Intended Curriculum Paper

The word curriculum can mean something different to different people, even to different teachers who use the term almost daily (Manning & Butcher, 2012). However, it boils down to curriculum being what a student learns, both in terms of core subject content, as well as though social activity and elective/activity courses. However, there has often been a disconnect between different states and districts over what exactly should be in the curriculum for various grades and what is needed to prepare students for life beyond school, as well as providing little basis for comparing the US to other countries. That’s where Common Core State Standards (CCSS) come in. According to Teaching in the Middle School (2012), the Common Core standards were created in an attempt to provide curriculum standards that are “rigorous, internationally benchmarked, and aligned with college and work expectations”. Since its implementation in 2009, 42 US states and the District of Columbia have integrated the standards into their curriculums. (Core Standards, 2015)

Ah Sam and Ackland (2005) defined curriculum as “… an interrelated set of plans of experiences that a student undertakes under the guidance of the school”. (p.42) While these two definitions are applied in school context, Horn and Banerjee (2009) described curriculum as the guidance of the project for a group of people. Similarly, Makura and Makura (2012) adopted the definition by Gatawa (1990) as “the instrument through which complex societies transmit and maintain cherished bodies of knowledge values and skills” (Makura & Makura, 2012, p. 509). They suggested that curricula did not exist in vacuum but shaped by a larger cultural values, traditions and beliefs of

Curriculums are the roadmaps for schools which provide purpose and direction for administrators, educators, parents, and students. Curriculum typically refers to, “the knowledge and skills students are expected to learn, which includes the learning standards or learning objectives they are expected to meet; the units and lessons that teachers teach; the assignments and projects given to students; the books, materials, videos, presentations, and readings used in a course; and the tests, assessments, and other methods used to evaluate student learning.” (Curriculum, 2015, para. 1) Curriculums may come in many shapes and forms, whether they’re purchased as a package at the school or district level or they’re created or refined by educators and

Ralph Tyler (1957) describes curriculum as “. . . all the learning experiences planned and directed by the school to attain its educational goals (Glatthorn, 2011, p.3). Going by this definition, one can regard curricula as encompassing what is taught in the classroom, as well as

Curriculum, as stated by Glickman (2014) “is the what of instruction”. Additionally, Ornstein and Hunkins, (as cited by Glickman, Gordon and Ross-Gordon, 2014) have listed the elements of the curriculum and they “are sequence and continuity, scope and balance”. The mastery with which a teacher can incorporate the elements of the curriculum in instruction is categorized by levels. The levels of teacher involvement in curriculum implementation are described and exemplfied

Curriculum is so much more than the paper copy of lessons and activities that we receive as teachers, but before this course I never really thought of curriculum as

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

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.

Wiggins & McTighe (2005) said it best “teachers are designers” and we need the right to craft our curriculum and learning experiences to meet specified purposes (Pg. 13. Ch. 1). We are all teaching different students, in different cities, in different states; all of whom that have individual strengths and weaknesses, come from various homes, a multitude of diversified backgrounds, who speak different languages and all of whom who have experienced their lives in different manners. I have been teaching for well over 11 years, and I have never once modified my teaching to meet the needs of a curriculum, I always have and will continue to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of my students.

2. How curriculum is developed in our school? “Our curriculum is based on Common Core Standards (Math and Reading) and GPS (Science and Social Studies). Teachers incorporate differentiated activities based on what is expected in the curriculum and the results of test data.”

Curriculum development refers to a process of critical questioning used in framing the activities of teaching and learning in schools. The process of developing a curriculum translates broader statements of intent in actual plans and actions. Curriculum development involves designing and developing integrated plans for teaching and learning, implementation, and the evaluation of the plants if they achieve learning objectives. Accordingly, the intention of curriculum development is to align the planned, delivered, and experienced curriculums. On November 3, I contacted Rachel Yurk to provide some insights on the curriculum development process of Cedarburg School District. Yurk is the Instructional Technology Specialist for Cedarburg School District. As demonstrated by the Cedarburg school district curriculum development process, the primary purpose of curriculum development is to guarantee integrated and coherent learning experiences to enhance personal, academic, and professional development of students.

The term ‘curriculum’ is used in a variety of ways when used in a teaching and schooling context (Churchill, 2013, pg. 186). Typically, the word curriculum refers to the knowledge and skills that a student needs to learn (Abbott, 2013). The Australian Curriculum is used in all Australian states and territories and it outlines the learning standards or objectives that the students are expected to meet. It includes the learning areas of the curriculum, the general capabilities that the students will need to learn the content of the curriculum and the cross-curriculum priorities that engage and support modern learning (Australiancurriculum.edu.au, 2015).

According to Blaise and Nuttall (2011, p.82), the curriculum is more than a complex official document. The Australian Curriculum can be understood when broken down into 5 key components. These components are intended curriculum, enacted curriculum, hidden curriculum, null curriculum and lived curriculum.

Teaching 8th grade social studies the word curriculum didn’t exactly come out of my mouth often. The phrases I used were “standard” and “learning targets”. I flipper flopped around about what true curriculum was because, like the textbook, there wasn’t a concrete definition.

Curriculum is a term often highlighted during discourse about education and most commonly understood as a policy with overt leaning outcomes for teachers to apply and achieve. Ornstein and Hunkins (1998), as cited by Selvaraj (2010), defined curriculum based on two lenses; micro and macro, which identify the term as both policy towards certain goals and what students experience with consideration for relevant theories and principles central to its development and implementation. However, Wilson (n.d.) argued that curriculum is not restricted to certain individuals, subjects and environments, since teaching and learning can also occur beyond the scope of official curriculum (Ebert & Culyer, as cited in Marsh, Clarke & Pittaway, 2014). I believe this interpretation is the closest to the true nature of curriculum, or education, as there are more complex layers to curriculum than just a written guideline. For example, not one curriculum is similar to another because it is subjected to influences from continuum number of factors, such as politics and economy. Hence, it is wise to conclude that curriculum could not be defined based on a singular perspective due to its dependability on context.