Education 201 Homework Question
A curriculum is the subjects comprising a course of study in a school. A school curriculum is developed with input from the teachers, the parental and community groups, the students, the administrators, the government, and the standardized tests. Teachers shape the curriculum, and at the same time, the curriculum shapes teachers, whether it is the integrated, explicit, implicit, null, or extra curriculum.
The curriculum defines content and instruction standards that students should learn and ensures continual testing. The curriculum influences the teacher’s methodology with the specific goals and objectives in a particular subject. A curriculum also stimulates the teachers to think critically on education theory through the planning and sequencing of lessons to ensure the mandated content is comprehensively covered.
The teacher has a huge influence on curriculum development. Through the hidden curriculum, teachers have a wide range of teaching options, such as through sports, leadership and governance, school trips, music, or drama clubs. Also, teachers can foster teamwork, competition, the value of winning, and following rules through their teaching methodology. Teachers also input the null curriculum to stimulate the students with topics such as sex education and the theory of evolution or creation.
As much as teaching is a calling and one has to be very passionate, an appropriate pedagogy is fundamental. An effective teacher impacts curriculum development. An effective teacher engages the students as much as possible and ensures the timely completion of assignments. The teacher should also stimulate critical, reflective thinking and creative thinking by providing exciting and intellectual challenges based on real-life scenarios. This methodology will foster intellectual, moral, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth in the students and achieve the overall aim of the curriculum.