CHAPTER 8

TEACHERS AS CURRICULUM LEADERS

This chapter discusses significant and various ideas that explore the important role of reachers as
curriculum leaders. In rhe previous chapter, teachers are included in the list of curriculum workers that
implement a curriculum. In this chapter, it suggests that teacher's role in curriculum is not limited to
curriculum implemenration. It also includes various curriculum leadershiproles. In this chapter, you will;

• duscuss the key roles of teachers leaders in curriculum processes.

• discuss the importance of teachers as curriculum leaders in planning and evaluating instruction;

• discuss the roles of teachers as curriculum leaders in the K-12 Education Program and;

• identify ways to develop teacher leaders in curriculum.

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Key Roles of Teachers as Leaders in Curriculum Processes

Teachers play an important role in almost all activities related to curriculum processes. They are the chief
implementers of the curriculum as they are directly involved in the teaching and learning process. They
are the catalyst of the development of individuals and societies. They have a strong passion for mission
to make positive difference in the lives of students. They see themselves as key sources of knowledge
and developers of skills and values that are important for human life. Teachers are curriculum leaders in
education system.

Curriculum leadership can be simply defined as set of important roles activities that teach teacher does
in relation to curriculum planning, curriculum design, curriculum implementation, and curriculum
evaluation. In curriculum leadership, teachers are expected to innovate and develop curriculum that are
relevant and responsive to the needs and context of the learbers. They serve as education ambassadors
to different stakeholders and they are advocates of various curricular reforms.

Teachers as curriculum leaders share the vision and mission of the whole country on education. They are
shapers of positive educational environment and they are guardians of eduaction values. They are
visionaries and effective problem-solvers. They develop visions of a great societyand use education as a
tool for accomplishing this vision. They study social issues, needs, and, demands; they respond carefully
to the needsand interest of the students; and they are creatively solve problems related to teaching and
learning.
As curriculum learners, they are professionals working with different social agencies and various
stakeholders to improve quality of education and to make the curriculum more relevant and responsive
and to ensureeffective and efficient implementation of curriculum, curriculum reforms, and curriculum
policies. Teachers as curriculum leadersensure that the rights of every learner in education are
protected.

Some learners, however, have difficulties seeing themselves as curriculum leaders. In a highly
bureaucratic school organization in the Philippines, most teachers see themselves as implementers of
the curriculum rather than leaders of curriculum processes. The Department of Education tried to
explore the idea of principal and teacher empowerment but it seems that the teachers are still not ready
to assume leadership roles. Hence, there is a need for a paradigm shift in the role of teachersin schools
and classrooms. They need to be, equipped and empowered to assume their roles as curriculum leaders.

In many literatures, instruction is included in curriculum; many teachers assume instructional leadership
in school especially in the subject they teach. The following are some of the specific roles of teachers as
instructional leafers in the local school context:

• Designing instructional plans

• Selecting and developing instructional materials

• Assessing and reporting students' progress

• Designing learning environment appropriate for the students

• Selecting appropriate teaching strategies and approaches

• Preparing reports and accomplishing official forms

• Guiding students in their school life

• Teaching subjects assigned to them

These roles are important in the education processes; however, teachers must see themselves as
curriculum leaders. The idea of curriculum leadership goes beyond the concept of instructional
leadership. Being a curriculum leader allows every teacherto see themselves as prime movers and
advocates of educational reforms at any level from local school, district, division, region, and national
level.

The following are the A to Z roles and functions of teachers as curriculum leaders in their own schools,
district, division, or regional level:

A- Advocate positive curricular reforms to ensure quality of education.

B- Broaden understanding of the teaching learning process.

C- Conduct research to enhance curriculum context and improve teaching and lerning.
D- Develop appropriate curriculum for students.

E- Evaluate curriculum materials and the implementation of the curriculum.

F- Facilitate activities to ensure public understanding of every single curriculum reform.

G- Gather important data needed for curriculum planning.

H- Harness community resources in curriculum development.

I- Innovate curriculum and instruction.

J- Justify the need to innovate, evaluate and develop curriculum.

K- Know every laerner needs, issues, and interests.

L- Lobby congressional support for bills that are needed for curriculum reforms.

M- Manage curriculum implementation and curriculum change.

N- Nurture creativity and critical thinking in the curriculum.

O- Orient teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders on the new curriculum.

P- Provide updated knowledge on the subject they teach.

Q- Quality acceptable curriculum ideas and theories.

R- Reflect on different researches that influence the curriculum.

S- Select appropriate instructional strategies, methods, and approaches.

T- Train teachers who will implement the curriculum.

U- Understanding implications of social issues and social changes in the curriculum.

V- Validate the context of the curriculum.

W- Win support from stakeholders and government on needed curriculum reforms.

X- X-ing (crossing) out bereaucratic to curriculum implementation.

Y- Yearn for quality education through a relevant and responsive curriculum.

Z- Zero out irrelevant and erroneous curriculum contents and materials.

The tasks of teachers as curriculum leaders may seem to be very ideal and overwhelming, considering
the fact that teacher education in this country needs major reform. However, time is changing fast and
schools cannot wait and simply respond to the needs of the society. To prepare would be inappropriate
and too late. The proper response is, to create the kindof critizens and society we need. This means that
teachers have no choice but to assume their roles as curriculum leaders.

Teachers as Curriculum Leaders in instructional Planning Process

Instructional leadership is always associated with school administrators, particularly school

principals. Olivia (2005) and Ornstein and Hunkins (1993) difined curriculum to include instruction.
Accordingly, curriculum and instruction are inseperable. Part of curriculum processes is instruction that
deals with the implementation of the curriculum. Curriculum leadership, therefore, is broader in scope
and has more functions compared to instructional leadership. Thus, instructional leadership is one of the
functions of curriculum leaders.

McEwan (2003) pointed out that instructional leaders must be knowledgeable about learning theory,
effective instruction and curriculum, which she recognized as the power within the educational force.
Consequently, curriculum leaders perform their instructional leadership function when they are able to
represent the school philosophy, vision, mission, core values, curriculum, and plans to learners,
teachers, parents, and other stakeholders.

Instructional leadership as one of the functions of curriculum leaders may need to do the following
functions:

• Supervise the implementation of curriculum and academic standards.

• Promote a school culture and climate conducive to teaching and learning

• Communicate the philosophy, vision and mission of the school

• Train teachers and school staff

• Lead in the development or purchace instructional materials

• Prepare the school budget for instruction

• Observe classes of teachers

• Check assessment tools (exams and authentic assessment)

Curriculum leaders fulfill thesei instructional leadership function in dynamic and democratic ways. They
inspire teachers and students to commit themselvesto excellent teaching and learning. They create
efficient systems to ensure smooth implementation of instruction.

Planning effective instruction is an important task of teachers as curriculum leaders. Reiser and Dick
(1996) developed an instructional planning model that presents a very logical sequence of instructional
planning.
 In Reiser and Dick's model the teachers, as curriculum leaders, need ro ensure that the curriculum
standards and competencies as reflected in the instructional goals are implemented carefully. This model
emphasizes the importance of analyzing the content and the learner's characteristics while teachers
select the lesson objectives. The model also puts emphasis in the development of asssessment tools
after identifying the objectives of the lesson. This will ensure that proper assessment tools, alligned with
the objectives of the lesson, will be utilized to assess student's learnung.

Analysis

Context

Develop Plan Choose

Identify Identify
Assessment Instructional Instructional
instructional objectives
Tools Activities Media
goals

Analyze Learners Implement

Characteristics Instruction

Revise Instruction

Planning instruction in Reiser and Dick's model includes the following instructional procedures:

1. Motivation

2. Presentation of objectives

3. Recalling prerequisite skills and knowledge

4. Presentation of information and examples

5. Practice and feedback

6. Summary

7. Assessment

Teachers may use several teaching strategies and learning activities each procedure to ensure the
success of instruction. Teachers need to respond to the learning needs of the students and allign their
teaching styles of every student. Thus, planning is necessary.

Instructional media and other instructional materials also play an important role in instruction.
Teachers need to select the instructional meadi that can be used to help effectively implement the
objectives of the lesson. Technology and other formsof instructional media are parts of the interests of
millenial students. Millenial students almost always rely on technology, especially internet, in getting
information about their lessons. They used technology in almost in all aspects of their studies.

Implementing instruction includes actual teaching and learning process. In this part of instruction,
the teacher's skill in effectively carrying out the lesson is needed. Effective classroom management,
utilization of appropriate activities, and, assessment tools are also needed.

The last part of the process is revision of instruction. In this process, the teacher will use the result of
student's assessment in revising instruction. Teachers as curriculum leaders need to know how to utilize
the result of assessment in improving classroom instruction.

Teachers as curriculum leaders in Evaluating Instruction

Evaluating instruction is also important function of teachers as curriculum leaders. It is necessary for
teachers to ensure that the curriculum is implemented as it was planned. It ensures that the curriculum
standards and competencies are taught, effectively to every learner. Evaluating instruction also measure
the effectiveness of how the curriculum is implemented.

In evaluating instruction, teachers need to look at the following procedures:

1. Planning for the Evaluation

a. Develop the purposes and objectives of the evaluation.

b. Determine the data and other information needed.

c. Set the timeline for the evaluation.

2. Determine instructional evaluation design- just like in doing curriculum evaluation, in instructional
evaluation the teachers will need to describe the following:

a. Types of information needed for the eveluation

b. Sources of information.

c. Methods of collecting the needed information

 d. Methods for analyzing the data gathered

e. Timeline for conducting evaluation

3. Develop instructional evaluation instruments

a. Class observation guide

b. Checklists

c. Questionnaires

d. Survey forms

e. Interview guide

4. Collect data- the teachers will collect or gather necessary data needed for the instructional
evaluation.

a. Focus group discussion

b. Interview with the students and teachers

c. Actual class observation

d. Examining samples of student's output

e. Examining assessment tools used in the class

f. Checking the facillities and other instructional materials

g. Checking of lessons

h. Interview with principals and supervisors

5. Analyze data- the teachers will analyze the data gathered and interpret results.

6. Report findings or the results of the instructional evaluation

During the actual observation of classes, instructional evaluation could focus on the following
aspects:

• Appropriateness of the activities and strategies to the students and to the topic

• Active participation of students in performing learning tasks

• Usefulness of instructional materials in meeting the desired objectives of the lesson

• Conduciveness of classroom environment for learning

 • Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) level of teachers

• Classroom management

• Development of positive relationship between students and teachers

• Effective presentation of concepts

• Effectiveness of the teachers in carrying out the instructional procedures

The result of instructional evaluation is important in planning how to improve the curriculum and its
implementation. The result is also useful for designing a mentoring program of new teachers.

Teachers as Curricululum Leaders in the K-12 Education reform

The Republic Act 10533, otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of the Philippines
includes specific provisions for teachers and principals to exercise leadership roles not only in instruction
but also in curriculum. Republic Act 9155, otherwise known as Governance of Basic Ecucation Act of
2001 also specifies important provisions wherein teachers play important roles to promote and protect
the rights of every critizen to quality basic education.

Teacher empowerment is at the heart of K-12 Education. With all the reforms and innovations in the K-
12 Education program, teachers need to view themselves as curriculum leaders performing the
following functions:

• Ensure effective implementation of curriculum standards and competencies.

• Develop and evaluate curriculum materials that are appropriate for the students.

• Develop assessment and evaluation tools to assess learning.

• Plan and evaluate curriculum.

• Plan activities that will help implement the curriculum.

• Solicit support from parents and other stakeholders.

• Make curricular decisions at the school level.

• Conduct researc to improve learning and improve content.

Since the K-12 Curriculum is a standards-based curriculum reforms, all teachers are compelled to focus
their attention on the following:

1. Clarity of the Standards- teachers should know the essential standards that every student should learn
in the curriculum. These standards are contents, skills, and values or attitudes that students need to
learn and master.
2. Visibility of performance measure- teachers need to ensure that each curriculum standards shows
visible outcome or performance.

3. Consistency of communication- teachers should be effectively communicate the standards to all

students.

All teachers need to share the vision of K-12 Education. They need to continuously improve their mastery
of the subjects and disciplines that they teach. They also need to significantly improve their pedagogical
skills. The K-12 Program needs teachers who are creatively innovative; they need to develop new ways
of responding to the needs and interests of the learners; and they need to effectively devise reliable
ways to assess and evaluate the learning of students.

A. Teachers as Curriculum Leaders in Preschool

Republic Act 10157, otherwise known as The Kindergarten Education Act integrates kindergarten
education in the formal education system of the country. Before the school year 2011-2012,
kindergarten education was not a prerequisite to Grade 1; it was more of a privelage for learners whose
parents can afford kindergarten education for them. It was desirable but not mandatory. The
Kindergarten Education Act now mandates all children aged 5 to enroll in kindergarten. A diploma in
kindergarten is now a prerequisite to enroll in Grade 1.

The Department of Education issued a curriculum to be implemented by an kindergarten schools in

the country. This curriculum includes several domains that need to be developed among young children.
The Kindergarten Curriculum includes rhe following areas:

• Values Education

• Physical Health and Motor Development

• Social and Emotional Development

• Cognitive Development

• Sensory- Perceptual Motor Development

• Mathematics

• Understanding of the Physical and Natural Environmen

. • Understanding of the Social Environment

• Language, Literacy, and Communication

The new Kindergarten Curriculum needs teachers who are highly trained in handling young children's
behaviour and in guiding them toward learning. It will need teachers who are not only implementers of
the curriculum but curriculum leaders who will make decisions about the selection of content, materials,
and assessment tools to be used. It will need teachers who advocate children's education, rights, and
protection.

Considering cultural diversity in the country, there is a need for teachers to develop new curriculum
materials that are relevant and responsive to the context and culture of the learners and to integrate
multicultural literacy and cultural competencies in the curriculum. The ASEAN standards for global
teachers necessitate all teachers to address the needs of culturally diverse schools .

With the implementation of Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education starting in kindergarten,

there is a need for teachers to study new ways of learning, new-pedagogy, and new curriculum designs
for indigenizing and contextualizing curriculum instruction. There is a need for teachers to study more on
the language of the people and develop new methods and techniques in teaching local languages.

The inclusions of kindergarten in the formal education curriculum of the country necessitates all
educators to restudy the child-centered philosophy in rhe context of standardization of curriculum and
modernization of pedagogy. There is a need for teachers to review the curriculum standards to ensure
that the learner's needs and nature are reflected; they need to develop new ways of assessing learner's
progress and how they need to find ways on how play and other progressive approaches will fitin the
new rules of standards-based education.

B. Teachers as Curriculum Leaders in the Elementary Grades

Primary or Elementary education is always regarded as the laboratory of life. As such, it's primary
goal is to develop the basic skills, literacies, and life skills that all learners need to be prepared for life.
The subjects are designed to provide necessary information to help learners undersatand the world and
their roles, and develop necessary skills that they need in everyday life.

The Elementary curriculum issential in helping every learner learn how to learn, become creative
and critical thinkers, and to become builders of the society. The subjects include important knowledge,
skills, and values that all must learn to become useful citizens and effective learners in the society.

Specifically, the elementary curriculum will expose learners to the knowledge embedded in each
subject. This knowledge contains history of people and society, culture and values, life-skills,
communication through language and other forms, thinking skills, quantitative reasoning, and basic
understanding of the natural and physical world.

Teachers as curriculum leaders in elementary level are starting to mold the minds and character of
the future leaders and citizens of the world. Their role as curriculum leaders requires them to develop
curriculum that will facilitate the development of the mind, body, and character of the students.
Teachers will need to present knowledge in the classroom or through alternative learning in dynamic and
innovative ways requiring new types of instructional materials, new technology, and new pedagogies.

Teachers as curriculum leaders are researchers. They study carefully how children learn, discover
new ways of teaching and learning, and, discover new relevant information related to the subject they
teach. They also explore various ways of how to effectively assess learning. Teachers expise their
students to integrative learning in the elementary grades. They teach students to see the connection
between and among subjects and see their application in everyday life.

Teachers as curriculum leaders are empowered to design new learning environment that celebrates
diverse ideas and learning styles. They utilize technology effectively in teaching, and they make
decisions on curriculum content.

C. Teachers as Curriculum Leaders in Junior High School

The Junior High School program of K-12 includes Grade VII to Grade X of the secondary level. It is the
entrypoint of students to the rigors of various disciplines in the areas of science, social sciences,
mathematics, humanities, and, applied disciplines, such as Home Economics and Vocational Technology.

The curriculum for Junior High School follows the spiral curriculum design enabling the learners to
see the scamless connection of one topic to another at the horizontal and vertical levels. This means that
spiral progression of content is observed in the scope and sequence of the curriculum. The teachers as
curriculum leaders will need to master their disciplines and allow every learner to experience and
examine the beauty of eacg discipline.

In the Junior High School, students are exposed to higher level of learning. This is the first encounter
to study disciplines as disciplines and not as subjects. They will be exposed to higher mathematics such
as algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and, geometry. They will be introduced to Asian history, world
history, economics, and, deeper learning of Philippine history. They will discover world and Philippine
literature, and experience more of the applied disciplines that they will need in everyday life. In Junior
High School, the natural sciences are also presented in spiral curriculum integrating physics, chemistry,
biology, earth science, and general sciences.

In Junior High School, teachers will assume leadership roles by sharing their disciplinary expertise to
the students. They are content experts and effective facilitators of teaching and learning process. They
plan effective lessons, select contents, and identify strategies that are relevant to their students. They
understand the complexity of learner's behavior in this stage of life, and they serve as behavior compass
for students to emulate.

D. Teachers as Curriculum Leaders in Senior High School

The Senior High School is something new in the educational program for basic education in the
Philippines. It was added basically to prepare the Filipino for global demands. It is part of the
commitment of the country to make it's educational system at Par with global standards.

The Senior High School program is a two-year education program added to the 10 years of basic
education in the Philippines. In Senior High School, students will choose their own track from academic
track, technical and vocational track, and arts and sports track. The academic track has four
specializations: Humanities and Social Sciences, Business, STEM, and General Academic. These tracks
aimto develop the following:
• Life and Career Skills

• Learning and Innovation Skills

• Information and Media Skills

• Communication Skills

The Senior High School teachers will need to develop and implement lessons that are:

• Learn era centered, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate;

• Relevant, responsive, and, research-based;

• Cultures sensitive, contextualized, and global

• Pedagogical approaches that are contructivist, inquiry-based, reflective, collaborative, and

integrative;

The Senior High School teachers, are expert in their own field. They will teach courses that will prepare
the students for the profession they will choose and provide them necessary skills that they need to
become entrepreneurs and productive in everyday life. In Senior High School, students are exposed to
several specialized courses. They will need to apply what they learned in Junior High School to
understand better the lessons and develop higher competencies.

In the Senior High School program, teachers play crucial role in developing the professional skills and
attitudes of their students. Teachers as curriculum leaders will plan, design, develop, and implement
curriculum appropriate for the students and aligned to the K-12 Education Program. They are expected
to innovate and take the leadin ensuring that students will master the core standards and competencies
prescribed by the Department of Education for the Senior High School Curriculum.

Teachers as Curriculum Leaders of 21St Century Learning

The 21St century is marked with various changed and challenges brought by forces like globalization,
changing individual and social values system, economic situation, political issues, cultural diversity
factors, massive influx if information technology, environmental issues, and rhe increasing amount of
information made available to the public. These factors demand that education must innovate and
reshape itself to meet the needs and challenges of the people and the society.

Teachers as curriculum leaders play an important role in this endeavor. They need to develop new
curriculum, new curriculum materials, and new instructional designs that will prepare the learners to
meet the needs and demands of 21St century learning. Teachers need a lot of professional and personal
updating. Learning in the 21St century will need teachers who possess a high degree of technological
pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).
Teachers will teach millenial learners, who were born in an era where information technology is leading
and shaping the renaissance of the society. It is an era where internet and highly technological gadgets
are making all information accessible to the learners. The millenial learners are exposed to all kinds of
information and experience alternative learning condition.

Middlewood and Burton (2001) noted that the 21St century teaching and learning would need a
completely new paradigm of learning. This new paradigm of learning focuses on developing:

• Critical Thinking

• Communication Skills

• Collaboration

Law and Glover (2000) also identified new features of education focusing on

• Learning how to learn

• Learning as a process; a journey

• Learning as a life-long process

• Teachers as a learner

These are sevaral development, which have significantly influenced curriculum development and
teaching and learning in the 21St century.

• Increasing discoveries on how the human brain works

• Idea of learning styles and thinking preferences

• ICT integration in education

• Development of learning organizations

As these and more are likely to occur, so will the role of teachers as curriculum leaders continue to
evolve. The role of teachers as curriculum leaders will continue to remain crucial in ensuring the success
of the education system and in making the curriculum relevant and responsive to the needs of the
learner and the society.

One of the challenges of the 21St century learning to curriculum leaders is to develop habits of mind
among the learners. Costa and Kallic (2009) identified the following habits of ming:

• Be independent thinkers; think before they act.

• Be more sef-motivated.

• Be more inquisitive.
• Pay attention to detail; take pride in work.

• Be more diligent and persistent

• Enjoy working through the work.

• Think for themselves; not always follow another's lead.

• Generate their own thoughts.

• Be self-directed; use strategies of problem-solving.

• Transfer knowledge and apply to new situations.

• Have confidence; be able to take risks.

• Support answer so that they can show evidence of their thinking.

• Communicate with each other; work it out together.

Teachers as curriculum leaders need to play an important role in shaping the society and individuals.
They need to develop curriculum that will instill human values and critical thinking to the learners. This
means that education, especially curriculum, needs to go back to learner-centeredness putting emphasis
on the development of learners to become leaders and citizens of a rapidly changing world.

Exercising Curriculum Leadership in Selecting Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials

Teachers should be empowered to select the textbooks and other instructional materials that they
use in their classes. In some schools, teachers are enjoined to participate in the textbook selection
process; however, in many schools; administrators are the ones selecting the textbooks for the school.
It is logical and proper to include teachers in rhe process since teachers are ones teaching the subject
and they know better about the needs and nature of their students. Thus, they must be given freedom
to decide on what textbooks they are going to use and, what instructional materials they need to their
classes.

In 201, the Department of Education developed a framework of developing and selecting textbooks
and other instructional materials. The framework and competencies that all textbooks and instructional
materials are:

• Aligned to the K-12 Curriculum- the textbooks and other instructional materials should follow the
curriculum standards and competencies prescribed by K-12 curriculum.

• Contain expert system of knowledge- authors that are experts in their fields should write the
textbooks and other instructional materials. It is also important that contents of the instructional
materials are accurate and up-to-date.
 • Have provision for differentiated instruction- it is important to provide activities and assessment
strategies that are relevant to the learning styles and thinking preferences of the learners. The needs of
slow learners and fast learners should also be considered.

• Provison for reflective thinking- the instructional materials and textbooks should engage the
learners to develop deeper understanding of the lesson, develop critical and creative thinking, and
encourage reflective thinking.

• Provision for parental and community involvement- the textbooks and instructional materials
should encourage parental and community involvement. This means that service learning, real-life
integration, and parental support are encouraged.

Teachers as curriculum leaders make sure that all the necessary instructional materials they need to
implement the curriculum are provided. They also ensure that these instructional materials are relevant
and responsive to the needs of the learners. At all times, teachers are encouraged to develop their own
instructional materials from objects and materials that are available in their locality. They are expected
to be innovative and creative in developing relevant instructional materials for their classes.

Developing Teachers as Curriculum Leaders

Curriculum leaders are trained and developed. They are products of different in-service and pre-service
teacher education programs. They also developed their skills from their teaching experiences and
encounter with great teachers. They are products of mentors and they are also formed by supportive
professionals work environment.

There are few important factors that need to be considered in the development of teachers as
curriculum leaders:

1. Teacher Empowerment- teachers need to be empowered to make important decisions, solve

problems, take actions, and innovate in their own schools and classes.

2. Efficient System- teachers need to work in an efficient working environment. They need to be part of a
system that is collaborative, professional and effective.

3. Mentoring System- teachers, especially the neophyte teachers need mentoring from effective and
model mentors.

4. Administrative Support-at any level, teachers will need full support from the administration especially
when they want to innovate or develop good programs for the school and for their students.

5. Learning Community- teachers must experience to work in a learning community where all behave as
professionals avoiding any forms of professional jealousies and free from insecurities. Teachers need to
learn from and share best curricular and instructional practices to each other.
Finally, contunuing professional development is needed to ensure the development of teachers to
perform leadership roles in the total curriculum processes. Like any leaders, they need support from
various individuals and groups, especially in their schools.

Educators today are being challenged to promote a culture of excellence in school. Inventing an
educational system that can deal with the many paradoxes embedded in this challenge is surely a
daunting task. Teachers need to be engaged in improving curriculum and instruction. Doing all the
necessary task related to it is not easy. It requires all teachers to shift from a culture of compliance to a
culture of commitment and engagement to pursue noble activities in education in spite of all limitations
and difficulties - even in the absence of extrinsic reward.

Reflections on Teachers as Curriculum Leaders

• Teachers are considered curriculum and instructional leaders in various level of education. As
curriculum leaders, they perform different roles and functions that are essential in planning, design,
development, implementation, and evaluation.

a. They provide technical support in curriculum planning.

b. They design curriculum from basic education to higher education.

c. They help develop the curriculum content and activities including assessment tools.

d. They implement the curriculum in various capacities as administrators or as classroom teachers.

e. They help evaluate the curriculum.

f. They introduce curriculum innovation.

• Instructional Leadership is one of the functions of teachers as curriculum leaders.

a. Supervise the implementation of curriculum and academic standards.

b. Promote a school culture and climate conductive to teaching and learning.

c. Communicate the philosophy, vision, and mission of the school.

d. Train teachers and school staff.

e. Lead in the development or purchase of instructional materials.

f. Prepare the school budget for instruction.

g. Observe classes of teachers.

h. Check assessment tools( exams and authentic assessment).