Your+views+Jenna+07

Your Views
What do **//you//** think should be in the curriculum?

Please use your name as a subheading and ensure you include a justification of your view

I believe that the curriculum needs to change and evolve to suit society, ensuring it includes subjects and information that are relevant to the current world and its people. By informing students at a young age of the challenges and issues facing todays world, students can be informed about the world around them, giving them the ability to develop themselves into active citizens within their communities who are informed about their society. Students should be taught in the areas which are seen as essential in todays ever changing and developing world. As with the current curriculum, I believe that litearcy and numeracy should be at the core of all teaching, as they are areas which can link in with other subjects. Litearcy is an integral part of day to day life, hence why it requires a large ammount of attention at school. It is essential that all individuals can read, write and spell in order to involve themselves in day to day society.As with literacy, numeracy is also an integral part of life. Children are taught from their earliest years to count, order numbers, recognise number groups etc. Numbers will be something they deal with for the remainder of their lives, even after leaving school.
 * Katie Newman**

There are other subject areas included in today’s curriculum, however I feel that these subjects should be just as important as English and numeracy. Science is an essential topic to be studied at school, but it needs to be taught in a way in which children can learn to incorporate and associate parts of it with their life outside of the science classroom. ICT is another key area in which today’s students need to develop skills. Today’s society is centred on technology, with constant use of the internet for educational purposes. ICT is a current area of the curriculum, however I think more attention should be payed to such a subject. Art is, at present included in the curriculum, however I feel that it should play a larger role in day to day education. At current children attend art class one day a week, for in most cases around an hour. During these arts classes the children are exposed to a wide range of artistic techniques and are given the opportunity to explore these many art forms. However, I feel that the art curriculum should ensure that art is included in the ordinary classrooms of both early and late primary settings. This art work should also tie in with other curriculum areas, such as literacy and numeracy. Other areas which I believe should be included in the curriculum include those relevant to today’s society. One topic which should be an integral part of the curriculum is indigenous studies; a topic relevant to today’s world. I also believe that the curriculum should include subjects which focus on the emotional and social development of students. Helping them to learn to deal with emotions, both good and bad and building social skills which will allow all students to participate actively in society. Children should finally be taught to recognise and develop a link between different subject areas. Art should link in with literacy and so on.

My thoughts about what should be taught at school. (Emma Callanan)

I think that: mathematics, literacy, science, history, geography, information technology, health and well being and the arts should be taught from Kindergarten to Grade 10. Home economics, design and technology and additional languages should be taught as option subjects. I believe that at primary schools many subjects can be taught as inclusive units or blocks of work, by covering one subject, i.e. the weather – children can study mathematics, art, geography and literacy while all being related and interlinked.

Mathematics – must be taught as maths us everywhere in today’s society, if you cannot count you cannot buy groceries, pay bills, pay rent and many other things.

Literacy – children need to be able to read and write to articulate as successful human beings in society. Literacy should cover the use of communication by various mediums for example: poetry, books, e-mails, the internet, television.

Science, History and geography – children need to have the basic understanding of science to be able to understand the world and how the world and we function and if we do not know our past then we cannot plan and be successful in our future. History is who we were and who we will be.

Information technology – in today’s modern and fast paced society children need to be aware and understand the technology around them.

Health and Wellbeing and the arts – children learn confidence and social interaction. They need to know how to stay healthy, what to eat and how to exercise. Music helps develop mathematical skills and drama and dance link closely in with literacy.

Society is moving forward and so should our education. We cannot expect that children now will be taught the same as what children were taught 10 or 20 years ago. Advances in technology, science, mathematics and health have all moved on and so should our curriculum to reflect this. Having said this I do think that children must be able to read, write, spell and have good number skills.

My Views Belinda Vallerine

I totally agree with the girls above comments and think that both these approaches are what is needed for a balanced curriculum. I would have a large emphasis on Literacy, Numeracy and ICT as this is clearly how our society is evolving in the year 2000. I still today see students by the time they reach year 11 and 12 who cannot spell and have difficulty in reading and it is really upsetting to see. I would like to see that this is caught at the right time ie primary school and that no children slip through the gaps.

Young children embrace technology so well that I think that this also should be high on the list, as lets face it thank god for computers with the save and delete function! Can any of us dare think what it would be like to type a uni assignment on one of those old cruddy typewriters! Technology takes us so far and helps us performs our jobs quicker. Students are engaged with technology all the time and interested so we should utilise it.

Things I particularly see missing in my own children's curriculum is an art teacher - they do some art but not to the length I would like see. I have fond memories of finger painting and clay making in primary school and none of my children have done this at school. A language would be also of great benefit and whilst they learn a little about other countries a language is missing from their current curriculum and as indicated before in my previous post on this Wiki it had great benefits for K. Rudd. The last one is cooking and gardening I have seen some wonderful UTube videos on how children incorporate what they grow and utilise this in the classroom by cooking the fresh produce. I thought this was a great idea and it might even get my kids eating vegies! What wonderful learning benefits could be had by incorporating this type of thing in the classroom. The list is endless, such as the 5 senses and life skills such as cooking. I am sure that with a cross curriculum much of our views on curriculum could be covered.

What do I think should be in the curriculum? - Jarrod O'Donnell-Adams

The goal of any school should be to assist in producing young adults that are ready for the outside world, fully equipped with the required skills to negotiate a life in what is and will continue to become an increasingly complex society. I say assist because I don’t think that the school alone is responsible for the success or otherwise of a student but also parental input and to a lesser degree society as a whole. There must be particular focus paid to the much-discussed maths and literacy that have already become the foundations of the Australian National Draft Curriculum. As life becomes further entwined with technology our children must be able to function as fully literate and numerate individuals into adulthood. However, literacy and numeracy are not the only skills required to navigate through life. I believe that society has much to learn from history and to this end believe that this must also be included in the curriculum, looking at current events though the historical prism helps people to better understand them and extrapolate expected results from those events. Individuals with scientific understanding will be more curious about the world around them and not only be more willing to inquire, investivate and reach personal conclusions but will better understand their own health situations and therefore be able to take more ownership of their own health destiny. As we progress further into a society integrated with technology the use of this technology should run parallel to the learning of other subjects so that their use becomes second nature. The arts should also be taught to help young individuals discover their freedom of expression and confidence. Central to all learning I believe should be a method of pedagogy that integrates everything, resulting in a curriculum that gives children a holistic learning experience. One that assists children to understand their place in the world and how they can best apply their learning to the outside world with relevance to their experiences. This may mean teaching social programmes alongside more traditional subjects with an aim to produce young adults with resilience, confidence, an ability to communicate and skills to independently learn long after formal schooling is complete.

I strongly believe that students need to be exposed and involved in social and emotional activities. This can be incorporated into many subjects with encouraging students to participate in developing positive relationships with their peers through working cooperative together in group activities. Having the necessary social and emotional development and skills extends throughout all other subjects. The student embraces the confidence and initiative to express their curiosity and creativity and the skills to develop friendships on different levels. They will not be afraid of asking questions and thus ability to learn. English (reading and writing) is definitely one of the most important subjects to have in the school curriculum as it is the main ability to be independent through the community. Mathematics also plays a great part in the every day-to-day way of life. We use it to pay our bills to follow a budget and when going to the supermarket to buy our food. Not knowing the basic mathematical skills puts you in a very vulnerable position. Science is a great opportunity to express curiosity and the ability to ask questions. It creates fun and excitement with getting the mind thinking and problem solving. Science is all around us and enables the student to get involved in the environment around them. Geography and History I feel defiantly needs to be taught to students but it needs to be exciting to them. I can recall my experience with this subject and remember it being boring and learnt very briefly. Students need to be taught about our own history to more detail, to give them the ability to understand the future of Australia. Health and Well Being should be incorporated into the curriculum with encouraging and guiding students to explore there own interests and abilities in sports. With more children and teenagers spending extreme amount of time on the computer games and watching television this gives them the opportunity to physical exercise they simply do not get at home. Healthy nutrition options needs to be explained and implemented into the school canteens as well. Arts and Music can be a very exciting and rewarding experience for children of all ages, giving the encouragement and praises to enhance self confidence to express them selves emotionally. Children of the future will most certainly need ICT skills to be apart of society. Technology is progressing at a fast rate and if a child is exposed to ICT in their early years they are most likely to have the confidence to exceed and progress academically and socially. Basically each child is unique and has there own abilities and interests. As a teacher I hope that I will incorporate the core subjects of the curriculum and to be able to expand and encourage each child’s curiosity and creativity to get them to reach their potential.
 * Karina Frank**
 * __What do I think should be in the curriculum?__**

Unfortunately for me I'm posting after some very insightful student's and I feel like I want to say "ditto" to much of what I've read above. I think I am very much a product of my generational education experience, I was born in 1966 and although I don't remember ever really thinking about a curriculum at school I definitely felt that I was learning in a very structured way, that I was following a well-travelled path that many before me had walked and that I was expected to progress from point to point along this path and was able to do so quite easily. In hindsight I believe my education was a very good one. I was given a broad range of skills, allowed to extend depth of knowledge in areas of interest (particularly in grades 9 and 10 when I had some choice over subjects) and felt I came out of my education with a fairly good, rounded view of the world and understanding of where I fit into society. I think that there will always be a strong need for "the basics" in any curriculum, to equip students with adequate literacy and numeracy skills, to develop a well rounded view of society and the world we live in both intellectually and physically (ie geography), to allow children to explore the arts in all their forms, to allow students to think and research for themselves and becoming productive members of society. Science and information technology are also vital. Within that framework though I strongly believe that individual states, regions, schools and even teachers should be able to alter their teaching methods to reflect what is happening in their immediate environment. I think though given our current times we need to start focussing more on our inner health, our relationships, our happiness and our life goals. I'm not quite sure what I would call these subjects, but with childhood obesity, youth suicide, large numbers of children disengaging from the school system and our adult health and societal problems I believe that this generation needs to be equipped to not only deal with the current and developing situations but to be prepared for a future that we don't even know how to begin to imagine. As a parent, I really just want my child to be happy and average. Sometimes I'm appalled at the average part of that, but really anything more than that is a bonus. I don't know yet what unique skills and interests he may have or develop, what areas might intrigue or delight him, but I would want him to experience a curriculum that exposes him to possibilities, equipping him with the basic skills to prepare him for life and then offering him the chance to extend himself in areas of interest.
 * __What do I think should be in the curriculum? Erin Bowerman.__**

My thoughts about the curriculum and what should be taught- Simon Moore I agree with a lot of the previous posts about what should be taught in schools. (what a cop out...) I think that the areas defined in the Tasmanian Curriculum are a good representation of what is important and current for students in 2010. I think that the areas of English, Maths, Science and History, Health and Wellbeing, The Arts and Voactional & Applied Learning with the areas of ICT and Thinking are a good starting point for students. ICT especially is ever evolving and becomes increasingly important to be a functional member of society. I think that everything taught in schools is able to be applied into one or more of these areas. I also think that the concept of sustainability in schools and the AuSSi-Tas initiative is an important cross curricular perspective.

Although I haven't read through all areas of the Tasmanian Curriculum, there does seem to be flexibilty both in what can be taught as a part of each subject area and in the stage/assessment level for individual students. I wonder if the national curriculum which is soon to be implemented is going to be as successful as some current state models and is going to allow teachers the flexibility they need to be effective teachers of the individuals in their class. I have discussed this with a number of teachers in my educational setting and they seem fairly synical about the changes. Most have seen a number of curriculums implemented, outdated and replaced over the course of their careers and view this future change with an air of inevitability and indifference. From what I have read of the draft national curriculum, I think that the subject areas are to specific with what should be taught at what grade and there is not enough regard for individuality of students, classes and schools in different communities around the country. What about students who are "behind" (the curriculum) either developmentally or with their learning? What about students who are above the average standard for that grade and how can they be challenged?

I think that every students should be given a chance to develop their strengths and weaknesses in a supportive environment. All students have areas of school life that they are good at or find easy. A wide range of experiences involving academic, physical and social learning will ensure students can explore what they enjoy, what they find difficult and what they are good at. For that reason I think that it is important for academic curriculum staples like English, History, Maths and Science taught with an appropriate context for that school/community and balanced with physical and social learning experiences like Life skills: How to have an active and healthy lifestyle, how to grow and prepare your own food, how to create and maintain relationships and personal development (how to deal with emotions, self belief, confidence) Community/social skills like: Basic design, planning and construction skills, cultural awareness across the curriculum (food, language, music, geography etc.) how to be a member of a group/team, local history, people, places and awareness of current community/social problems & Environmental skills like: awareness of current local and international enviornmental issues, how to be responsible for the environment etc. Whilst most of these activities are not new, I would like them to be approached in a more hands on way that gives all students regardless of academic or developmental level a chance to be engaged.

The other question about the current curriculum (both national and state) is at what age do we encourage students to realise and follow their interests? Currently high school students can choose some of their subjects and at college, students choose all their own subjects based around their interests and future career aspirations. Without putting at risk educational basics like literacy and numeracy, why shouldn't primary school and early high school students be given an opportunity to choose learning experiences that interest or engage them? Obviously the experiences would be lead by a specialist teacher or community expert and may only be for one session a week and perhaps last for half a year so that two areas can be explored during the year. Cookery, woodwork, farmwork, computing, pottery, music, sewing & knitting, gardening, politics, construction, metalwork, sustainability, community service, painting etc. Students would be consulted about what their interests are and then given options depending on what is age appropriate. Elements of design, planning, creating, maintaining, safety and presentation would all be presented in each learning experience which would engage all students especially those which feel disinterested and disengaged with conventional academic learning.

English, mathematics, science, history and the arts are the subjects which I think should be at the core of every curriculum.
 * My Views on Curriculum (Simon Calvert) **

I believe that we need good reading and writing skills in order to communicate, we need maths for problem solving and day to day money issues, we need science to gain an understanding of life, the organisms around us and how they interact, we need history to give us an understanding of our country and culture, and we need the arts to help give us a voice to express our inner creative side and to tie all the other subjects together.

A lot of the students which I interviewed about the current curriculum suggested that more life skill classes should be included in the new curriculum. I agree with this and think there should be more classes for primary school students aimed at teaching cooking, building and other practical skills which could make students more independent later in life. I also thought health, environmental science and philosophy were important subjects that could have more emphasis placed on them in the new curriculum.

For obvious reasons health is an important subject to include. All you have to do is turn on the radio and you’ll hear some new statistic about Australia’s health crisis. I think a health curriculum aimed at healthy eating and making exercise fun is important as our nation’s obesity epidemic continues. An effective way of educating students about drug and alcohol abuse would also be important.

With all the talk of global warming and carbon emissions I think it would be a good idea to have an environmental class included in the school curriculum. This subject would help the younger students understand all the terminology and science behind what we are doing to the world. As with most things, the first step towards a cure is to help raise awareness. If each student could practice one environmentally friendly activity we could start making a difference.

Last but not least I think philosophy is a subject which should be included in the curriculum. There seems to be diminishing levels of respect and tolerance in the world we live in. There seems to be wars, murders and ‘bogans’ all over the place. Being disrespectful seems to have become a fashion. If we could teach equality and open-mindedness to future students maybe they’ll realise it’s much nicer to live in a friendly country.

**Liam Batchelor** There are a large amount of equally important topics and skills which deserve places in the curriculum, all competing for time and attention in the classroom. Academic skills, practical skills, social skills, arts, and physical education are all areas that are vital for children to grow into healthy, intelligent, productive, and socially adept adults. Ultimately, not every area can be given the attention that it may otherwise deserve. As tempting as it is to stuff a huge amount of content into the curriculum, it must remain reasonable in terms of what a teacher will be able to deliver. It must also be flexible, to allow teachers time to provide lessons which may be beyond the standard curriculum guidelines. Finding a balance is crucial in providing an effective and well-rounded education for students. Some subjects are inevitably more important than others. For example, literacy and numeracy are widely acknowledged to be two of the most essential academic elements in primary and secondary education. Of course I agree – literacy is especially important, as it forms the foundation of all future learning and communication. The other traditional academic subjects, such as sciences and humanities, all have very necessary areas which are essential to understanding the world around us, and our place in it. The arts are important for developing appreciation of culture, imagination, and talents beyond the academic. Health and physical wellbeing are extremely important for very obvious reasons, especially in the modern world of fast food and sedentary pastimes. I think that one thing that must be kept in mind, is that any curriculum must not be rigid and inflexible. There must always be sufficient leeway for teachers to be able to relate lessons to local circumstances or irregular events. The former is vital for students at the primary level who should have lessons that they can relate to their local environment, and the latter is important for opportunities at all grade levels to study events such as elections while they are taking place. Teachers must also have the flexibility to adapt what is taught to the needs of individual students – this is particularly important for students with special needs who struggle with standard curriculum approaches. On the other hand, the specifications in the curriculum cannot be too loose – they must safeguard against children being under-educated and not developing necessary life skills, forced into a single perspective, encouraging discriminatory practices, or being taught things that are blatantly untrue. There is also a growing awareness of the need for “asymmetrical” learning pathways, beyond the structure of strictly traditional subject areas. For example the Sustainability element, a “cross-curricula perspective” encompassing all areas of the Tasmanian Curriculum, provides strong environmental awareness. I believe that these asymmetrical approaches will become increasingly important, rather than less so, in the complexity of the modern world and social contexts. Developing a focus on social interaction and collaboration amongst peers should also be part of the curriculum (where applicable), not simply part of individual teaching styles. Through their education, children should be actively encouraged to form social relationships and learn to work well within groups. I also believe that education which transcends traditional gender roles or stereotypes is essential in developing the principles of fundamental equality of all people. A key component of curriculum is identifying what is essential, as opposed to what is merely desirable, and determining when it is suitable to begin offering non-essential elective options to students to diversify their learning pathways. The introduction of formalised education for more practical skills, such as Home Economics which provides essential skills for independent living, is typically addressed at the secondary level. This seems to be a reasonable stage for their introduction, from both developmental and practical perspectives. Encompassing all of the above, the curriculum must integrate all of the elements into a single, cohesive structure focused on the best interests of the student. It must be progressive and forward-looking, taking inspiration from “tried and true” methods of the past, but not beholden to them. “Back to Basics” approaches should not ignore the decades of progress in educational research and social development that have occurred since the “basics” were first established.