Personal Statement On Curriculum And Its Goals

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)

Brady and Kennedy (2007) explain the stakeholders that influence the curriculum are classified into two specific groups. Individuals which consist of students, parents and teachers and their concerns with the curriculum and groups consisting of government, community groups, business community and Universities all of which garner their own interest to ensure society continues to be shaped by the correct curriculum (Brady & Kennedy, 2007). This highlights the need for a diverse level of input into the curriculum. Brady and Kennedy (2007) convey that everyone in the community has a role to play to shape the curriculum and as a society we look to give the young people and adults the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes to be productive and informed citizens. All individuals and groups help form and improve the curriculum and are an integral part of the future learning of

Early childhood education curriculums are becoming a national curriculum in most countries. With more governments and society thinking about education of under-fives we are seeing shifts in thinking and education to meet the changing world. We are developing children skills for the future to create a society where children feel they belong and can contribute to society. Curriculums are being influenced my social, political, cultural, historical and theoretical issues that are impacting different curriculums in the world. I am going to explore and develop my understanding about three different curriculums to recognise the different influences affecting curriculums. I am going to explore the curriculums of Te Whāriki: New Zealand, Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia and Curriculum for Excellence: Scotland. This will allow me to develop an understanding of other curriculums which I have not heard about to discover other way to education that I have not been taught in teacher’s college.

Also, throughout curriculum development the goals and aims of the curriculum need to be taken into account. Without specific goals and aims for the curriculum, the curriculum could be unfocused with no purpose identified. Within the social studies curriculum that I analyzed, I noticed societal goals for the curriculum (Posner, 2004). Societal goals are emphasized because the curriculum supports the development of knowledgeable and engaged citizens within our country. By understanding the goal of my curriculum I am better able to understand the purpose of what I am teaching, which in turn helps me to differentiate for my students while still keeping the ultimate goal in mind. I also was able to identify the further learning aims within the curriculum (Posner, 2004). By identifying this aim I was able to see how the curriculum I was teaching tied into the curriculum that the students would experience in subsequent grades. By reflecting on the further learning aims I was able to see how my teaching was a valuable piece of a bigger puzzle

Education has been changing and developing for centuries, and with change comes differing of opinions. The Common Core standards are the most recent attempt to educate the best students in the United States. Although teachers at schools implementing Common Core are learning new methods of teaching, the standards do not dictate what approach they should take; these standards are what students should comprehend and be able to do by the end of the term or scholastic year. Provided that students are invested in their personal educations, students should be better prepared for their lives in the “real world,” what some call the portion of life following high school as a result. The Common Core standards should be the standards of education in the United States as it will improve the abilities of students more and produce conscientious citizens of the world capable of contribution.

Over the past several decades the education levels in America have dropped below those of many of the other nations in the world. Having Common Core will give Americans an accurate description of where the U.S. school systems ranks in comparison to other nations. Additionally, it will hopefully lead to improved education. Furthermore, through Common Core teachers will be better equipped to monitor the progress of students. Through the defined standards it will become easier where students show in which subject matter students show weakness. Hopefully, this will allow teachers to provide more one on one attention to students who need it. However, one of the most beneficial parts of Common Core applies directly to students. Because of the set goals and standards of the program students will be able to better connect the material they learn and be able to see the real world application and practicality associated with their

The Common Core Standards engage a standards-based education. The standards guide teachers to prepare students for what they are expected to learn to succeed in life. It is essential that teachers understand the expectations and implications of the standards, so teachers can help students achieve educational goals by designing specific educational plans that align with the core standards. Furthermore, tailoring the curriculum will help to build relevant skills students are argued to integrate in college and their future careers.

Common Core is needed to stabilize education. Through the implementation of Common Core, every child will learn the same thing at the same time. Education throughout the country would be equal and no child would truly be left behind. The theory of Common Core is good, but the implementation so far has not been. Creating an unified teaching curriculum is a great idea for any child who would be moving across the country, or even to another state, mid-school year; that way the student would be able to effortlessly pick up learning right where they left off.

The Common Core Standards were developed with a goal in mind. It was to create a uniformed curriculum so that students can learn the essential academics that will focus

“Relationships are the foundation of the development and implementation of the curriculum for the infants and toddlers. Responsive caregiving and use of individual caregiving routines(for example, nappy changing, meals, sleep) provide the frame for curriculum implementation. Parents should be involved to take appropriate decision about the children’s learning and development”.

I believe the purposes of today's schools include learning curriculums that are enjoyable for students that improve knowledge and prepares students for real world experiences. I want my students to feel like they have a purpose of being in school and are capable of making changes. These beliefs have been shaped by the educational experiences that I had in a preschool classroom my senior year of high school. In my preschool classroom, I taught eleven preschools science, math, social studies, reading, and writing. When I made lesson plans I planned lessons that students would enjoy, but also were learning the curriculum. Some lessons that I created was when the students were learning their letters I put shaving cream on trays and would have

My ideal college curriculum would have hands-on experience integrated into classroom lectures and teaching. I believe mind and body involvement into the college experience is necessary to obtain the most out of a college education, specifically with my interest in the medical community, in which experience volunteering and time spent in a hospital setting are crucial for the individuals truly motivated to pursue a medical profession. College's core purpose is to allow for a setting where students can make educated decisions on what career is the best fit for their personality, passions, and what they want from life, and incorporating hands-on experiences of a particular career could influence profession centred questions. I would also want

Today’s school systems teach off of a set of guidelines called Common Core, which are a set of standards that are put in place to help prepare students for going to college. They also base their teachings off of Content Standards and Objectives Policy, or CSO’s. These standards and guidelines are put in place by the state, and are a list of things that students should be learning. That’s great, isn’t it? It gives every student in the state the same things to learn. However, is

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.

The meaning of the term’ curriculum’ is difficult to define. For school, Pratt (in Brady and Kennedy, 2014, p. 3) argues that curriculum can be ‘an organized set of formal educational and training intentions’. For students, Marsh and Wills (in Brady and Kennedy, 2014, p. 3) maintain that curriculum is ‘an interrelated set of plans and experiences that a student undertakes under the guidance of the school’, while for teachers, the challenge is to develop curricula that will cater for the needs of all students (Ah Sam & Ackland, 2005). There are various meanings attached to the term’ curriculum’. My personal definition for school curriculum is that schools develop programs of different study areas basing on the content of the national curriculum document; teachers plan their teaching basing on the programs; eventually, students experience the curriculum by engaging in diverse teaching activities. In this essay, I will be discussing The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in relation to the strategic plan and teaching philosophy of Hampton Park East Kindergarten.