CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

Artifact Rationale

There was significant thought put behind the selection of this particular artifact for Learning Outcome 1A: Curriculum and Instruction. The outcome requires a basic understanding of curriculum and theory and how these differences are relative to the instructional practices that I currently use in the classroom. This artifact is a culmination of varying theorists and their implications and how they have shaped my understanding of a holistic, functional, and inclusive curriculum that students deserve to have. Being that this learning objective is fundamental in explaining theories and concepts relative to my practices, I found this artifact to be of the utmost importance for someone attempting to understand what I find to be critical in a curriculum.

This artifact was chosen specifically due to its relativity to my instructional practices. This study was a look into the work of William Pinar (2014), William Doll (1993), and Peter Hlewobitsh (2010) and the varying views of curriculum practices that they viewed as important to an inclusive curriculum. It is within this idea of inclusivity that I found this artifact to be of particular importance. These curriculum theorists derive various viewpoints and implications that solidify the importance of inclusivity and variability in curriculum and instructional techniques.

In the work of Hlebowitsh (2010), the author highlights that the most effective and necessary strategy for developing an inclusive curriculum is to integrate both “centrifugal” and “centripetal” methods. This is the idea that both linear and non-linear strategies should be used in order to develop the best curriculum possible for all students. In the work of Doll (1993), the author states that an inclusive curriculum is one that has emphasizes rigor. This need for a curriculum to be rigorous seems to be presumptive in developing a curriculum; however, the push for rigor for an inclusive student experience is ultimately as important to inclusion as any other facet. Nonetheless, rigor is among the most important characteristics in an inclusive curriculum. For example, if all students are exposed to rigorous material and given high expectations, they will be much more likely to succeed in college and beyond. Without having the access to this curriculum and high expectations, it could be possible for students to be left behind in terms of academic exposure.

Pinar (2014) makes points regarding the effects of globalization on curriculum and standardization. While of course standardization is important for many purposes, this article warns of the ever present need to sometimes differentiate from a normal standardization in an attempt to truly encompass the many experiences and backgrounds of all students. These theorists emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in curriculum and instruction had a tremendous impact on my understanding of the qualities necessary for all students to receive an equitable educational experience.

Within my personal experiences as a teacher, I have noticed the lack of inclusivity in the curriculums that had been adopted in my schools. Diverse experiences are not always addressed as important issues and have been very challenging in reaching all of my students. In the school I currently teach, our families are composed of more than 20 different home languages; thus, our students come from varying backgrounds and experiences. With the many varying cultural experiences and backgrounds that are flourishing within my institution, it can be challenging at times to make the adopted curriculum work for students who have differing needs. After reading through the works and theories of William Pinar (2014), William Doll (1993), and Peter Hlewobitsh (2010) and other curriculum theorists, my understanding of differentiation has become much stronger. I am now fully aware of the need for the curriculum that I implement to be variable, in the sense that it must be adapted to meet the needs of my students. These theorists make connections to the importance of inclusive curriculum and how it should be implemented. These variable, but fairly similar viewpoints have made an impact on my integration of techniques that will give equitable access to rigorous curriculum to every single student that I teach. What is most important from this artifact and outcome for me is that I am aware of my need to vary and differentiate my practices in relation to the curriculum that I teach in order to develop and maintain an ever inclusive classroom culture.