My Thoughts

Where do I stand on curriculum - its creation, implementation, evaluation and purpose?

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This is a multi-faceted question with no concrete response. On one hand, I find it a necessary tool in guiding the teaching/learning process and ensuring the transmission of 'pivotal' knowledge and experiences. On the other hand, however, comes my optimistic view that as professionals, we are more than capable of determining our students' needs and shouldn't be consistently preoccupied with having to answer to a higher power or be forced to cover a certain amount of content in a specified time at a particular grade level. Does the curriculum have to be as prescriptive as it once was or are we slowly adapting to today's demands and allowing more individual freedoms to better explore local and personal interests and needs?

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I ask myself -- Is it more important for students to know that the chalazone of an egg holds the yolk in place . . . or that they know how to fry an egg? Do I want my French class to correctly conjugate and spell fifty verbs in four different tenses . . . or be able to carry on a meaningful conversation using the language? Do I encourage students to determine their path in life and choose only classes that pertain to this choice . . . or keep their options open by focusing more on developing/enhancing the soft/transferable skills? Where do my priorities lies to delivering the formal curriculum?

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Allowing teachers choices in adaptation of content and its delivery is momentous. As long as we recognize that each student possesses unique talents and needs, it is our professional obligation to ensure we adequately meet these needs while still challenging them with high expectations. Maybe the format/idea of the new curriculum is 'bang on'!