Prompt:
[Curriculum Policy and the Politics of What Should Be Learned in Schools]: Although curriculum is a fundamental part of the framework of schooling, curriculum decisions and choices are shaped in large measure by other considerations—ideology, personal values, issues in the public domain, and interests. Curriculum decisions are often part of a much larger public debate that often extends beyond education to larger questions of public goods.
[The Saskatchewan Way: Professional-Led Curriculum Development]: Curriculum is complicated. At first glance, one might think that curriculum is just a set of documents to be taught to students. However, as you delve deeper and consider everything that is taught and learned in a classroom, curriculum becomes much more involved … Curriculum is ‘a complicated system of interpretation, interactions, transmissions – planned and unplanned’. Curriculum is complicated – particularly when examined within its relationship with teaching.

Many people, such as teachers and parents and the general public, would agree that curriculum decisions should be informed by teachers and students; they are the ones involved in following the curriculum and using it daily. But to what end? Is curriculum just what is being taught in schools? As Levin describes, curriculum goes beyond just that, and involves questions of public good. A belief that curriculum is not political is unhelpful, “because it takes attention away from the reality that politics is the primary process through which public policy decisions are made,” (Levin, 2008). So understanding how politics and policy is involved in shaping curriculum is essential. Then the question is what do we base our curriculum decisions on? Levin’s article shows us that it is more than the opinion of teachers, students, parents and school, and also includes research, general public opinion, and what the government deems important. That is to say, it’s more important that curriculum decisions focus on what governments believe will help get them elected or re-elected, and less about what research might show or what might actually be “right”. The opinions held by the general public, including educators, might be widely misinformed or have no basis on what is good for moving forward in our education system. As Levin says, “[p]eople’s own school experience, whether primarily positive or negative, deeply affects their views about education policy,” (2008). Therefore, when considering curriculum, it is important to understand just how much public opinion will factor into policy decisions.

However it is clear that many are unsatisfied with current methods of curriculum development. It is important to consider that while the scope curriculum may encompass more than the classroom, its development should certainly be professionally-led. Teachers should be at the forefront of its development as they are the ones striving to implement it. Saskatchewan teachers, “have the experience, knowledge and capability to lead system-wide curriculum renewal efforts” (STF Document). However, as discussed above, policy and politics are too important to be ignored and research and public opinion must also be included in curriculum development. Many factors will go into what is included in the curriculum; as the curriculum encompasses far more than what is taught in the classroom, so too will the decisions made surrounding it.

Cited:
Levin, B. (2008). Curriculum policy and the politics of what should be learned in schools. In F. Connelly, M. He & J. Phillion (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of curriculum and instruction (pp. 7 – 24). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. Available on-line from: http://www.corwin.com/upm-data/16905_Chapter_1.pdf.

The Saskatchewan Way: Professional-Led Curriculum Development. Available on-line from: https://www.stf.sk.ca/sites/default/files/the_saskatchewan_way_professional_led_curriculum_development.pdf