Curriculum Relevancy - Essay Example

The frameworks are so highly regarded, that The Department of Education will base the new student assessment program on the frameworks (DOE, 2006, par. 3). What are the relevant topics that teachers, students, and parents feel should find a place in the Massachusetts' curriculum How have these topics changed or evolved over recent years These and other questions will be examined and answered in this paper. In addition, the results will be presented of a recent poll of teachers, students, and parents on curriculum relevancy.

A theme that has arisen out of the inclusion movement is that parents are concerned with a curriculum that allows all students to excel to their greatest ability. There is a fear that exists with some regular education and gifted students that inclusion causes above average students to be held back by a slower curriculum that accommodates special education students. The Special Education Parent Advisory Counsel (SEPAC) works to raise awareness and educate the community about the uniqueness of every child.

The groups also works to dispel some of the myths about inclusion and to increase tolerance toward students with special needs (SEPAC, 2002, par. 2).A serious concern for teachers and parents alike is that students learn and demonstrate knowledge in a real-world context (Adventures in Assessment, 2000, par. 7). As competition for jobs and financial security becomes increasingly global, parents were concerned that students receive an education that will enable their children to compete in that global economy.

Parents indicated that needless learning tasks, such as worksheets and rote memorization, has little place in today's Massachusetts schools. Rather, learning should be driven by current and future business and industry needs.Teachers often indicated that learning should not only prepare students for the global marketplace, but also for local industry needs. In short, every student should receive employable skills during their K-12 education. These skills should be diverse enough to prepare students to compete globally, but also to secure gainful employment in the local marketplace.

Industry relies heavily on K-12 education to prepare future employees with state-of-the art skill sets. Employers have weighed to greater degrees in recent years on curriculum content, standards, and benchmarks. Technology ranked high on the list of curriculum concerns of parents, teachers, and students alike. Each of these stakeholders expressed the need for a curriculum that integrates technology across content areas. Parents desire for students to come away from their public education with a firm grasp of how to use technology, to effectively communicate in multiple and diverse settings, and for multiple purposes (ASCD, 2006, pgs. 1-3).Parents expressed concerns that, at times, it is not readily apparent how the integration of technology is supporting the goals of basic, employable skills.

They want their students to be hands-on with technology, and to be technologically advanced. However, when they hear what their students are learning in schools, and how these lessons are being implemented, they wonder if the goal of basic, employa