1. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
Negotiating curriculum in the middle years Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

2. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
A word from our students…
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

3. Note taking and note making
Using the grid to document your thoughts during the session
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

4. What is this session all about?
What do we mean by ‘negotiated curriculum?’
Why is it worth pursuing?
What can it look like in action?
What needs to be in place for negotiated curriculum to really ‘work’?
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

5. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
What do you think?
Think
Pair
Share
What do we notice about our interpretations?
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

6. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
Definitions of negotiated curriculum are many and varied…but generally share common themes
“Negotiating the curriculum means classrooms in which teachers invite and allow students to help construct the learning journey”
Boomer 1992: 277
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

7. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
Students develop their own curriculum, study methods and assessment - built around questions and issues that are important to them”
James Beane
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

8. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
“ We are all responsible for our own learning. The teacher’s responsibility is to create educational environments that permit students to assume the responsibility that is rightfully and naturally theirs.”
Brooks and Brooks 1999: 43
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

9. Related approaches/models - the constructivist view
Inquiry-based learning
Integrated curriculum
Relational learning
Project based learning
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

10. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
WHY?
“If students are to flourish in the current personal and social context of our global conditions, then we must allow for real learning to occur. Students must be in charge of their own learning, their realities. ‘It’s not about teaching to kids. It’s about creating hearty, exciting and fascinating experiences that invite learners to work hard while exploring how to do things that challenge and intrigue them. Otero 2003:12, Caine and Caine 1997: 11)
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

11. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
Why?
If we own our learning - we learn more effectively
When we own our learning - we learn how to learn
True negotiation creates a stronger, more committed community of learners
A true community of learners is so much easier to ‘manage’!
We can attend more effectively to individual needs and strengths
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

12. What we know about learning in the middle years…
Quality teaching and learning points the way toward negotiation
Problem/question driven
Ownership - responsibility
Team work
Links with community
Differentiation
Authenticity
Engagement
Prior knowledge
Relevance - to self and current issues
Challenge
Connectedness
Higher order thinking
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

13. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
Skills and qualities for life long learning - what do we want? Kids who…
can problem solve
are creative
know how to be part of a team and how to work independently
understand the way they learn
are resilient
are effective communicators (multi modal)
think reflectively and metacognitively
understand self, others, physical world
are systematic and organised
are intelligent in a range of ways
are technologically literate
can think critically
can research: locate, gather, critique and communicate information
think ethically, caringly and empathically
are flexible and adaptable
Can initiate, take risks, question
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

14. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
“If people are given the given the skills and tools to use, and presented with a range of potentially powerful educative experiences, then given freedom, they will almost invariably choose one and get on with it. Once learners get in touch with their own sense of personal power, get out of their way and watch in awe”
Edwards 2004: encouraging achievement: 3
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

15. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
Layers of negotiation
WHAT will be learned (now, this week, this term, this year…)?
How will we show what we know?
HOW will we/I learn this?
HOW will we/I know what we have learned?
WHEN will we/I do what needs to be done?
WHERE might we/I go/be to learn?
WITH whom will we/I learn?
FOR whom/what are we learning?
HOW will we/I know what we/I have learned?
WHY are we/I learning this?
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

16. so…what are some of the key ingredients for successful negotaiation?
A view and expectation of the learner as capable and full of potential
Respectful, dignified relationships with students- open, shared dialogue
Open mindedness, empathy and trust (teachers and students)
A big picture view (teachers and students)
Time for sustained teaching and learning
A sense of community - we are all teachers and learners
High expectations
Careful scaffolding, support, and clear routines/arrangements
Regular, focussed reflection - ongoing monitoring (self/peer/teacher)
Letting go….
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

17. © Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005
“The things we steal from children”
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005

18. Some useful references
 Beane, J. (1991). ‘The Middle School: The Natural Home of Integrated Curriculum’, Educational Leadership, 49(2), 9-13.
 Beane, J. (1992). Integrated Curriculum in the Middle School, ERIC Digest, 2-3, ED
Boomer, G., Lester, N., Onore, C., & Cook, J. (eds.), (1992). Negotiating the Curriculum: Educating for the 21st Century, USA: The Falmer Press.
DEET. (2002). Middle Years Research and Development (MYRAD) Project Executive Summary, A report to the Learning and Teaching Innovation Division DEET by the Centre of Applied Educational Research Faculty of Education The University of Melbourne, February-December 2001.
 Murdoch, K. (1998). Classroom Connection: Strategies for Integrated Learning, Australia: Eleanor Curtain.
Murdoch,K. and Wilson, J.(2004) Learning Links: strategic teaching for the learner centred classroom. Curric Corp.
Coloroso, B. (2002) Kids are worth it! Quill NY
Brooks, J. and Brooks,M. (1999) The case for constructivist classrooms. ASCD VA
Otero, G. et al: (2001) Relational learning : education for mind body, spirit. Hawker Brownlow
Edwards, J: the Things we steal from Children: Edwards.html
© Nadine Crane and Kath Murdoch 2005