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John Dewey contributed to the field of 3rd-5th education by emphasizing the importance of hands on learning and actively engaging students in their learning, like we see being taught so much in elementary schools today.

Curriculum Theory umbrellas all aspects of designing instruction, implementation of material, and how students “should learn” dependent upon how teachers should teach. Some theories are focused on specific material students should be expected to know to be intellectual, others focus more on the individuality of students regarding their needs as a pupil. There are some theories that focus on the goal of society for the future by forming theories that stem from creating experiences as students to produce a better character as civilians.

The range of perspectives and frameworks that guide the development and organization of educational content is intertwined to time periods of situational circumstances. Curriculum Theory is forever evolving with society and leans against past theories for support and advancement.

Curriculum should be inspirational, rich, purposeful, and intentional to. Curriculum should be fluid, and adaptable based on the current needs of the students and societal needs.

Similar to John Dewey, Steiner contributed to the field of 3rd - 5th grade education through the emphasizes of hands on experiences, experiences that build critical thinking and problem solving skills, and also experiences that focus on it being student led which leads to actively learning.

The curriculum offers a structured guide for all educators that implements scaffolds and extensions catered to the content. It should be fluid, impactful, and enriching to the learners.

Curriculum theory is the evolution of strategies. It expands the concept of studying the design of teaching to improve the quality of learning. It causes individuals to ask questions and progressively attack deficits to spark change.

She was an educational philosopher who believed in connecting educational experiences to the practices of the individual being taught. Also, she believed that formal education should take place inside and outside the school. That learning is a gift that supersedes the classroom.

In the field of 3-5 education, Addams's ideas are prevalent more than ever. This generation of students begins to question the purpose of learning and the desire for its importance connected to the real world. Students do not just want to learn for the sake of learning but feel their time spent is valuable for the future. Also, as students progress through school we lose the parental focus at home in informing parents of the necessities of the instruction and how to let it flow outside the school house.

Dewey states that "if the interaction between curriculum, student, and teacher is dynamic rather than prescribed or present, all will be transformed." The need for learning should be prioritized to create critical thinkers instead of ROTE learners.

John Dewey-

Dewey's thinking of getting to the WHY/HOW of the learning and developing critical thinkers and conceptualizers is evident in how we teach today. Engaging students' minds and facilitating questioning, conversation, and collaboration as opposed to rote fact learning and memorization. Creating an environment of experience where the learning can carry outside of the classroom (Addams).

Ralph Tyler and the 4 step "Tyler Rationale" affected a long line of theorists and we still see it today. Thinking over what the needs of the students/school/district are, what experiences would help us meet those goals, how will the experiences/learning be structured, and determining how to assess.

Taba and Schwab took it a step further by incorporating needs for change due to the Civil Rights movement during their time.

Curriculum is the material and structure of what is taught in schools. It is influenced by the needs, values, and educational objectives of society. It has clear objectives, tools, and assessments that is used to measure if objectives are met.

Experiential learning vs. Spiral learning. Bruner emphasizes an organized method where ideas are methodically reviewed and developed, whereas Dewey places more emphasis on learning via experience and matching with the child's interests. Additionally, child-centered vs. organized Progression was another approach: Bruner offers an organized progression through the spiral curriculum, while Dewey takes a very child-centered approach.

A curriculum can be defined as an ongoing and dynamic process of learning and development that adapts and evolves over time. Based on my reading, a curriculum should be a structured education plan that has specific learning objectives, teaching methods and assessment strategies towards educational goals to meet the needs of societal growth and development.

The concept of curriculum integrates the principles from a number of theories such as John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Bobbett (1918, 1924), Tyler (1949), (B. Smith et al., 1950), Hilda Taba (1962), Joseph J. Schwab (1969) and several others that emphasizes learning as a continuous, interconnected, shaped by interactions between individuals and their environment in a way that is flexible in response to promote lifelong learning by adapting to new insights, societal changes, and individual progress, rather than being static or rigidly defined. A true definition of curriculum may be relate to the theoretical beliefs. One can say the outcome and expectations distinctly points to transforming the educational system to meet the needs of societal values, attitudes and norms, while contributing to the continuous growth and development of society.

collaborate with parental engagements, community members, and fellow educators, they build a supportive network that nurtures every child's academic growth and personal development. Based on my experience, students at this stage tends to be more stimulated by practical engagements especially in small group activities.

In comparing and contrasting the ideas of these leaders John Dewey emphasized experiential learning and active student participation while Hilda Taba introduced a structured approach to curriculum design, organizing content around central concepts. Joseph Schwab emphasized integrating practical and theoretical knowledge in curriculum development, highlighting the dynamic interaction between educators, students, and subject matter while Jane Addams advocated for education as a tool for social justice and community engagement, promoting inclusive and equitable educational practices. Ralph Tyler developed a systematic model for curriculum design, emphasizing clear educational objectives, effective learning experiences, and assessment methods. Together, I think their diverse contributions have significantly shaped the modern education that are in practice today at all levels of the education system but is very crucial at the grades 3 to 5 level both in general education and special education.

I also connected with Emerson outlook on education and curriculum. He knew that we needed to reconstruct our curriculum continuously as different students and material were introduced. This is still very relevant today as we have new standards that need to be taught and a wide variety of students to accommodate for so making sure our curriculum aligns is important to be meeting all of those needs. He also encouraged creativity amongst students which then again aligns to Dewey's beliefs as well.

I feel like everyone provided really in depth and thoughtful answers for this question! I definitely think that our overall answer should include that curriculum can change over time and that it should inspire as much as it informs.

I like the way many of our group members pointed out that curriculum theory changes over time based on the needs of society and historical events/movements! I think it's important to include that curriculum theory changes over time, but still keeps in mind what is going to be taught and how.

Other influential curriculum leaders for 3rd-5th grades are Ralph Tyler and Hilda Taba because they each provided clear steps that could be utilized when developing a curriculum and making it more effective. While these help all grade bands, I believe that they are especially important for our grade band because 3rd-5th grades are transition years and can be difficult for students if what they are being taught is not organized and developed well.

I think it's important to point out the variety of theorists our group has identified! It just shows how our different backgrounds and experiences have shaped who we are as educators!

I also just wanted to send a kuddos for those in the GroupMe chat who are lifting each other up! I noticed that with this question many people worked together to make sure that it was answered fully, and I just wanted to make sure that I said thank you because it shows how much we all care about this program. Keep it up, everyone!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I did my best to synthesize everyone's thinking into one cohesive response for this question. Thank you all for providing such thorough and thoughtful answers! Please feel free to look over this response and make any changes that you see fit.

John Dewey and Steiner also were influential on grades 3-5. They both encourage hands on thinking while having student do experiments and storytelling. This structures the students in the upper grades to expand their thinking and have time to synthesize what they have learned on their own as well.