives.
• An inclusive curriculum seeks to disturb our taken for granted ways of thinking and
expose imbalances of power and partial understandings of the subject.
• Inclusive curricula focus on mastery of ‘threshold concepts' that all students need to
develop for a deeper understanding of the subject.
• Inclusive curriculum designers work with students to align the curriculum to their
diverse backgrounds and aspirations.
• Teachers and researchers believe objectivity, clarity and transparency are the
elements of a fair assessment system.
• Students believe the key elements of a fair assessment system are a ‘level playing
field', good feedback, balance and variety of assessment tasks, skilful and caring
teachers.
• The essay is the dominant form of assessment in HE but some students are more
prepared for this form of assessment than others.
• Students from lower socio economic backgrounds, those from some ethnic minorities,
those who enter university with vocational qualifications, and those who have a disability
are amongst the most disadvantaged by assessment practices in HE.
• Assessment in HE could be made fairer and more inclusive if we:
• Involve students in all aspects of assessment
• Make assessment relevant and sustainable
• Offer greater variety, choice and flexibility in assessment
• Align assessment to learning outcomes and to students' backgrounds and aspirations.
The following summary of key points is from the Learning to Teach Inclusively (LTI)
online module, Unit 2: Inclusive Pedagogy.
Summary of key points:
• Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education refers to the ways in which
pedagogy, curricula and assessment are designed and delivered to engage students in
learning that is meaningful, relevant and accessible to all.
• Student diversity is multi-faceted and complex. The categories ‘traditional' and ‘non-
traditional' are inadequate to describe the rich diversity of students in HE today.
• Students value teachers who recognise them as individuals and who take account of
their different interests, needs and backgrounds in their teaching.
• Students are more likely to participate in class when teachers create a safe and
inclusive learning environment in which the expression of different views, ideas and
beliefs is encouraged and being different, uncertain or confused is seen positively as an
opportunity for collaborative learning.
• Students are more likely to engage academically when the learning activities and
subject content harness and engage their prior experience and knowledge and require
the use of high level cognitive skills (e.g. analysing, conjecturing, questioning,
evaluating, synthesising, critiquing).
• Inclusive teachers are mindful of the diversity within their student groups. They select
or create resources that reflect that diversity. They encourage students to add to those
diverse resources.
• Inclusive teachers intervene to coordinate and stimulate rich exchanges and
interactions between diverse students.
• Inclusive teachers anticipate and act to diffuse tension and conflict. They handle
sensitive or controversial topics without silencing minority opinion or privileging
dominant voices.

Y Curriculum is important
A curriculum is important in an educational system. It helps one plan the education
process or procedure for a given period of time (a term, session, lesson period etc). As
the saying goes, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.
Curriculum consists of continuous chain of activities needed to translate educational
goals into concrete activities, materials and observable change in behavior. A lesson
plan for example is a curriculum used by the teacher in the classroom.
Now, imagine a teacher going into the classroom not knowing what to teach or how to
teach it, that is going to be a disaster for her or him because at the end the students
wouldn't have learnt anything apart from the fact that the teacher seems confused and
the teacher would be mentally stressed out unneccessarily a resultof lack of planning
(curriculum).
Hence for a society to achieve its educational goals, it needs a curriculum that is
functional and relevant to its needs.
Curriculum is regarding as the heart of institution. It helps the teachers to deliver the
quality education.Curriculum is the center of all educative process.Without curriculum
we are direction less.
Following points show the importance of curriculum
(1)All round development:-Curriculum is tha main instrument for allround development
of an educand,it helps in developing the social,physical,emotional and intelectual
aspects of an individual.
(2)Achievements of Aims:-Without curriculum the aims of education are unattintable,so
it helps in acheiving the aims of education
(3)Developing democratic values:-Curriculum helps in developing Liberity,Fratenity and
equality in the minds of students.

How can one enrich the curriculum in every school

One can enrich the curriculum in every school by making research about today's current
state of education. Conducting a research will be much helpful because it will provide an
information if learning had progress or not. Once it has been conducted the entire nation
will benefit from the reform and revise of the curriculum. The learning of the students will
be much enriched and the outcome will be productive.

To enrich the Curriculum in every school, one must do something to enhance or add
something which will make everyone to be interested in it. Curriculum must not be pure
conventional but consider the new things which will make it more colorful,in a way that
students will learn in a wonderful way.
academic collaboration require clarity and consistency throughout the building.
Symonds art,We do this regularly by creating opportunities to meaningfully express the
foundations of our school.Laxmi Vidyapeeth-Place To Learn, Place To GrowOur goal in
education is to provide every child with the opportunity to develop holistically and
maximise his or her potential. In creating opportunities for all, MOE will ensure that
every school is a good school. music, PE, and media teachers all play a vital role in
reinforcing the school culture.

Y do I need to know the different types of curricula

Because of great importance, this is for you, as a student in order to know the different
structures and complexities of a curricula that serves great purpose in education
particularly for the students. This is also a kind of helping tool, by knowing the curricula,
you can prepare for the future works and assignment under this curricula.

Having a curriculum provides several benefits, such as providing a structure for an

educational course and having an end goal that teachers set for their students to
reach. Curricula vary widely in structure and complexity, but are valuable for many
different areas of education, including linguistics, mathematics and the sciences.

Role of a teacher as a curricularist

• Teachers do a series of interrelated actions about curriculum, instruction, assessment,
evaluation, teaching and learning. • A teacher is involved with curriculum continuously
all day. • But very seldom has a teacher been described as curriculum continuously all
day.
4. Curricularists in the past • Those who developed curriculum theories. • The most
influential curricularists (Hayes, 1991) • John Dewey • Hilda Taba • Franklin Bobbit •
Ralph Tyler
5. Curricularist • A professional who is curriculum specialist • A person who is involved
in curriculum knowing, writing, planning, implementing, evaluating, innovating, and
initiating • A teacher’s role is broader and inclusive of other functions and so teacher is a
curricularist.
6. What does a teacher do to deserve the label as curricularist? • The classroom is the
first place of curricular engagement. The first school experience sets the tone to
understand the meaning of schooling through the interactions of learners and teachers
that will lead to learning. Hence, curriculum is the heart of schooling
7. Describing teacher as curricularist 1. Knows the curriculum Learning begins with
knowing. The teacher as a learner starts with knowing about the curriculum, the subject
matter or the content. As a teacher, one has to master what are included in the
curriculum. It is the acquiring academic knowledge about formal (disciplines, logic) or
informal (derived from experiences). It is mastery of the subject matter. knower
8. 2. Writes the curriculum • A classroom teacher takes record of knowledge concepts,
subject matter or content. These need to be written or preserved. The teacher writes
books, modules, laboratory manuals, instructional guides, and reference materials in
paper or electronic media. writer
9. 3. Plans the curriculum • A good curriculum has to be planned. It is the role of the
teacher to make a yearly, monthly or daily plan of the curriculum. • The teacher takes
into consideration several factors in planning a curriculum. These are: learners, support
material, time, subject matter or content, desired outcomes , context of the learners
among others. planner
10. 4. Initiates curriculum • In cases where the curriculum is recommended to the
schools from DepEd, CHED, TESDA, UNESCO, UNICEF or other educational agencies
for improvement of quality education, the teacher is obliged to implement. •
Implementation of a new curriculum requires the open mindedness of the teacher, and
the full belief that the curriculum will enhance learning. initiator
11. 5. Innovates the curriculum • Creativity and innovation are hallmarks of an excellent
teacher. A curriculum is always dynamic, hence keeps on changing. From the content
strategies, ways of holding, blocks of time, ways of evaluating, kinds of students and
skills of teachers, one cannot find a single eternal curriculum that would perpetually fit.
12. Implements the curriculum • The curriculum that remains recommended or written
will never serve its purpose. Somebody has to implement it. • Heart of schooling is the
curriculum. • It is this role where the teacher becomes the implementor of the
curriculum. • She is at the height of an engagement with the learners , with support
materials in order to achieve the desired outcome. It is where teaching, guiding and
facilitating skills of the teacher is expected to be the highest level.
13. 7. Evaluates the curriculum • How can one determine if the desired learning
outcomes have been achieved? • Is the curriculum working?

Checklist of Teacher's Role as a Curricularist Curriculum

Designer/Planner/Developer
Checklist of Teacher’s Role as a Curricularist

A. Curriculum Designer/Planner/Developer

Teachers know their students' needs better than others involved in thecurriculum
process. While state or federal standards often dictate the skillscovered by the
curriculum, a teacher can provide insight into the types ofmaterials, activities and
specific skills that need to be included. Teachersfrom multiple grade-levels may
collaborate to identify skills students needat each level and ensure that the curriculum
adequately prepares studentsto advance to the next grade-level and to meet the
standards. 2.
The curriculum development process includes several stages such asplanning,
preparing, designing, developing, implementing, evaluating,revising, and improving.3.

Teachers know the needs of all stakeholders of teacher education.Teachers can

understand the psychology of the learner. Teachers areaware about the teaching
methods and teaching strategies. Teachers alsoplay the role as evaluator for the
assessment of learning outcomes.
B. Curriculum Implementer/Manager
Teachers must implement the curriculum in their own classrooms, stickingto the plan
that has taken so much time, careful planning and effort tocreate. When a teacher fails
to properly implement a strong curriculum,she risks not covering standards or failing to
implement effective practicesin the classroom. That does not mean a teacher cannot
make minorchanges. In fact, a strong curriculum is designed to allow a teacher to
beflexible and to insert a few personalized components or choose fromamong a
selection of activities.
2. Teachers are viable candidates for curriculum leadership is their presencein the
classroom level. It is in the classroom where the curriculum is carried out. Since the
classroom is basically the workfield of teachers,teachers experience first-hand the
results of curriculum planning and howthese make an impact on the learners. Teachers
are in the best position towitness whether the curriculum is at odds or in keeping with
the needsand interests of students.
3. Teachers can best judge whether or not a particular curriculum design(i.e. how
content, methods and material are structured and assigned) willmeet the specified
curriculum objectives. In addition, their interactionswith lay people like students, parents
and guardians make them the mostcapable in bridging the gap between curriculum
theory and practice.
C. Curriculum Innovator
1.Teacher’s don't have the right competencies to fulfill their new roles or if
they are not convinced about the usefulness of an innovation, it providesan important
pitfall for innovative projects in higher education.2.

Teacher’s quality as teacher is considered by the institution most of the

time as a second criterion for authority, power and status.3.
Teacher’s should not only implement innovations, but they should also
become actively involved in the development of innovations. In general, itis assumed
that teachers develop co-ownership of a new curriculum whenthey are actively involved
in its development
D. Curriculum Assessor/Evaluator
1. Teachers use assessment to determine where the child is in the learningprocess and
what teaching processes have worked. Tests, quizzes,papers, discussion, observation
are a few examples of assessments. Theassessments are used by teachers to evaluate
the pupils with gradesand/or parent conferences. 2.

Teachers develop learning goals that they make known to students.Teachers develop
activities (methods) that guide students toward the goal. And teachers inform the
students what is expected of them whenthey have achieved the goal. 3.

A teacher's role in curriculum evaluation affects the school's choiceo f t e x t b o o k s ,

as well as the adoption of special programs to
augmenteducational standards. Classroom instructors
examine thecurriculum's objectives to determine the
relevance of the materials.If a great disparity exists, school
officials must reassess theirprograms or consider editing or
remapping the curriculum to bestmeet the students' needs.

 rs in:

How do you perceive your role as curricularist

As a curricularist, I perceive this role as a highly organized and responsible role. Being
a curricularist require rigor and giving utmost importance and significance to all details.
Planning, evaluating, innovating, and patience are some of the things that a curricularist
should have in order to provide the best kind of education as possible.

For me as a future teacher in our generation l can say that being a curricularist
have a big part to our world specially in the society of education because being a
curricularist is the one who planned, writer, master, implementor, and lastly the
one who evaluate.

Similarities Between Traditional Curriculum and Progressive Curriculum

January 5, 2018 , Dr. Howard Fields , Leave a comment
What is Traditional Curriculum?
Traditional curriculum, or traditional education, is the most widely accepted form of
education. It goes by various names, “back-to-basics education”, “customary
education”, “conventional education” … but they all represent the same thing – a
teacher-centered style of education which requires the students to obediently receive
the information transferred by the teachers. The information that is going to be taught to
students is decided on by the adults, based on what they deem will be useful for the
next generation in their academic and social lives.

What is Progressive Curriculum?

As opposed to traditional curriculum, the progressive curriculum suggests a different
approach to education, where the focus would be on the students as individuals instead
on the teachers. The teachers would cease to be the authorities that are transferring
predefined knowledge, but rather only facilitate students’ research and development.
School wouldn’t be represented as preparation for life, but would rather be a part of life,
a process of learning and discovering that would last throughout the life of every
student. Parents wouldn’t just be outsiders, but would become actively involved in the
education of their children. Basically, it’s a reform of the traditional education, changing
many fundamental aspects of it. However, it’s not as universally accepted yet, although
it is becoming increasingly implemented in many schools across the world.

Similarities between Traditional and Progressive Curriculum

These two educational systems are fundamentally different. While one supports the
idea of teachers representing an authority which is supposed to directly transfer
knowledge and experience chosen by the adults, the progressive curriculum turns the
focus on the students, making teachers only a firm and healthy background and
information source during the development of the students.

Usually, classes in schools supporting the progressive curriculum would be smaller than
in those supporting the traditional one. This is to ensure that the students get as much
personal and individual attention from the teachers as possible, while also maintaining a
sufficient amount of students in a class to allow them to develop the social skills
necessary for future work and life in general. The traditional system is mostly theoretical
– knowledge is transferred through lectures, sheets, notes and textbooks, without much
practical involvement and usage of the knowledge gained during the education.

The progressive system is quite the opposite in that regard – it encourages direct
experience, play, and social interactions. Furthermore, the traditional system will
support knowledge in many areas, subjects and classes, while the progressive system
focuses on the main interests of the students and gives very deep and detailed
information about those subjects, ultimately focusing the education to those subjects
that are most interesting to the student at hand.
Really, there is only one similarity between these two systems – and that is just the fact
that they are both a curriculum, they both represent a certain plan on how to educate
students, with in-depth analysis of the role and function of teachers and students, along
with the methods that would be used in classes.

Summary
Which of these two systems is more efficient and provides higher quality of knowledge
is an open problem, on which many interesting debates have happened. Overall,
however, there aren’t many similarities between the two systems, except for the very
fact that they are representing a plan on how to educate students. They propose
fundamentally different methods and structures of lectures and classes, and assign
completely different roles to teachers, students, parents and the community in general.
They would have different class sizes, students would study different subjects in a
different manner, and the method used when teaching would be different, as well.

The Difference between Progressive and Traditional International Schools in the

Philippines

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Many find that international schools are the academic institutions of choice. As we get to
discover more schools, it can become overwhelming and difficult for us parents to choose
which international school in the Philippines is best for our children. While parents are
sure to have plenty of questions about a school’s curriculum, its academic programs, and
its safety protocols, moms and dads everywhere must not forget to know more about the
school’s philosophy and educational approach: how students are taught and how they
learn and think.
Some schools are traditional with their approach to education while some are progressive.
What are the differences between the two and which one will best fit your child? Find out
below.

Learning Experience

Student learning is every school’s primary priority, but how students are taught is where
it all starts to differ. Students in traditional schools, for example, learn disciplines
separately while those in progressive schools integrate them all together as a connected
whole. Students taught in the traditional approach are expected to learn as soon as the
information is given to them: the teacher is the central figure of the traditional learning
experience. In the progressive approach however, learning is something that students
themselves must experience through the guidance of their teachers and the environment.
There is no structured curriculum, tests, grades, and homework. Students learn mostly
through experiences, collaboration, and play. Basically, the main difference between the
two lies in where student learning is centered. Traditional schools focus on the teacher
and what they teach while progressive schools focus on the students and how they can
learn.

Teacher’s Duty
Teachers in traditional schools are seen as authoritative figures in the classroom and as
main sources of information. Oftentimes, their teaching style involves rigidity and
directness as they gauge learning on whether or not a student can pass exams or fulfill a
particular academic standard. This means that the learning process of traditional schools
deals more with pass or fail and rote learning. On the other hand, teachers are seen as
facilitators in progressive schools. Instead of being figures of authority, they serve as
guides to students as they learn and think inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers
are not always the experts because knowledge is everywhere. Thus, students are free
to acquire and process information from any number of sources, which include but are
not limited to their personal experiences, social interactions, and play.

Students’ Experiences
In a traditional school, students are not seen as active participants in the learning process.
Learning is more passive. Teachers are mediums through which information is
disseminated, and students are graded based on their perceived understanding of subject
matter. On the other hand, progressive schools have less structure, as seen in their
experiential curriculum and the absence of homework, tests, and grades. Subjects
themselves are also treated differently between the two types of learning approaches.
The traditional method prefers to keep disciplines separate whereas the progressive
method integrates them all together, allowing students to draw connections between them
together.
Both Traditional and Progressive approaches have their advantages and disadvantages.
But wouldn’t it be amazing for parents to finally see a school that combines the best
qualities of both approaches?

This is what Reedley International School does. Its Reedley Synergized Learning
Approach (RSLA) program synergizes the best practices of the progressive and
traditional approach. Our academic curriculum has a set of routines, structures, and
standards in place. We teach Life Skills, study habits, memory strategies, test-taking
skills, and problem solving so that our students know how to think critically, decide
soundly, and apply knowledge in practical and real-life situations. Our teachers nurture
our students by giving personalized attention and guidance. We teach literacy, numeracy,
and the humanities without focusing on rote learning, but by removing the boundaries
between these subjects and creating connections within them.
In synergizing progressive and traditional approaches, RSLA aims to nurture each
student to become successful, and yet compassionate and kind, in any role, relationship,
or situation in life; exemplifying excellence and prudence at heart, in mind, and in spirit.