1. Chapter Eight
School Curriculum

2. School Curriculum Three general components of the curriculum:
the formal curriculum
the unintended curriculum
extracurricular activities

3. The Formal Curriculum (explicit curriculum)
What students are taught
The selection of subject matter
The topics included
The depth of coverage for each topic
The textbooks that detail this knowledge
The curriculum guides that lay-out the topics in a systematic way

4. Unintended Curriculum (the implicit curriculum)
Consists of the messages sent to our students about what is valuable.
The omission of topics in the curriculum suggests that certain information is not important.

5. Extracurricular Activities
These include school band, athletics, and theater.
These programs are often removed from the curriculum, to focus on the “basics.”

6. The Struggle for Control of the Curriculum
For over two hundred years the curriculum has been dictated by politicians, businessmen, and religious leaders.
During the Colonial period, the Bible and prayers formed the basis of the curriculum.
During the 1800s the curriculum reflected the prevailing Protestant culture, patriotism and hard work.
In the mid 1900s leaders turned to the schools to address social problems such as drugs and alcohol abuse, pre-marital pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Today, the curriculum has become “exam driven”, mandated by the NCLB and high stakes, multiple choice testing.

7. Structure & Organization of Curriculum Today
Despite the important changes in the curriculum over time, there is little consensus concerning its structure or organization.
We can conceptualize it as a continuum with subject/teacher-centered (authoritarian) organization on one end and learner-centered (democratic) organization on the other.

8. Curriculum Organization Continuum
Learner-Centered Integrated Fused Subject-Centered
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9. Learner-Centered Curriculum (The Democratic Approach)
Focus on learners & their needs
Emphasis on promoting overall growth of learners
Stresses student’s understanding
Develops communication and social skills
Emphasis on cooperative learning
Students and teachers are involved in selection and organization of subject matter and materials
Emphasis on problem solving

10. The Integrated Curriculum
Unites all the subjects under one theme or topic.
In a primary grade the story of “The Little Red Hen”, would include:
Social Studies by learning about the farm
Science through growing plants
Math with a discussion of measurements used in baking bread
Health by focusing on eating healthfully

11. The Fused Curriculum Less structured
Attempts to blend related subjects
Spelling, reading, writing, and English might be combined into Language Arts.

12. Subject Centered Curriculum (Authoritarian Approach)
Traditional form of the curriculum
Each subject is taught separately
Content is laid out in a highly structured, sequential method
Students are presented with precise information that will appear on the test
All knowledge is imparted to the student by the teacher
Students are held accountable for content mastery

13. Authoritarian v Democratic Instruction
The curricular approach fosters a particular type of instruction
The authoritarian (subject centered) - the teacher is the focus of instruction
The democratic (learner centered) - the teacher serves as a guide with students actively engaged

14. Teacher-Centered Instruction (Authoritarian Approach)
Focus is on instructor
Instructor talks, students listen
Students work alone
Instructor monitors and corrects students
Instructor answers students’ questions
Instructor chooses topics
Instructor evaluates student learning
Classroom is quiet

15. Learner-Centered Instruction (Democratic Approach)
Focus is on both students and instructor
Instructor models; students interact with instructor and one another
Students work in pairs, in groups, or alone depending on the purpose of the activity
Instructor provides feedback/correction when questions arise
Instructor is an information resource
Students have some choice of topics
Students and instructor evaluate learning
Classroom is often noisy and busy

16. Curriculum Tracks Academic or College Preparation Career Preparation
Occupational Preparation

17. Expansion of the Contemporary Curriculum
Emergence of an academically challenging kindergarten
Vocational/technical training
The inclusion of more foreign languages
Greater cultural diversity of literature and social studies
The use of schools as an agent of social improvement (Sex Education, Drug Education, etc.)
The strengthening of character and moral education
Emphasis on accountability and standards.

18. Accountability and Standards
Central to the expansion of the contemporary curriculum has been an increased emphasis on accountability and standards.
Most pre-service teachers are required to successfully pass the Praxis I and II exams for state licensure.
In addition, the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) has developed a number of standards that are used to assess beginning teachers.

19. INTASC Standards
Content Pedagogy – The teacher can make the subject matter meaningful.
Student Development – The teacher can provide learning that supports the student’s individual development.
Diverse Learners – The teacher can provide opportunities for diverse learners.
Multiple Instruction Strategies – The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies.
Motivation and Management – The teacher uses a variety of motivational and classroom management techniques.

20. INTASC Standards (Continued)
Communication – The teachers fosters active and collaborative learning in the classroom.
Planning – The teacher develops an effective instructional plan to help all children learn.
Assessment – The teacher uses formal and informal assessment strategies.
Reflective Practice – The teacher uses reflection and journaling to improve instruction.
School and Community Involvement – The teacher establishes relationships with the colleagues, parents and the community in general.