Module 3: Curriculum and Teaching
To me, a simple curriculum starts with teaching effective communication. Effective use of language and nonverbal communication is important for students to be able to demonstrate learning and create and maintain meaningful relationships in their community. This involves respectful communication and boundary setting with others as well. Another big idea of my simple curriculum would involve personal well-being and self-awareness. I would teach self-regulation strategies to have students able to build their sense of identity in the classroom while being able to assess and regulate their own learning and state of being within the community. I would also make sure to teach questioning and investigating as a support to developing critical thinking skills. This allows students to remain engaged in their learning by finding value in their own curiosity. It also allows them to effectively problem-solve by identifying challenges and problematic situations and continuing to develop solutions. Lastly, I would involve global citizenship into the curriculum by teaching students about social justice. This would allow students to be able to identify injustice and social issues with empathy to be able to support a sustainable future addressing oppression and environmental issues for future generations.
My simple curriculum aligns with my everyday role as an educator through an inquiry-based learning model that supports students in asking questions, communicating meaningfully and developing self-regulation strategies along the way. This model also allows opportunity for students to reflect on social issues that are age-appropriate, while being able to strategize ways to address this issues. To me, addressing social issues is the most challenging in an age-appropriate way (for Kindergartens in particular). True student-led inquiry can also be challenging since it requires a degree of uncertainty and openness for different possibilities, ultimately directed by student interest. Assessment is another aspect of inquiry that requires a shift in perspective to be able to take on, which often requires new assessment frameworks to work with. Newkirk (2009) addresses challenges with inquiry by highlighting the importance of authentic learning experiences in reading and writing that are influenced by students’ genuine interest in the subject. He outlines that, “No fixed program can predetermine in any detail the learning opportunities in a classroom, for teaching writing requires responsiveness, improvisation, opportunism, experimentation, and alertness to the currents of interest, the possible contagion of topics, in a class” (p. 141). This highlights how authentic, meaningful learning is unpredictable and requires feedback to be effective. Newkirk (2012) also outlines an aspect of simple curriculum addressing the habit of generalization as a component of habits of the mind which I found relevant to supporting critical thinking and social issues in the classroom. This highlights the importance of recognizing judgements and inferences that are being made according to observable patterns. Similarly, the concept of “anchoring” that Newkirk (2009) highlights, can address both challenges in the inquiry-based model and social issues as well. Acknowledging this type of dogmatic thinking allows us to disrupt this framework and reevaluate our approach and intention. This allows space for uncertainty and meaningful growth that can be created through authentic learning experiences.
References:
Newkirk, T. (2009). Holding on to good ideas in a time of bad ones : six literacy principles worth fighting for . Heinemann.
My simple curriculum aligns with my everyday role as an educator through an inquiry-based learning model that supports students in asking questions, communicating meaningfully and developing self-regulation strategies along the way. This model also allows opportunity for students to reflect on social issues that are age-appropriate, while being able to strategize ways to address this issues. To me, addressing social issues is the most challenging in an age-appropriate way (for Kindergartens in particular). True student-led inquiry can also be challenging since it requires a degree of uncertainty and openness for different possibilities, ultimately directed by student interest. Assessment is another aspect of inquiry that requires a shift in perspective to be able to take on, which often requires new assessment frameworks to work with. Newkirk (2009) addresses challenges with inquiry by highlighting the importance of authentic learning experiences in reading and writing that are influenced by students’ genuine interest in the subject. He outlines that, “No fixed program can predetermine in any detail the learning opportunities in a classroom, for teaching writing requires responsiveness, improvisation, opportunism, experimentation, and alertness to the currents of interest, the possible contagion of topics, in a class” (p. 141). This highlights how authentic, meaningful learning is unpredictable and requires feedback to be effective. Newkirk (2012) also outlines an aspect of simple curriculum addressing the habit of generalization as a component of habits of the mind which I found relevant to supporting critical thinking and social issues in the classroom. This highlights the importance of recognizing judgements and inferences that are being made according to observable patterns. Similarly, the concept of “anchoring” that Newkirk (2009) highlights, can address both challenges in the inquiry-based model and social issues as well. Acknowledging this type of dogmatic thinking allows us to disrupt this framework and reevaluate our approach and intention. This allows space for uncertainty and meaningful growth that can be created through authentic learning experiences.
References:
Newkirk, T. (2009). Holding on to good ideas in a time of bad ones : six literacy principles worth fighting for . Heinemann.
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