Standards-Based Curriculum

Scope Sequence Continual Development Learning Spiral

 

Curriculum is often defined as detailing both the content of what students should know and be able to do at specific grade and course levels, as well as a repertoire of instructional techniques, materials, activities and assessments that enable students to reach academic standards. These two broad areas are many times referred to as the what and how of instruction and are embedded within the curriculum. School districts develop the content for each grade and course level around academic standards using an ongoing process that involves continuous evaluation of its curriculum.

Curriculum, the map that guides instruction, is a structured set of learning goals and objectives. This set of objectives is sequenced, calibrated and organized to facilitate learning. The curriculum is intended to prepare students to succeed in society; consequently the material in the curriculum comes from the analysis of what society requires for success. Therefore, all students who are expected to survive in society need to learn the content specified in the curriculum (Howell & Morehead, 1987). Within the context of the state general education curriculum standards, local school districts develop a curriculum based on local priorities. It is important for each educator to know the focus and intent of the curriculum. The standards-based curriculum serves as the "contract" between the student, family, local school district and state.

The classroom teacher needs to be knowledgeable about the sequence of the goals and objectives outlined in the curriculum. There are skill and course priorities in all curricula. However, some parts of the sequence may be shuffled; its tasks may be broken into small pieces or combined into larger ones and its organizational structure may be altered. Most importantly, even though the sequence is adjusted, the substance (what) is not changed.

Some students may require additional supports and individualized programs; however, this does not mean that the goals and objectives need to be altered (Howell & Morehead, 1987). It means that there is flexibility within the scope and sequence of the curriculum to make the necessary adjustments for individual students. What is taught is not the same as how it is taught.

The intention of the curriculum is to lay out a unified and coordinated plan for learning. This is the guide for teachers to follow. Each teacher must know what has been taught previously and what will be taught in the future. This determines what the teacher needs to teach now. The teacher needs to maintain the integrity of the curriculum to ensure that content duplication or omission does not occur. Teachers make these decisions in the classroom by combining their knowledge of the students and the students’ knowledge of the curriculum to achieve desired and meaningful outcomes.

Although the scope and sequence are to be delivered in a systematic fashion, our natural development tells us that learning occurs in a more generalized sense. The following basic principle should guide our instruction:

For ALL learners there is a great deal of experimentation, thoughtful changes, trial-and-error, regression and reacquisition before concepts are fully understood and made applicable. Learning is a continual spiral rather than a lock-step ingestion of knowledge. Therefore, the teacher who is sensitive to the individual needs of students will allow time for concepts to be explored in depth, time for application and time for demonstration. When learning occurs in this manner, it is deeper and longer lasting.