Importance of Teachers
A REFLECTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHER’S INVOLVEMENT IN CURRICULUM PLANNING
Recent studies in the United States shown that curriculum implementation can only be successful if teachers and communities are involved in the development and implementation of curriculum and structural changes.(Arend Carl, 2005) While addressing the need of the learners which is the primary concern of the curriculum, teachers should be one of the principal role-players in the process of addressing these challenges.
The question is: Are they allowed to participate in the process, and if they do participate, what is the nature of their involvement? Within the context of the curriculum changes in education cited in the text, stringent demands are being made on teachers. This process of continuous change has not yet stabilized however and therefore it is imperative that there should be dialogue about what is expected of teachers when it is suggested that they should be "more involved in curriculum development".
More often, teachers, especially in the public school system in our country indicated that they, for the most part excluded from participation in curriculum development at curriculum levels outside the classroom. Their perception was that, although they were the subject and/or learning area specialists, little attention, if any, was given to their "voice" — they were only involved in the implementation of the new curriculum. And this is also what is indicated in the context of the situation in the story that was presented the previous meeting. This has created the impression that teachers operate solely within the context of the school and the classroom, making this seem the only place where they can make a contribution to the curriculum.
Contributions from the teachers are seldom acknowledged just like in the situation cited, so that, a perception often held by teachers is that the curriculum is developed "elsewhere" so that they simply need some guidance for
Recent studies in the United States shown that curriculum implementation can only be successful if teachers and communities are involved in the development and implementation of curriculum and structural changes.(Arend Carl, 2005) While addressing the need of the learners which is the primary concern of the curriculum, teachers should be one of the principal role-players in the process of addressing these challenges.
The question is: Are they allowed to participate in the process, and if they do participate, what is the nature of their involvement? Within the context of the curriculum changes in education cited in the text, stringent demands are being made on teachers. This process of continuous change has not yet stabilized however and therefore it is imperative that there should be dialogue about what is expected of teachers when it is suggested that they should be "more involved in curriculum development".
More often, teachers, especially in the public school system in our country indicated that they, for the most part excluded from participation in curriculum development at curriculum levels outside the classroom. Their perception was that, although they were the subject and/or learning area specialists, little attention, if any, was given to their "voice" — they were only involved in the implementation of the new curriculum. And this is also what is indicated in the context of the situation in the story that was presented the previous meeting. This has created the impression that teachers operate solely within the context of the school and the classroom, making this seem the only place where they can make a contribution to the curriculum.
Contributions from the teachers are seldom acknowledged just like in the situation cited, so that, a perception often held by teachers is that the curriculum is developed "elsewhere" so that they simply need some guidance for