Curriculum Platform Professional Development

A New Curriculum Professional Development

Vanessa Vitiello
William Paterson University
November 20, 2014

Curriculum Platform Professional Development

"For more than a hundred years, educators have been at war with each other over what the
nature of what the American school curriculum should be" (Shirro, 2013). What should be taught and
how should it be taught? Curriculum planning if done right should be an intricate process that takes
no short cuts. Teachers, administrators, global issues, economy and the community should all be
involved when creating something that has such an important impact on society. Statistics must be
involved when curriculum is developed and academic professionals such as teachers and
administration should be responsible for ensuring that it is implemented effectively and benefits
everyone.
Based on Peter F. Oliva the axioms of education indicate that curriculum is ever changing
based on the changes in society. A curriculum must be created and evolve as a cooperative effort by
those who have a vested interest in education. The best way to accomplish this is through research of
the current curriculum both its faults as well as success to develop a systematic updated curriculum
that takes into consideration society today (Oliva et al., 2013). Curriculum must be revisited on a
schedule well maintained schedule that guarantees it is reflective of what is necessary for a childs
achievement in current times.
The ultimate purpose of education is for a student to be taught how to learn and think for
himself or herself so inevitably they can become the future leaders in the world. In order to
accomplish this instructors' need to encourage and engage each student based on their individual
strengths. Considering the importance of student motivation the curriculum should be flexible to be
shaped around the student as necessary. A progressive curriculum in my opinion, has been shown to
be most successful because it primarily focuses on the need of the student and how they learn (Oliva
et al., 2013). Students must trust the teacher and as a result they will trust that learning is in their best
interest. In short, if a student wants to improve and continue their education they will and a
progressive approach gives them more influence and choice to be individuals.

Curriculum Platform Professional Development

The role of the teacher in this process is to ensure that they are not subjective when teaching.
It becomes very difficult when standing in front of impressionable young minds to avoid forcing your
own interpretation of what is right or wrong and your opinions on others. Subjects and lessons should
not be so cut and dry. Most of the time there is not only one correct answer. If a student can support
their answer with evidence from the text, society or another valid source they should be allowed to
voice this and disagree with the "correct answer" according to the textbook. It takes a strong person
to allow so much autonomy in the classroom and still provide an environment where all can feel
confident enough to both teach and learn.
When it comes to keeping students engaged the subjects that are available should cater to a
students interests as well as what is necessary for them to be successful after graduation. The content
of a class that does not interest a student will usually discourage them from pursuing the subject any
further. If a student has shown success in a particular area such as technology for example, they
might become more engaged in biology if the class took a more technological approach with its
lessons. This also affects the environment of the classroom and school. The more comfortable a
student is with their learning environment the more likely they will be to encourage rather than
discourage parental involvement. Parents as well are more likely to participate in their child's
schooling when things are positive rather than negative. Most parents want their child to do well and
be successful. If a child is in a learning environment and does not feel engaged their grades will
suffer.
Similar to curriculum planning assessment of knowledge and the effectiveness of the
curriculum is also a topic where many disagree. It is important to understand that education is gained
outside of the classroom as much as the learning gained in the classroom. It is imperative that when it
comes to fair assessment students should be evaluated using multiple strategies. Formative,
summative, standardized and authentic assessments should all be considered and included when

Curriculum Platform Professional Development

evaluating the mastery of a content or subject matter. Students prove their intelligence and
resourcefulness to cope in today's world outside of the classroom and these experiences are what
classroom education is inevitably preparing them. Some of these experiences might include
internships, after school jobs, community service and travel. Students can demonstrate their
knowledge in an area with a suitable form of assessment and eliminate the necessity of taking a
course in public speaking for example by showing mastery in this area. Children are people too and
they have all the intellectual capabilities as an adult. If we give them some freedom of choice and
opinion they will be more successful than if we give them a post assessment.

Curriculum Platform Professional Development

Curriculum Leadership Platform Development

Focus

Explanation

What Are Your Beliefs?

How Should These Beliefs Be

Reflected in Practice?

Visions

The ultimate
purpose of
education

A student must be taught how

to learn and think for himself
or herself.

Student
s

Focus on
students needs
and how they
learn

Students need to trust the

teacher and as a result trust
that learning is in their best
interest so they can want to
continue to improve.

Teacher
s

The role of
teachers

A teacher needs to look within

themselves to make sure they
are not simply forcing a
student to regurgitate what the
teacher themselves know and
believe. They need to show
the student that his/her own
knowledge is important and
essential to achieving success.

Content

Subject matter
and its
organization

The subjects that are available

should cater to a students
interests as well as what is
necessary for them to be
successful after graduation.

Instructors need to encourage and

engage each student based on their
individual strengths. The curriculum
should be shaped around the student.
We need to have a curriculum that is
flexible. It can't dictate that x must
be learned by this date because if the
student isn't ready to learn x until
they have learned z we will fail
them.
This is the hard part. It takes a strong
person to allow so much autonomy
in the classroom and still provide an
environment where all can learn.
The teacher should first teach
students that they have the
knowledge and the importance of
their being able to convey it in an
appropriate manner in an
educational setting. Then they need
to pull the information from the
students through student led
instruction.
Secondary schools should be geared
toward a particular major such as is
done in college. The majority of the
courses should revolve around that
particular major.

Context

The
Environment of
the classroom
and school

Schools should be a
professional extension of the
home.

There should be an open door policy

to parents and classes should be
accessible online.

Curriculum Platform Professional Development

Plannin
g

How curriculum
should be
planned and
who should be
involved

Statistics should be involved

when curriculum is developed
and academic professionals
should put it in a package with
a bow.

Teachers, administrators, global

issues, economy and the community
should all be involved and have a
voice.

Assessm
ent

How students
should be
assessed and
evaluated

Education is gained outside of

the classroom as much as the
learning they gain in the
classroom. Student affairs, the
library, and student support
and student services areas all
work in concert with academic
units to promote learning and
development in students.

Students can be assessed using

multiple forms of assessment
including formative summative
standardized and authentic
assessments.

Curriculum Platform Professional Development

Bibliography

Oliva, P. & Gordon II, W. (2013). Curriculum and Instruction Defined. In Developing the
Curriculum (8th ed., p. 20-31, 124). New York: Pearson.
Shirro, M. (2013). Introduction to Curriculum Ideologies. Curriculum Theory Conflicting
Visions and Enduring Concerns (2nd ed., p. 1-10). Boston: Sage.