Transcript The Year of the Curriculum - NUT

The Year of the Curriculum
Dave Peck
CEO
The Curriculum Foundation
Why ‘The Year of the Curriculum’?
•
•
•
•
September 2014
National Curriculum disapplication 2013/14
The global 21st century curriculum race
Shift away from threshold measures to
progress measures
• Abolition of NC levels
• If we don’t overhaul the curriculum now……
What can we achieve today?
The curriculum and…..
• …the national picture
• …the international context
• …planning your aims
• …principles - the school leader’s dilemma
• …marrying school and national curriculum
• …competencies
• …world class principles
How are schools responding?
Unreliable survey results:
Confident ready in time
Audit current content / slot in new NC content
Start from curriculum aims
Assessment integral to curriculum design
Continue to use NC levels / not sure
38% /
Confident new curriculum more engaging than old
59%
43%
16%
40%
59%
41%
Where do we begin?
“Could you detail what you regard
as the essential elements of a 21st
century curriculum for the young
people in this school?”
What do we mean by ‘the curriculum’?
UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education considers three interrelated
dimensions of the curriculum:
• the intended or official curriculum as defined in guidelines, frameworks
and guides that specify what students are expected to learn and should be
able to do;
• the implemented curriculum that is actually taught in the classroom,
including how it is delivered and who teaches it;
• and the attained curriculum that represents what students have actually
learned.
They go on to point out that the challenge is ensuring coherence and
congruence between curriculum policy documents, the actual pedagogical
process and learning outcomes.
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What do we mean by ‘the curriculum’?
The National Curriculum in England:
2.2 The school curriculum comprises all the learning and other
experiences that each school plans for its pupils. The
national curriculum forms one part of the school curriculum.
3.2 …There is time and space in the school day and in each week,
term and year to range beyond the national curriculum
specifications. The national curriculum provides an outline of
core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting
and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’
knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school
curriculum.
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It’s very difficult and very important!
• How many teachers receive curriculum
development training?
• How many develop a curriculum from scratch?
• How many are confused about the definition
of the word ‘curriculum’?
• How can children succeed if the curriculum is
poor?
• What are we doing about it?
The Year of the Curriculum
A curriculum design programme produced in partnership
with the NUT
The programme consists of four modules, each with two units:
What are we
trying to
achieve?
How shall we
organise
learning?
How shall we
evaluate
success?
http://www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/curriculum
How do we
make it
happen?
Year of the Curriculum CPD Conferences:
• Tuesday 25th February, Manchester The
Mechanics' Centre
• Tuesday 4th March, Newcastle Hilton
• Tuesday 11th March, London, NUT HQ: Mander
Hall
• Tuesday 25th March, Exeter, The Rougemont
Hotel by Thistle
Details NUT website
Getting started
Vision
• What
is it
for?
Aims
• What
will it
do?
Values
• What
values
will it
develop?
Principles
• What does
this mean
for the
curriculum?
EVALUATION !!!!
Without a clear vision or aims…
…..how can we know whether we are doing it
right?
…..how can we know what we are getting
wrong?
What do young people need to succeed in the 21st century?
How would you describe a young person who is equipped for life?
Take a couple of minutes to complete your description
Your list will probably include skills, attitudes, qualities, values and dispositions
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There
is no right answer
makes connections
questioning thirst for knowledge
but your description
confident takes risks
independent
undoubtedly includes
some of the
following:
willing to have a go
listens
and reflects
makes a difference
gets on well with others
persevering
generates ideas
literate
critical self-editing
communicates well
self-esteem
creative
shows initiative
compassionate
shaper
respectful
skilled
flexible
curious
‘can do’ attitude
© Curriculum Foundation
acts with integrity
loves learning
learns from mistakes
thinks for themselves
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To what extent does the current
curriculum deliver?
Does the current curriculum……
…. instill the values on your list?
…. develop the attitudes on your list?
…. teach the skills on your list?
…. develop the competencies on your list?
…. prepare young people for the 21st century?
If we express curriculum aims simply in terms of
knowledge, do you think we can prepare our young
people properly for life in the 21st century?
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What does this mean for the
curriculum?
Vision
• What
is it
for?
Aims
• What
will it
do?
More about principles later…..
Values
• What
values
will it
develop?
Principles
• What does
this mean
for the
curriculum?
Curriculum Aims – The Changing National Picture
The new ‘National Curriculum in England Framework’ (September 2013) has only
two paragraphs in section 3 under the heading ‘Aims’:
3.1 The national curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential
knowledge that they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best
that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human
creativity and achievement.
3.2 The national curriculum is just one element in the education of every child.
There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to
range beyond the national curriculum specifications. The national curriculum
provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting
and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge,
understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.
To what extent will these ‘aims’ shape your thinking about your school’s
aims?
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International Perspectives
Where?
Curriculum aims
Australia has ….supporting all young Australians to become successful learners,
committed
confident and creative individuals, and active and informed
to …
citizens.
Alberta,
Canada
….students develop an interrelated set of attitudes, skills and
knowledge that can be drawn upon and applied for successful learning,
work and living
New Zealand Confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners
Hong Kong
….essential life-long learning experiences for whole-person
development in the domains of ethics, intellect, physical development,
social skills and aesthetics …. all students can become active,
responsible and contributing members of society, the nation and the
world
Singapore
….holistically nurturing students to become well-rounded persons morally, intellectually, physically, socially and aesthetically
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Higher Order Thinking
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Objectives has remained a
key element of teacher training since its publication in 1956
Clearly if young people
are to be engaged in
deep learning it is
critical that the
curriculum is designed
to take account of all
levels and not just
memorisation and
recall
Create
Evaluate
Apply
Understand
Remember
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Personal Health Check for Visible Learning (Hattie)
1.
2.
I am actively engaged in, and passionate about teaching and learning
I provide students with multiple opportunities for learning based on
surface and deep thinking
3. I know the learning intentions and success criteria of my lessons and I
share these with students
4. I am open to learning and actively learn myself
5. I have a warm and caring classroom climate in which errors are welcome
6. I seek regular feedback from my students
7. My students are actively involved in knowing about their learning (that is
they are assessment capable)
8. I can identify progression in learning across multiple curricular levels in
my student work and activities
9. I have a wide range of teaching strategies in my day to day teaching
repertoire
10. I use evidence of learning to plan the next learning steps with students
Which of these is dependent on a learner-centred approach?
To what extent can a teacher be effective teaching a ‘traditional’ curriculum?
Impact on International Standards
• “PISA tests students’ ability to apply
their learning to think critically, solve
problems and make judgements”
• “Japan responded by moving away
from a narrow knowledge-based
curriculum and to focus more on skills
and broader understanding”
Andreas Schleicher
Division Head OECD i/c PISA
So if the curriculum is to improve the nation’s performance in PISA tests it
must have a strong focus on the higher levels of learning not just knowledge
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December 2013
Nation’s kids top fields in PISA tests
For the first time ever, Japanese 15 year-olds topped the list in
reading and science performance in an international academic
survey last year covering 34 developed countries, according to
data released Tuesday by the OECD.
Japanese students also performed send best in Math in the
triennial study…..
Who said this?
“Right wing critics of education want
children to be lectured for six hours a
day in serried ranks”
Sir Michael Wilshaw
January 2014
The ‘Traditional’ Approach
"Education is not
filling a bucket,
but lighting a
fire."
W. B. Yeats
The School Leader’s Dilemma
Every child must have the knowledge
to pass their examinations. THAT is
what the National Curriculum is all
about and THAT is the priority in our
school.
To survive in the global economy of
today, our young people need the
skills to continue to learn throughout
their lives. We must produce
confident, employable young adults
who can make their way in the world.
The debate in your own school….
Every school is positioned somewhere along this continuum with
respect to its interpretation of the curriculum. Where is your
school now and where do you want it to be?
Subject knowledge
Subjects Plus
All Planned Experiences
All-inclusive
How will your school’s belief with respect to the scope of the
curriculum be reflected in curriculum aims and values?
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The school curriculum and the
National Curriculum
School
Curriculum
National
Curriculum
Maintained schools since 1988
National Curriculum
Where’s the silver lining?
How much ‘school curriculum’ can
be created and how will it be used
for the benefit of learners?
National
School Curriculum
Curriculum
National
Curriculum
National
Curriculum
What should we do with the school
curriculum?
Personalisation
School
Curriculum
Excite imagination
World history
National
Curriculum
PSHE /
Citizenship
Aims
Hopefulness
Drama
Big ideas
Learners interests and
talents
Skills and competences for
learning and life
Sense of agency
Environment and sustainability
Creativity
Relevance
Local curriculum
Many high performing countries
have a set of competencies at the
heart of their curriculum.
New Zealand
Key Competencies
• Critical thinking and problem
solving
• Using languages, symbols and texts
• Managing self
• Relating to others
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Singapore
21st Century Competencies
• Decision making
• Critical and media skills
• Information and communication skills
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South Korea
Student Competencies
• critical thinking and problem solving
• communication
• innovation and creativity
• investigation
• co-operation
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There is no one ‘right’ set of competencies. Different
countries have different sets – but there is a similarity
around:
•
•
•
•
Critical thinking – problem solving
Working co-operatively
Communicating well
Innovation - creativity
The current English Secondary National Curriculum has the
6 ‘Personal, learning and thinking skills” (PLTS). The neverimplemented Rose Primary Curriculum had the “Essentials
of Learning and Life”. The new English National Curriculum
does not include competencies – so, given their importance
internationally, you might like to develop your own as a
school.
Perhaps this what the time and space is for?
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Whose Curriculum Is It?
Working with Stakeholders
Which competencies?
Many schools work with their stakeholders
to think through what should be in the
curriculum. So who should be consulted?
Teachers – the trained professionals?
Employers – those in need of able and
skilled future employees?
Parents – who need to be confident of the
appropriateness of the curriculum and
informed enough to support children’s
learning?
Governors – with overall responsibility for
the quality of the curriculum?
Students – whom we hope will be inspired
by the curriculum?
This is a matter for each school to decide
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Working with Stakeholders Case Study
A school began to question how appropriate its
curriculum was for all of its young people. This led to
fundamental questions about the purposes and aims
of the curriculum and the school’s values.
Consultation events were organised when parents,
governors, teachers and employers, in mixed groups,
discussed the purpose of the curriculum and
produced ‘stick man’ descriptions of the ideal
outcomes for a student in the 21st century.
The results shaped the school’s aims and values as
well as the key attitudes, skills and competences.
There was universal agreement that the time spent
represented a sound investment.
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World Class Curriculum Principles
Curriculum Foundation colleagues have worked on curriculum designs in many
countries and have often been asked what a truly world class curriculum would look
like.
No two schools are the same and therefore the design process inevitably produces
principles which differ from one school to the next. Hence there is no blueprint, no
‘one size fits all’ set of curriculum principles.
However, there are common features which every curriculum should have if it is to
prepare our young people for success in the 21st century global economy.
From these common features, the Foundation has developed a set of ten World
Class Curriculum principles, grouped into four domains.
The document A World Class Curriculum – The Principles is available from the
Foundation website.
These principles are offered here to show how a set of curriculum principles might
be expressed and presented and NOT as the right answer!
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Organising Your Curriculum Principles
The process by which you arrive at your own set of curriculum
principles is for you and your colleagues to decide but you may
wish to categorise the principles into domains in a similar way.
Curriculum designers certainly find it easier to take account of
principles if they are grouped into categories.
Take a look at the four domains:
Values, aims and
principles
Key competencies
for learning and
The world’s major
branches of
Community, local,
national and
life
learning
global contexts
Consider a traditional, examination-focussed curriculum. To
what extent would you expect each of the four domains to be
represented?
Is there an appropriate balance of these four domains in your
school’s current curriculum?
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Auditing Your Curriculum
Also available on the Foundation website is the World Class
Curriculum audit: Click here
Schools can use this audit tool to RAG rate* the curriculum
against each of the ten principles.
Many schools have used the audit as a starting point for their
curriculum development process but it can be used at any stage,
including at this point to cross-check or quality assure draft
school principles.
Colleagues have reported that it leads to deep and valuable
conversations and helps schools on the path to developing a
quality curriculum.
*RAG rating: Red = not met; Amber = partially met; Green = fully met
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"Education is not
filling a bucket,
but lighting a
fire."