Developing Curriculum Chapter 7

How curriculum is defined and developed Formal curriculum: every subject the school intends to teach their students Informal curriculum: supplement the formal classes Hidden curriculum: everything that the schools indirectly teach students through attitudes and behaviors of staff and teachers Null curriculum: what isn’t included…but could/should be

Approaches to Curriculum Subject-centered approach: best organized around the logical order of the discipline Student-centered approach: More time consuming and challenging to teachers, and more responsive to student needs and interests

National, State, and District Influences on Curriculum Organizations such as NCTM, NCSS, MENC all have national professional organization standards Every state has a centralized office that deals with issues associated with K-12 education School boards, administrators and teachers all play a role in curriculum

How curriculum has changed over time Progressive education…John Dewey and his movement sought to develop curricula that was based on the needs and interests of students Sputnik and Curricular Excellence…the space race and the Cold War Inquiry-Based Curriculum: instead of learning facts, learn about the “methods of inquiry”

How Curriculum Has Changed Over Time Questioning Curriculum Options: the call for relevance to kids’ lives Back-to-the-basics: criticized student-centered curriculum, emphasized excellence in curriculum basics

Factors influencing curriculum decisions Textbook selection: organization and order, content, learning activities Technology: from chalk boards to television to computers Diversity Issues: emphasizing the contributions of diverse people Parent and Community Influences: particularly at the local level

Current Curriculum Trends Language Arts and English: phonics vs. whole language learning Mathematics: understanding structure and broad concepts Science: Similar to mathematics…broad concepts Social Studies: Eurocentric curriculum vs. diversity

Current Curriculum Trends The Arts: the first components of the curriculum to be cut Physical Education: with more sedentary lifestyles, increasingly important Vocational-Technical Education: movement toward more comprehensive vocational-technical preparation programs Modern Languages: Growing need with growing interconnections