Same National Curriculum

One of the biggest problems in the American public education system is the lack of a common standard for what students should be learning, and when they should learn it. In other words, the inequality of curriculums across the nation is affecting the preparedness of students when they venture out beyond the public school system, for the worst. The way to fix this problem, according to many teachers, administrators, and politicians, is by implementing a common curriculum across the nation that will ensure that the quality of a student’s education is not determined by where they happen to live.

The Australian Curriculum basically makes sure that it is setting out the essential knowledge, understanding, skills and universal competences that are very essential for all Australian students. The Australian Curriculum makes sure that it defines the learning power of students as groundwork for their future learning, development and vigorous contribution in the Australian society. It makes obvious what every young Australians need to learn as they advance through their schooling. It is the basis for high worth teaching to come across the requirements of everyone of Australian students. Curriculum is intended to progress fruitful learners. Secure and resourceful persons and functioning and informed people (MCEECDYA, 2008, p.13). In 2008, the Australian Government swore to distribute a reasonable and just curriculum for the national's educational system, pulling the job away from the Local and State Governments. The drive of this was to generate a smooth phase of education all the way through the nation, and to also safeguard their countries locus into the 21st century. This essay will reveal the Nation's curriculum, its organization and development that had already been implemented for its initial opening in 2011.

In theory, this is the same idea that Howard County has for their Social Studies curriculum, but unfortunately the continuity in subject matter mastered is not evident and I fear we could go down the same road with Common Core (CCSS). Therefore, curriculum should support continuity within a school system, but often that does not occur.

There are many approaches that can be taken in order to develop a school’s curriculum, or the material that the students will learn. If there were no federal regulation of curriculum, then it would not be possible to compare student achievement across districts or even states. The federal program, Common Core State Standards, assists in equaling education across the nation. The Common Core has reinvented the perception of student learning which, in turn, has caused American education to become a corporate institution. As a result, there has been a threat to states’ rights for education as more rigorous content has been implemented into classrooms by the government, which ultimately changes the role of the teacher.

A study conducted in 2003 by Ofsted that involved England, Denmark and Finland, showed England’s national curriculum compared to the other two countries was:

I believe that even though students have the same opportunities and environment in the same exact classroom, they are all still not receiving the same education. This all depends on their mental capacities, the amount of attention they give, and if they understand the assignments and lectures. Everyone can have different experiences and take in different information even though being in the same

Students are expected to become well educated, self-thinking, and creative citizens. When teachers are expected to teach to a state guided curriculum students are limited to the standards and content of knowledge. Students are all given the same multiple choice test, on the same day, at the same time. Students are not given a chance to show their depth of knowledge.

Changing the method of learning across a nation is an incredibly large undertaking and it must be thought out impeccably to work. The way the Common Core has been enforced in schools has had some issues, causing it to be unsuccessful. One problem with it is that it was not made to adapt to different students, for example some students that might have learning disabilities cannot learn the same ways as students without that disadvantage and the Common Core can’t be adapted for each individual student. In the article “Common Core: An International Failure,” the author says, “Instead of choosing a one-size-fits-all approach to education, education policy makers should turn to the people who actually know their pupils: parents, teachers, and local school districts” (Asbenson 1). Asbenson is saying that teachers must have some say in what and how they teach. The way the Common Core is now, they do not have the luxury of changing the curriculum if they find it necessary. The fact that the Common Core leaves no room to accommodate different students and the ways they learn, makes it difficult to see why it is a better choice than having curriculum differ across the country.

disadvantage that students may have because the curriculum is different within a school, especially if

While in theory having a national standard for education sounds like a progressive scheme full of possibilities, it has actually lowered our betterment as a society. Reality is not every nation should be taught CCS, studies show that not every nation with Common Core Standards do well at testing - Canada does not have standardized testing and as a nation does very well. This proving that standardized testing cannot be tailored to the diverse nation we have today. The challenge that the Federal government cannot seem to grasp on is that states have a firmer idea on what is needed for their individual

The National Curriculum (DFE 2013, p5) states that “every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society and, prepares pupils at the school for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life”.

Although this seems like a fair idea, it is not necessary. As talked in class, the only subjects that could and need to be standardized are math and language arts. Math and language arts are the subjects being used to compare us internationally. An example of why history cannot be standardized is because each state has its own history. It would be impossible to be able to make a set of standards across the nation. Although math and language arts are the subjects being implemented through the Common Core, it does not mean that other subjects are not being taught. This a misconception many people have about the Common Core.

Education both influences and reflects the values and aspirations of a society. It is therefore important to recognise a set of common aims, values and purposes that underpin a school curriculum and the work of schools in a range of countries (DfE, 2008). This comparative study will explore the curricula of England and Finland - discussing the history, structure and contents; and consider which of the above are more useful in preparing young adults for life in the modern society. With reference to the modern society, it is important to understand that what makes a society modern is entirely a subjective ideology. This takes into consideration that the views and expectations of one modern society may differ from the views and expectations

The grades may be the same for all students, but will the content taught be the

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.