Factors That Influence Effective Curriculum Essay

Question III-B: Explain the philosophical, historical, and sociocultural influences on contemporary educational theory and practice. As educators, we have our own ideas about teaching and learning but we still have pioneer mentors who contribute to the development of our teaching philosophy. These pioneers developed constructive ideas about schools, curriculum, and the methods of instruction we continue to use in today’s classrooms (Ornstein, 2008). It is crucial that we understand the philosophical, historical, and sociocultural influences as we develop curriculum that is relevant and applicable in today’s educational settings.

In “A Rounded Version: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences”, Howard Gardner illustrates how there are a variety of intelligences. Gardner starts off with an example how IQ tests may predict achievement in school but may not predict achievement in life. After finding out certain parts of the brain are responsible for certain functions, such as “Broca’s Area” which is responsible for sentence production, Gardner proposes the existence of multiple intelligences. Multiple studies later led him to propose seven distinct intelligences; Musical, bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Each intelligence has certain classifications. According to Gardner’s classifications, I realized my intelligences are bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, and intrapersonal.

Wilson, L (2014 Page 80) reports on gardeners multiple intelligence (1983, 1993). This states that understanding intelligence and categorising it will develop learning. The categories are shown in the diagram below:

Stages of cognitive and moral development, Interests and learning styles, and Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

The Curriculum for Excellence describes eight curricular areas, three of which assign a responsibility to all teachers regardless of sector; namely Literacy, Numeracy, and Health and Wellbeing (HWB). Whereas some form of instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic has always been a feature of formal education, Health and Wellbeing is a relatively new addition to the school curriculum, both in Scotland and globally .

When curriculum are designed, planed daily activities follow. Curriculum designed by the interest of the children and go through steps. Include philosophies of education, theories, standards, principles values, research, and views on how children learn best. Usually contained different domains that children develop through the activities. Socio emotional, intellectual. Then, goals and objective are written and say how this goals will be recognize. A plan is coming for outside and inside environment, the activist have to be planned to be out or in the classroom.

Curriculum for Excellence emphasises that all children are entitled to a learning experience where they feel secure, accepted and valued as members of their class and school community. Learning environments which have a positive influence on children, achieved by promoting inclusion and equality, are essential to the Scottish curriculum (CfE, 2004). Getting It Right for Every Child (2007) policy supports this. Their aspiration is for all children to be fully supported as they grow into Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens. Therefore, teachers and practitioners have a responsibility in ensuring children are nurtured, achieving and included.

If teacher have that warm sensitive, and responsive interaction with children it helps them develop security, positive sense of self, and encourages the child to respect and be cooperate with others. The second standard is Curriculum. The curriculum should be consistent for children’s goals and provide learning and development in their physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive development. A curriculum helps the teachers to plan their daily schedule. It maximizes the child’s learning through effective use of materials, use of play, self-initiated learning, and creative expression. It offers the children the opportunity to learn as an individual or in group according to their interests and developmental needs. The third standard is Teaching. Teachers use developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches that will enhance the child’s learning and development in the context of program curriculum goals. The teachers who use multiple techniques optimize the child’s opportunities for learning. The instructional approach creates a positive learning environment for children to develop in all areas. The fourth standard is Assessment of Child Progress. These assessments are ongoing systematic, formal, and informal assessment approaches to help provide information on child’s learning and

1. What is the definition of the term curriculum? “The outline of what should be taught within an allotted amount of time.”

Howard Gardner introduced the theory Multiple Intelligence where he believes every person has the capacity to hold a unique set of “intelligences”. Growing up, I was taught that a person who was intelligent held a lot of knowledge. However, Gardner includes the importance of other capacities of intelligence. These intelligences include linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial-visual, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist talents. As teachers, it is crucial to let every child know they are special and hold a unique place in the world. Just because one student is not as good at solving mathematical problems than the other students, it does not mean he/she is less intelligent than the others. That

It adopts a holistic approach to human existence through investigations of meaning, values, freedom, personal responsibility, human potential, spiritually and self-actualisation. The principals that the teacher adopts in the classroom include fairness, equality, diversity, inclusiveness which are all aimed at motivating the student to achieving their full potential.

Children learn in various ways, and need various teaching methods and styles to accommodate those styles. The educational theorist Howard Gardner theorized his theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983. This theory has influenced my teaching throughout my teaching thus far. It was most obvious during two times in my first practicum. The first time was during our Practicum 1 retreat. In order to become closer with our cohort, and predetermine how we all would work best together, we took various types of learning style quizzes. The test that stuck out the most to me was Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. During this test our cohort discovered that even though some of us may self-classify as a “visual” or “auditory” learner we also learned that we identified as a mathematical and/or spatial learners. Just as we all learn differently, so will our future students. Also, during my first placement in a Kindergarten classroom at Oak Grove Elementary I quickly discovered that even at the beginning of a student’s educational career they all learn

As an educator it is very important that a teacher uses different methods to teach the variety of different learning styles, and it is also important that the teacher uses a variety of assessment procedures. People don’t learn the same, and people don’t test the same either. I personally, am horrible when it comes to taking multiple choice and problem solving type assessments. I do better with essay and writing assessments, presentations, and teaching back what I have learned. With the understanding of how I can best be assessed myself, it will be important when I am the teacher that I use many methods to assess and grade my students work.

Children, for instance, all have different areas in which they excel. A child who excels in school and is listed on the honor roll each term would obviously be considered intelligent. However, a child who is very talented in music but obtains bad marks in school might not be deemed a smart child by the average person; nevertheless, this child would also be considered intelligent.

Although it is impossible to agree on just one definition of curriculum, one can understand the idea based on how it functions in relation to education practice by aligning the three major types of curriculum, which are intended curriculum, implemented