Critical Reflection essay
Based on the course readings, class discussions, and my own experiences I can discuss my understanding of curriculum. I can define curriculum as a well-developed plan of action, which provides the proper strategies to achieve the established goals. The effectiveness of curriculum depends on individual approaches to teaching and learning, managerial skills and behavioral patterns. Curriculum should be planned based on the established standards. I believe that it is necessary to develop multicultural curriculum that requires the application of the proper skills and abilities to “teach through culturally knowledge bases” (Sleeter, 2005, p. 44). Besides, curriculum deals with the experiences of learners. The major purposes of curriculum include: developing effective ideas to engage students in meaningful ways; following the established learning standards adopted by professional organizations; providing support to student-centered instruction; providing flexible delivery of educational programs (Sleeter, 2005; Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006).
In addition, my own identity and experience influence my understanding of curriculum. I realize that curriculum design depends on the construction of knowledge and the effectiveness of planning. My own identity and personal experience reflect the concepts I will teach. Planning and implementing curriculum can be affected by the way we identify problems and issues faced by students and teachers. To understand curriculum in a proper way, it is necessary to have evaluation skills that will allow reporting the results, making judgments about the proposed programs and assessing the effectiveness of procedures.
Moreover, my understanding of students’ needs influences my thinking. I believe that the attitudes and skills of a teacher play an important role in successful planning and implementation of curriculum. According to Tomlinson & McTighe (2006), the essence of a teacher’s job is “making sure that the curriculum serves as a catalyst for powerful learning for students who, with our guidance and support, become skilled in and committed to the process of learning” (p. 39). I should be aware of students’ problems and needs to develop effective teaching and professional support. Only in this case students will be able to cope with any problems faced in the learning environment. It is necessary to have an understanding of students’ motives in order to provide high quality of instruction.
In general, there are three key points of course learning. First, it is necessary to establish clarity regarding the use of curriculum. Special attention should be paid to the knowledge and skills that help students to succeed in learning process. Second, it is very important to accept responsibility for students’ success in learning. I believe that any teacher should have the ability to assess his/her role in academic success of students. Besides, it is essential to a teacher to assess the relationship between course learning goals and teaching practice goals. Third, a teacher should build awareness of the most suitable teaching strategies that will help to facilitate the process of learning.
Finally, the above mentioned aspects influence the way I am thinking about my curriculum work. I argue that curriculum helps to develop and effectively use the proper methods of teaching to ensure positive academic outcomes of students. A teacher should be ready to provide support to students involved in learning process through well-organized curriculum. In addition, I believe that curriculum helps to address students’ needs and interests and motivate both teachers and students to work hard.
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