INTRODUCTION
Curriculum change presents teachers, school and board of management with a unique opportunity to engage in professional development, improve learning outcomes, and prepare children for the challenges and opportunities of the future. The task of curriculum implementation is complex: it requires in-school management teams, principal and board of management to lead the implementation of change in the school as an organization. Curriculum change takes place in the classroom and it involves teachers translating curriculum documents into practice, embracing new teaching programmes and methodologies, and providing a broader range of learning experiences for their pupils.
CURRICULUM AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
AIMS
- All students know what they need to achieve to succeed in life
- Staff and students have high expectations and strive for excellence
- Learning and teaching takes place in a safe and purposeful environment
- Students are encouraged to have enquiring minds and seek opportunities to become global citizens
- Staff challenge and support students’ path to success
OBJECTIVES
- Creative and flexible approaches to learning and teaching
- Offering an innovative curriculum developed with the aspirations and interests of the student at the centre
- Making effective use of ICT and new technologies to motivate and inspire students
- Nurturing close partnerships with local and international organizations, giving students a wide range of opportunities to experience the world of work
CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
Curriculum design is a very important part of creating a contextually relevant and responsive teaching and learning environment for both teachers and students. the curriculum contains the knowledge, skills and competencies that students need to master in order to move to the next level in their studies, and academic teachers who are tasked with teaching this curriculum should, therefore, ensure that the curriculum is up to date, relevant, interesting and stimulating for students.
The approach to curriculum development, design and renewal at ST.ELIZABETH PUBLIC SCHOOL is underpinned in part by social constructivist approaches to student learning, and to teaching. The principle concept we work with is that of ‘constructive alignment’. Simply put, this means that each module or course – each curriculum – must have clear learning aims or outcomes for students to achieve, and these must align with relevant and appropriate teaching and learning activities through which students can come to learn and master the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies. Further, the assessment tasks and methods must align with the outcomes and activities, so that students actively use what they have learnt to demonstrate their achievement of the stated outcomes. And finally, there needs to be evaluation that enables students and lecturers to reflect meaningfully on the curriculum as a whole, which can and should form part of ongoing processes of curriculum alignment
The curriculum is presented in five areas of learning, some of which are further subdivided into subjects. These are outlined in Fig. 1.1.
CLASS |
AREAS OF LEARNING |
|||||||||
| LANGUAGE | MATH | EVS | IT | DL | ||||||
| ENG | MAL | HIN | MATH | EVS | IT | DL | ||||
| I | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
| II | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
| III | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
| IV | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
| V | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
|
|
ENG | MAL | HIN | MATH | PHY | CHE | BIO | SOCIAL | IT | DL |
| VI | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| VII | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| VIII | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
Fig: 1.1
Each subject area is presented in two booklets:
- A curriculum statement, which outlines a range of objectives and learning experiences that pupils will be enabled to undertake. The curriculum for each subject area is presented for each class level. The objectives are outlined in such a way that pupils will be enabled to develop progressively a wide range of concepts, skills and understandings appropriate to their age and stage of development.
- Teacher guidelines, which provide guidance on school planning, organizational aspects associated with each subject area, and classroom planning. Exemplar lessons are provided to assist school in the exploration of a variety of approaches and methodologies distinctive to each subject.
CARRICULUM PLANNING
The fundamental purpose of School Development Planning is to ensure that all students experience a quality education appropriate to their needs in a changing world. Its key focus is the enhancement of student learning. Curriculum may be defined as the full range of learning experiences encountered by the students. Clearly, then, curriculum planning is central to School Development Planning.
CURRICULUM DISSEMINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
Educational change involves changing teachers’ beliefs and understanding as a prerequisite to improving teaching practices. Research indicates that teachers require a thorough understanding of the meaning of educational change before there is an acceptance and adoption of new programmesand approaches. Curriculum change requires in-school management team, principal and board of management to lead the implementation of change in the school as an organization. Effective curriculum change and implementation requires time, personal interaction, in-service training, and other forms of people-based support (Fullan, 1993). St.Elizabeth Public School Public School devised a range of initiatives and programmes of professional development of our students.
The English language proficiency Programme
The English Language Proficiency Programme(ELPP) was established in order to improve the English language proficiency of our students. Its purpose is to evaluate the communication skills of our students, make different activities to improvetheir proficiency in English and to implement it in our school. The core task of the ELPPis to facilitate the professional development by improving excellent communication skills among students.
As part of its dissemination and support strategy the ELPP developed.
- Flash Card Programme: Through this programme students will be able to develop the English vocabulary and also constructing sentences as well.
- English pronunciation programme: Through the help of digital equipments, we are training students to speak English in its exact pronunciation by a specific tool called IPA –International Phonetic Alphabet.
The Science exploration Programme
Science is both a body of knowledge that represents current understanding of natural systems and the process whereby that body of knowledge has been established and is being continually extended, refined, and revised. Both elements are essential: one cannot make progress in science without an understanding of both. Likewise, in learning science one must come to understand both the body of knowledge and the process by which this knowledge is established, extended, refined, and revised.St.Elizabeth Public School has introduced different programmes that help students to explore science.
- Little Flower research programme: This programme provides students to understand more about scientific research and gives opportunity to take part in it.
- Little Flower science exhibition: This annual exhibition programme enables students to develop their innovative ideas into reality. This programme covers all the fields of science such as chemical sciences, physical sciences, biological sciences, information technology and mathematics.
Little Flower digital education programme
Digital learning is replacing traditional educational methods more and more each day. With how rapidly classrooms are changing, it is best to forget methods you may remember from when you were in school and start thinking about newer teaching and learning techniques based on digital learning tools and technologies. We have installed educational software to make the student comfort for better understanding and also we have a digital language lab to improve students’ proficiency in English. The educational software we use is:
- Smart classroom software
COLLABORATIVE CURRICULUM PLANNING
Collaborative curriculum planning should take place within the broader context of personalized planning that includes interventions and other supports to address identified student learning and support needs. This involves a team who has significant knowledge and understanding of the student. The team comprises parents/careers, teachers and other significant individuals in the student’s life. It also includes the student themselves. The curriculum ofSt.Elizabeth Public School has been collaboratively planned with inputs from all the stakeholders
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
The comprehensive planning process facilitates communication and collaboration ,promote the sharing of resources and effective practices ,and ensures that all stakeholders are working to meet common goals for the benefit of the students.
LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM PLANNING
- Comprehensive planning for instruction is undertaken in the school. Both long term and short term plans are prepared.
- The teacher will have to plan the learning activities to be provided to the pupils and at the same time bear two things in mind-the objectives as well as teaching points.
Linearity and progression
The curriculum in St.Elizabeth Public School progresses sequentially from one level to another, both in terms of content and skills in all subject areas, ensuring no learning gaps.
PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION (CATERING TO DIVERSE LEASRNING STYLES, NEEDS AND INTERESTS)
The school has a mission of helping every student reach his/her full potential. However teachers often find students in a classroom showing much diversity in their needs and interests. Students differ a lot in their motivation, priorknowledge and skills, learning styles and multiple intelligences, interests and backgrounds. Teachersneed to value each student as an individual capable of making progress.
PROGRESSIVE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING
Students are disciplined and well behaved .they are alert and paying attention to teacher. Student oriented teaching method will be effective for the overall improvement of students.The curriculum plan includes specific strategies, resources and assessment ideas for inclusion and is student-centered and reflects awareness of progressive educational ideas and pedagogical practices.
INTER-DISCIPLINARY LEARNING
At St.Elizabeth Public School, we conduct different inter-disciplinary programmes and activities to develop overall knowledge of students such as inter-disciplinary research and seminars.
21st CENTURY SKILLS
21st Century skills are 12 abilities that today’s students need to succeed in their careers during the Information Age.
21st Century skills are:
- Critical thinking
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Information literacy
- Media literacy
- Technology literacy
- Flexibility
- Leadership
- Initiative
- Productivity
- Social skills
These skills are intended to help students keep up with the lightning-pace of today’s modern markets. Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but they all have one quality in common.
IMPLEMENTATION
A comprehensive curriculum design should include ongoing assessment and a clear record of progress. This will ensure that teaching procedures will be consistent and continuous. This consistency and continuity will in turn ensure that the planned programmes will match the actual progress of the children.St.Elizabeth Public School public school has a systematic procedure to ensure that the curriculum is implemented in a planned manner.
REVIEW AND MONITORING
Meetings, convened by the teachers, to be held among the teaching team at the end of each each term. Liaison between the Learning Support teacher and each class teacher of special needs students to occur at the request of the Learning support teacher Meetings between teachers and the principal to be held at the end of each term.
REVISION AND MODIFICATION
Revision and modification in curriculum take place in accordance with the decision of staff and review meeting.
CONCLUSION
To ensure the quality of education, St.Elizabeth Public School has actively involved in curriculum development and implementation. Curriculum development involves the following steps:
- Identifying the learning needs of the children
- Setting priorities in these learning needs for curriculum development
- Searching and retrieving resources from within and outside the school
- Designing curriculum programmes
- Implementing curriculum programmes
- Evaluating the effectiveness of curriculum programmes
- Making adaptations to curriculum programme