The Teacher and The School Curriculum
Lesson 3: The Teacher as a Curricularist: Roles of a Curricularist
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The
Teacher as a Curricularist
A curricularist is a teacher who takes an active role in planning, developing, implementing, and improving the curriculum. In other words, a curricularist doesn’t just follow lesson plans, they help bring the curriculum to life for students.
An initiator is open to new ideas and willing to try out new ways of teaching. The teacher must believe that the new curriculum will help students learn better.
- Example: When a new “Technology and Livelihood Education” curriculum is introduced, a teacher who is an initiator eagerly studies it and tries new digital tools to make lessons more exciting.
An innovator uses creativity to make lessons unique and engaging. Innovation means finding new approaches to teach old topics.
- Example: Instead of just lecturing about history, a teacher might ask students to create short TikTok-style videos acting out historical events.
An implementer puts the curriculum plan into action. This means teaching, guiding, and helping students in ways that match what the curriculum intends.
- Example: During a science class, the teacher doesn’t just talk about experiments, they actually do them in class to help students experience learning firsthand.
An evaluator checks if students have learned what they’re supposed to. They measure how effective their teaching was and whether the outcomes of the curriculum are being met.
- Example: After a math unit on algebra, the teacher gives a quiz and project to see if students can apply what they’ve learned to solve problems.
A knower masters the subject matter and understands what should be taught. The teacher must know the content of the curriculum very well.
- Example: A science teacher keeps updated about new discoveries in genetics so they can share accurate and current knowledge with students.
A writer documents the lessons taught, activities done, and progress made. This could be lesson plans, reports, or summaries of classroom experiences.
- Example: A teacher keeps a class journal where they record which topics worked well and which ones need changes for next time.
A planner designs what will be taught and when. They set yearly, monthly, and daily goals to help students learn step by step.
- Example: At
the start of the school year, a teacher maps out what topics will be covered
each quarter and prepares corresponding lesson materials.
Factors
to Consider in Planning a Curriculum
When
teachers plan lessons or design curriculum, they must think about several
key factors:
1. The Learner: Students’ needs, abilities, and interests should shape what and how they are taught.
- Example: Younger students might need more activities and games, while older ones can handle projects or discussions.
2. Support Materials: These are books, charts, technology, or any tools used for learning.
- Example: Using interactive material, simulations online to help students visualize they cannot do in class.
3. Time: Teachers must schedule lessons based on available time and school calendar.
- Example: Teaching a new math topic might take two days instead of one if students find it difficult.
4. Subject Matter or Content: Lessons must align with the curriculum and be appropriate for the grade level.
- Example: Grade 10 students studying literature should read age-appropriate novels that match their comprehension level.
5. Desired Learning Outcomes: These are what students should know or be able to do by the end of the lesson or course.
- Example: After a science unit, the goal might be for students to balance chemical equations correctly
Teacher as a Curricularist Quiz: click here
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