Curriculum Planning as a Way of Meeting the Needs of All Learners - Essay Example

? School curriculum Academic curriculum is the general guidelines or framework with respect to a certain education system. The quality of a certain education system can be gauged through the stipulated curriculum. The United States schooling system requires that all cariculla of all the counties consider some standard or basic elements to promote uniformity. A standard curriculum should contain both academics and extra-cariculla guidelines. The constitution require that the public should be involved when amending an existing curriculum or forming a new one. Introduction Newton County School System, just like any other counties’ learning system, has to establish a working curriculum to guide instructors together with the learners. The Newton County School requires that its teaching fraternity evaluate the effectiveness of the current curriculum and determine if there is need to make some adjustments. The curriculum is dynamic in nature since it changes with the alteration and modifications in the job market. For instance, there are changes in technology, administration skills, and business management among other developmental aspects of the current job market. It would be wise to equip students with such advancements to increase their suitability. This work would focus on some of interview conducted to ascertain the need of some changes in the Newton county school’s curriculum among other issues related to the school’s curriculum formulation. The school leaders must, however, adhere to the school policies and standards as stipulated by the government’s and school’s strategic plan. Furthermore, the school administration is charged with the responsibility of standardizing the curriculum as per the required standard set by the Georgia Department of Education. The formulation of such policies is done with the encouragement of the parent and community input in the operation of the school district. Public opinion or participation is also involved in the formulation of the curriculum or policies (Hlebowitsh, 2005). The most important consideration is that the county’s curriculum must match that of other counties, as required by the Education Act of the United States. The policies are centered on various issues such as school district organization, school board operations, general school administration, fiscal management, business management, facility expansion programs, personnel, instructional programs, students, and inter-organizational relations. Under instructional program policies there are sections addressing policies on curriculum design processes, gifted student programs, scheduling for instruction, policies on unstructured break times, media programs, promotion, and retention of students. The interview session The main purpose of the interview session with the county’s education officer was to ascertain whether the county’s education system was at par with other counties’, as required by the U.S. law. I got a chance to ask him what factors are considered before a certain curriculum is considered obsolete. The term obsolete has been never applicable in any education system; what applies is updated system which requires improvement and adjustment. The county requires school administrators, parents, work force representatives to meet at the end of each year and discuss the current advancements that call for change in the school curriculum. He further argued that counties are in competition; hence, no county would wish to lag behind, as far as school curriculum is concerned. The aim of any education system is to produce a whole round personality ready to be absorbed in the job market. The end product of an education system should have good ethics, technology knowledge, physically fit, be morally upright and flexible in terms of relevant changes in the job market. Hence, it requires a comprehensive curriculum to train such students. The director also mentioned that he does not call for overworking them. The children’s right is clear; a child or student should be subjected to balanced school curriculum in terms of academics, social life and extra-curriculum activities like games, plays, science congresses, school debates, charity walks, scouts boy and girls’ activities, school clubs, and school picnics among other outdoor activities. The director talked of the importance of such extra-activities in the curriculum. We live in a generation where the majority is making a living through personal skills and hobbies like sports or innovations. It would be unfair to kill such special talents because of academics. Although academics play a great role in modeling students to future responsible citizens, it is not the ultimate life-maker. The director talked some of the most rich and influential individuals who never completed their academic program in school. The government of the U.S. appreciates and encourages the improvement of such special skills for a diverse future. A complete society must have lawyers, teachers, artists, and actors among other professionals. Curriculum planning The education officer also talked about children’s capacity in planning an effective curriculum. People are born with different abilities as well as inabilities. The U.S. treats both special and normal kids equally, and both must undergo certain education system. Newton’s County School system ensures that special students are handled differently with normal kids for easy and effective management. They tend to be slow in both academic and extra-curriculum activities. Special needs students are also to be handled with the help of special teachers who underwent a special training. These children include the blind, deaf and mentally ill. There are also the English language learners (ELL) who require a different approach from the normal students. These are students who may lack a good mastery of the English language due to their origins. Gifted students must also be considered in the county’s curriculum. These are students who have the strength and ability to seek education despite the challenges in the society. Black Americans fall in this category. The government overlooked this group for a long period, until U.S appreciated the implication of democracy in its system. However, there are some counties or regions in the U.S where the black Americans are still looked down upon. The county must ensure that all races and ethnicities are subjected to an equal education system (Gatawa, 2000). However, the officer categorically mentioned that for a long time, these special students have been neglected in the county and the nation in general. It took a huge debate before the rights of such children were observed. Currently, it is illegal to neglect inclusion of special, disabled, ELL and special gifted students in the county’s curriculum, and there have been cases where county’s curriculums have been rejected for not honoring the ‘children’s equality’ aspect. Meeting the needs of all learners The school district, according to its policies, abides by state law when it comes to how it identifies and serves gifted students. It is up to the superintendent or designee to develop and implement administrative procedures for the running of the district’s gifted education program. In addition to this, the basis to be used for the determination of the beneficiaries of such programs and the criteria for continuation of such services shall be determined by the superintendent. Any administrative procedures developed must be subject to input from the community and reviewed by the Georgia Department of education. According to nationwide statistics, ELL (English Language Learners) is often overlooked in gifted programs. Over the years, the identification practices that were used did not take into consideration the cultural and linguistic diversity of students in schools. Subject area content leaders from each of the schools in the district provide a framework for the criteria for identification of suitable students for such programs; they also discuss strategies to ensure reasonable resource allocation for the programs. In providing appropriate curriculum mapping, the Newton County Board of Education only schedules unstructured break time when it comes to pre-kindergarten students to grade 5 but does not allow it for students in grades 6 to 8. Where such breaks are allowed, the decisions on the timing and duration of the breaks rests with the principal. Some of major school breaks are summer holiday and Easter breaks among others. This holiday is enabling the students to re-unite with the rest of their family members (Stilbeck, 2004). The curriculum should appreciate the importance of family values. Children are expected to assist their parents in their businesses and general home chores. They should apply whatever knowledge learnt from school in such duties. During end-year meetings, parents are always expected to complain on how their children apply their skills or knowledge in family duties. This would help teachers gauge whether they are likely to produce talented citizens or not. It is also a way of respecting the religious and cultural beliefs in the society. For instance, Easter means a lot to the Christian students. I got the opportunity to learn about the school scheduling session with respect to school sponsored activities, and classes are concerned. The Newton County Board requires that no student should miss class more than ten times a year due to any school-sponsored activity. However, the board acknowledges some sponsored activities like tests, health checks, counseling, and children conferences among other activities. The board requires that the school administration should be informed prior to a student missing class or school due to the above named school sponsored activities. References Gatawa, B. (2000). The politics of school carriculum. New York: College press. Hlebowitsh, P. (2005). Designing The School Curriculum. New York: Allyn & Bacon, Interporated. Skilbeck, M. (2004). School based carriculum development. New York: Paul Chapman Publishing. Tulasiewicz, W. (2007). Language awareness in the carriculum. New York: James Nicholas Publishers. My personal view I will base my personal view on some of the considerations to establish school curriculum in the county. I support the aspect of involving both school administrators and parents in formulating such policies. Both are for the good of children in the society. Parents should also keep in touch with the school administration to ensure proper implementation of such policies. The aspect of considering children with special needs in the school curriculum is a symbol of unity in the society. Education is one of the bridges to close the gap between the rich and the poor. Equal education is meant to provide equal opportunity to all children and students to shape their lives (Skilbeck, 2004) thanks to the current constitution that entitles students to seek both academics and extra-curriculum activities in the U.S learning institutions. However, I think it would be better if the county curriculum included visits to extra-curriculum institutions like football clubs, theatres, photography firms, and swimming clubs among others, just as it is done with curriculum-based trips. This would enable students whose strongholds are based on their talents further their passion in such activities. I also think the students of the English language should be treated just as their peers. The officer talked of them being irrespected in several learning institutions. Schools administrations should have a suggestion box or special hotlines to report such cases. There are reports that children from Mexico and Arabic countries among other regions have quitted school at tender age of 12 due to such mistreatments in several learning institutions (Tulasiewicz, 2007). However, the rest of the policies in the curriculum are friendly and meant for quality and affordable education in the county. Read More