Curriculum Philosophy Wall by Michelle Rachael

What is your role in regards to curriculum at either the local or district level?

michelle719 — 2015-11-19 23:52:16 UTC

I am a mathematics teacher at a private school. My main role is to implement the prescribed curriculum, as set forth by the math department members and approved by the head of the mathematics department. Math department members in general do have the ability to bring about change in the curriculum. In fact, math department members may be asked to edit existing curriculum. In addition, I wear several other hats, including: Faculty Judiciary Committee Member, Faculty Academic Committee Member, Academic Advisor, and New Faculty Mentor Teacher.

Who are the stakeholders of curriculum and what are the expectations of these stakeholders?

michelle719 — 2015-11-19 23:57:25 UTC

Since I am a teacher at a private school, the main stakeholders are our students. In particular, since we are a college preparatory school, we want to make sure that the education we provide our students will help them be successful in college and beyond. The expectation from our students, thus, is that they will excel in life after high school at our school. There are other parties that influence our decisions about curriculum, including, but not limited to: parents, donors, and administrators.

What is your philosophical belief about the purpose of school?

michelle719 — 2015-11-20 00:03:49 UTC

This is a challenging question to answer, as my ideal beliefs and my practical beliefs are disjoint. Ideally, I believe each child should be viewed as a unique individual with unique needs and desires. Education should help that student dive into their particular interests. In reality, however, it is much harder to individualize education because each individual is so different and unique. And thus, in reality, it may not be feasible to custom tailor education to fit each individual's needs. So perhaps maybe education should help students develop the tools to be successful on their own, outside of the classroom.

How does your philosophy of education influence your definition of curriculum?

michelle719 — 2015-11-20 00:12:18 UTC

Since I have conflicting views on education, I consequently have conflicting views on curriculum. On one hand, I see the need for individualized education. On the other hand, it seems impossible to help each individual to the level that I would ideally like, so a "one-size-fits-all" curriculum is more practical. What I can agree on is the simple fact that education and curriculum are intertwined, almost synonymous.

What do you think is most important for students to learn? Who should decide the answer to this question?

michelle719 — 2015-11-20 00:13:28 UTC

While I don't think there is one single thought or notion that ranks highest as most important, I do believe that learning how to be independent and how to weigh choices in order to make an informed decision is important. Ultimately, teachers should be able to identify areas of interest in each child, and help guide children towards learning more about those areas of interest. Students will eventually be able to decide for themselves what is the best path for them to take.

Should there be different curriculum for different students?

michelle719 — 2015-11-20 00:18:03 UTC

Saying yes to this question would mean that there would be a different curriculum for every student, as every student can be viewed as "different." Ideally, yes, students should have their own curriculum. But again, I'm not entirely sure this is feasible in reality. We currently try to help differentiate curriculum according to subject matter, ability level, and so forth, but we don't differentiate to the point of individualization.

Whose values should be reflected in the content and processes of curriculum?

michelle719 — 2015-11-20 00:20:11 UTC

Perhaps most importantly, the values of students should be reflected in curriculum. Other factors such as the "future-self" should be considered. As an example, the future-self may be interested in technology given that technology is becoming a major aspect that helps us function on a daily basis.