Reflection on Curriculum Designs

Curriculum designs help guide the actions of teachers while assisting students to learn effectively. Teachers can assess students to determine which aligns best with their classroom. Understanding the different types of curriculum designs can help teachers in selecting the appropriate approach that best meets the needs of their students. The three major categories of curriculum design are:

1. Subject-Centered Curriculum Design: Subject-centered curriculum design is a traditional approach that places emphasis on specific academic subjects or disciplines, such as mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. In this approach, the content and skills that students need to learn are identified and organized according to their respective disciplines. The subject-centered curriculum design is structured around a set of predetermined subject matter that must be covered, with little emphasis on how the students learn or their individual needs.

2. Learner-Centered Curriculum Design: The Learner-centered curriculum design emphasizes the needs, interests, and abilities of the students as the main focus. It places the student at the center of the learning process, rather than the teacher or subject matter. This approach considers the student's individual differences, abilities, interests, and backgrounds in designing the curriculum. It provides opportunities for students to learn through various teaching strategies and assessment methods, and encourages self-directed learning.

3. Problem-Centered Curriculum Design: Problem-centered curriculum design focuses on real-world problems that students are likely to encounter in their personal or professional lives. This approach emphasizes active learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the aim of preparing students to tackle complex issues in their careers or communities. It encourages students to analyze problems, gather information, and develop solutions using interdisciplinary skills, rather than just learning subject-specific content.

Subject-centered curriculum design focuses on predetermined subject matter, learner-centered curriculum design prioritizes the individual needs of students, and problem-centered curriculum design centers around real-world problems and encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, and educators may use a combination of these approaches based on the specific needs of their students and the learning objectives they wish to achieve.

Reflection on Curriculum Fads

 Curriculum fads are often introduced with great enthusiasm and promise to be the one-size-fits-all solution for all students. However, these fads are not always based on research or evidence, and they can sometimes diminish the value of other curriculum frameworks, ultimately detracting from effective instruction. It is essential to recognize that curriculum designs fall under three major categories: knowledge-centered, learner-centered, and society-centered, and each design guides the actions of teachers and assists students in learning effectively.

Teachers must assess their students to determine which curriculum design best fits their classroom. By considering which design aligns best with their classroom and what they can do to help their students learn, teachers can create a more effective and meaningful learning environment. However, curriculum fads often discourage teachers from using researched methods that have proven to work in the classroom. Additionally, some fads are marketed under the guise of 21st-century education, pushing technology without sufficient evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness in the classroom.

As teachers, it is crucial to research any curriculum fad or product before implementing it in the classroom. Consider how it aligns with the school's mission and goals and whether it will genuinely benefit the students. This is especially true when it comes to technology, which has played an increasingly significant role in the classroom, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the rush to adapt to new teaching methods during the pandemic, many districts introduced a plethora of products and tools that could help with teaching, leaving teachers feeling overwhelmed.

However, despite the initial overwhelm, technology has changed the classroom environment for the better, providing exciting new tools and resources for teachers and students alike. Products like PearDeck, EdPuzzle, Duolingo, FlipGrid, and Rockalingua have demonstrated their effectiveness in helping teachers reach their goals and objectives while providing engaging learning experiences for students.

It is essential to approach curriculum fads with a critical eye and consider whether they are genuinely effective before implementing them in the classroom. As teachers, we must remain diligent in our research and evaluation of new tools and technologies to ensure that we provide our students with the best possible learning experience.

Authentic Leadership

 “Authentic leadership in its origin is the individual's self-knowledge, and exhibiting his/her attitudes and behaviors as he/she wishes without being exposed to any influence or forcing oneself (Caza, Bagozzi, Woolley, Levy & Barker Caza, 2010). With his/her conscious value judgments and ethical values, the authentic leader carries out guidance activities for his/her subordinates and looks out for the interests of the institution he/she works within the framework of his/her moral values (Michie & Gooty, 2005)” (Kilic & Yavuz, 2021, p. 2) Authentic Leadership is depicted as leaders that are perceived as real and genuine. “In other words, authentic leaders are focused and self-confident individuals who are aware of how their thoughts and behaviors are understood by their followers, know the strengths and weaknesses of themselves and their followers, know their moral perspectives, know the environment in which they work and are, can overcome problems, have optimistic and ethical values (Avolio & Gardner, 2005; Avolio, Gardner, Walumbwa, Luthans & May, 2004)”  (Kilic & Yavuz, 2021, p. 2). There are four components to Authentic Leadership that include: self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and strong moral code. Self-awareness focuses on emotional intelligence which includes emotional awareness, accurate self-assessment, and self-confidence. Self-awareness requires Leaders to actively self-reflect on their behaviors, reactions, strengths and weaknesses, emotions, and feedback. Relational transparency allows Leaders to openly share thoughts with a balanced sense of emotions. This is done by controlling reactions and feelings by maintaining a good balance.  Balanced processing entails actively listening, respond calmly, and are consistent in their behavior. Their ability to react appropriately and calmly consistently allows for positive outcomes. Strong moral code requires consistent decision making and relationship building. A strong moral compass is needed in order to maintain focused and not persuaded by outside factors. “School administrators must exhibit authentic leadership behaviors in order to make teachers self-confident. Organizing in-service training on authentic leadership skills for school administrators is of great importance in terms of acquiring these skills” (Kilic & Yavuz, 2021, p. 16). This article recommends that Authentic Leadership should be used to minimize any resistance of teachers to change and to create new goals for a positive change. 

Reference.

KILIÇ, M. Y., & YAVUZ, M. (2021). The evaluation of authentic leadership in terms of trust in manager and schools’ levels of openness to change. Cukurova University Faculty of Education Journal, 50(2), 1033–1068. https://doi.org/10.14812/cuefd.863251