Essay about Structure and Development of The Australian Curriculum

Critical issues facing educators today include; educational inequity, socio-economic status of students, cultural diversity, stereotyping, dominate cultural paradigms, and social disadvantage. Because of these issues, educators will be best prepared for classroom life if they find ways to adapt and modify the learning environment in order, to provide for inclusive regardless of the learners needs. All children in Australia are presented with the opportunity to attend schools which are designed to be inclusive for any and all abilities. Due to the diverse nature of the school age population in Australia classrooms are made up of an assortment of needs in relation to social, cognitive, and physical areas of learning.

Curriculum is designed to develop successful learners. Confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens (MCEECDYA, 2008, p.13). In 2008, the Australian Government promised to deliver a fair and equitable curriculum for the national’s educational system, taking the task away from the State and Local Governments. The purpose of this was to create an even level of education throughout the country whether in Hobart of Cape York, and to ensure our nations position into the 21st century. This essay will demonstrate the Nation’s curriculum, its structure and development ready for its initial implementation in 2011.

The Australian Curriculum incorporates observations as one of the fundamental skills that students are required to learn (Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d., ACAVAM106). Observations, such as the observational drawing of leaves completed in topic two provide students with an opportunity to develop their visual literacy skills and inquire about the world around them (Dinham, 2014, p. 39). During the different stages of drawing development, students draw upon prior learning, which they have gained through observations, to express their thoughts and make meaning. In the same way, the artist Henri Rousseau, who’s jungle paintings have been described as “…primitive and naïve” drew upon his developing catalogue of prior learning to

Brady and Kennedy (2010) define the term curriculum as ‘the means by which young people and adults gain the essential knowledge, skills and attributes they need to be productive and informed citizens in a democratic society.’ However the term has many varied definitions, it can be described as being the subject matter, the overall plan for teaching or the outcome of what is taught (Wiles, 2005). Marsh and Willis (cited in Marsh, 2009, p. 3) break curriculum down into three individual areas of ‘planned curriculum’, the objectives and aims, ‘enacted curriculum’, how the objectives are

The Australian Curriculum is not designed to stipulate the whole curriculum; rather it is a blueprint that defines what students across Australia should be taught throughout their schooling years (ACARA, n.d.-g). The Australian Curriculum will provide specific information for the content that is to be taught, the extent of understanding, level of knowledge and the achievement standards and skills that will be expected of students (Hill, n.d.). Individual schools, teachers and communities make decisions about which activities, events and community based traditions to include in the classroom which focus on personal development and character (Hill, n.d.).

Reading has long been associated with good citizenship, in particular, the evolution from child to citizen where a relationship is established through the medium of print for an appreciation and connection to societal domains such as law, nation, and government (Weikle-Mills 2008). It is thereby no stretch to extend responsibility for learning to read to the jurisdiction of the parent.

What educators believe and think influences the learning of their students/children. Write an essay that agrees or disagrees with this statement.

The role of the teachers and the expectations of the students are clearly defined by the Australian Curriculum that supports various learning areas. It is imperative for the teachers to adhere to the curriculum in the lesson planning, planning activities that are culturally inclusive and the assessments. The strategies presented earlier, reflect the curriculum links. The first strategy aimed to create an awareness to acknowledge differences, and to embrace diversity. Some of the curriculum links supporting this strategy are presented below:

I have read the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians promotes equity and excellence to all students (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2009). While this is true, Lowe and Yunkaporta (2013) argues the Australian Curriculum does not promote cultural inclusivity evident in teacher’s low learning expectations, inadequate attention to cognitive engagement of student learning and exclusion of key social concepts and issues (p. 11). As future educator, it is important to understand cultural inclusivity and identity is based on language, belief systems, social/kinship structure, social behaviours, and links to land. I have read culture comprises visual behaviour, unseen factors, underlying issues and values, beliefs and assumptions (Hampton & Toombs, 2013, p.

The philosophy of HPE within the Australian Curriculum is to promote healthy and active lifestyle choice for students now and into their future through a strengths-based approach. ACARA (2015e) expand that this approach supports students to develop their understanding, knowledge and skills about healthy, safe and active choices. When a teacher critically selects information to promote positive health and wellbeing, this confirms to students that they can improve their health and wellbeing within their unique situation. The current unit titles suggested by James, conjure negative associations with health and well-being. By renaming these units and using positive language, students will see their strengths and view themselves and others in a

Development of the Curriculum has taken on a ‘Traditional’ structure of scope and sequence in regards to a formal Curriculum and disciplines or content (i.e. English, Mathematics, Science, History, Etc.) but also included has been precise attention to ten General Capabilities; Literacy, Numeracy, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Thinking skills, Creativity, Self-management, Teamwork, Intercultural understanding, Ethical behaviour and Social competence and also the inclusion of three Cross-Curriculum themes; Indigenous studies, Asian studies and Sustainability as stated by Peter Hill (A National Curriculum: Looking forward, An Australian Curriculum to promote 21st Century learners, 2010).

Inclusion in education also caters for a variety of other students such as gifted and talented, students that speak English as a second language (EAL/D) or students that come from diverse backgrounds, including refugees. These children have a right to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning activities drawn from a challenging curriculum that addresses their individual learning needs. Teachers can use the Australian Curriculum flexibly to meet the individual learning needs of gifted and talented students.

An initial concept of the curriculum formed by Tenorio is that curriculum is not just the books and lessons but everything, the relationships, interactions and inspirations teachers have with students, students have with parents, schools have with the wider community (Churchill, 2011). This definition explains in broad terms how curriculum influences everyone’s lives in certain ways, however it does not explain what the curriculum does, how it is constructed or how it works in a school setting. The Australian Curriculum (AC) defines curriculum as used to develop successful learners. Who are confident, active and informed citizens and “is presented as a progression of learning from Foundation to year 10 that makes clear to teachers, parents,

The AusVELS curriculum has been developed to ensure that the curriculum content of all subjects along with the required achievement standards provide an enriched learning experience for all students with proficiencies

From the Rusken College speech in 1976, a whole new approach to education was to be invented and from this came the introduction of the craft based qualifications, his idea of the government putting money into education and seeing very little return, made him concentrate on making people fit for work, in turn helping the economy and paying the government back on their investment. This is the main model used in my specialised curriculum. One of the attractions of this approach to curriculum theory is that it involves detailed attention to what people need to know in order for it to work. Lesson plans are produced with the main theme of ‘by the end of the session the learner will