THE TEACHER AND SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Dr. Nimfa R. de Veyra ▪ 2nd Semester SY 2021-2022 ▪ College of Education, University of Eastern Philippines

MODULE 1: UNDERSTANDING CURRICULUM

Overview
The course on The Teacher and The School Curriculum will provide the teacher
education institutions students an appreciation, understanding and better appreciation to the
so called “power cast of every educational institution” which is curriculum. Its various concepts
theories and principles and practices of curriculum development will be discussed.
We need to take a closer guise and analyse how educationists and theorists see
curriculum. This first lesson will lead you my dear students to the different views of the
curriculum, how these great people gave their views will enlighten our venture to deepen your
knowledge in this subject. Definitions of curriculum, subsystems and its component, and
different foundations of curriculum will also be part of this lesson,

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
a. understand and appreciate various points of view of curriculum
b. analyse the given various definitions of curriculum and give a personal definition of
curriculum
c. discuss and deduce the standpoints of traditional and progressive curriculum
d. relate own experience according to view points of school of thought on curriculum
e. enumerate and describe the curriculum subsystems and contents
f. discuss substantially the salient characteristics of a good curriculum

Content
Curriculum from Different Perspectives
Many people believed that curriculum is the “life source” of education which significantly
contribute to the quality of education available in the nation’s schools. So believers and
members of the academe, lay citizens, country’s leaders and scholars of different fields of
knowledge take interest in the curriculum or in some aspect(s) of the curriculum. The content
of this lesson will focus on views, definitions, and components and subsystem of curriculum.
For us to be concerned with curriculum matters, let’s consider some questions for reflection
which would make you realized their connection to curriculum and what they mean. ( You may
not answer these questions right away but you can do it later for your own deeper reflection
after studying this lesson 1)
 How many years of basic scholarship can adequately equip the students for the demands
of living?
  Are the books adopted accurate and updated?
 Are students learning the right attitudes and values?
 Do graduates acquire the 21st century skills needed and prepared in the industry
important to starting a job?
 Can they contribute their share in protecting and preserving our country’s natural
resources?
Education is very much part of man’s recorded achievement. Education in its simpliest form
existed even before history could be written. In those primitive times, there were no school, no
curricular offerings such as we have now, no clear method of instruction and no government
control and regulations. Nonetheless, there was one essential characteristic of the educational
process which is fitting the learner to his physical and social environment through the
transmittal of the experience of the previous generation. This was the curriculum at its earliest
form.
The concept of curriculum is as dynamic as the changes that occur in society. In its
narrow sense it is, viewed merely as a listing of subjects to be taught in school. In the broader
sense, it refers to the total learning experiences of individuals not only in school but in society
as well.
In the Philippines, recommendations from several institutes who worked on
educational initiatives on curricular reforms like from PRODED, NESC, Basic Education
Curriculum before to the K to 12 Curriculum evolved. The change for the better means
alteration, modification or improvement of existing condition.
Let us analyze these brief different view points of curriculum.

Traditional Points of View of Curriculum

th
In the early 20 Century traditional concepts about curriculum held that curriculum is a
body of subjects or subject matter prepared by the teachers for the students to learn which is
synonymous to “course of study” or “syllabus”.
Robert M. Hutchins views curriculum as “permanent studies” where the rules of
grammar, reading, rhetoric and logic and mathematics for basic education are emphasized.
Basic education should emphasize the 3Rs and college education should grounded on liberal
education.
On the other hand, Arthur Bestor (essentialist) believes that the mission of the school
should be intellectual training, hence curriculum should focus on the fundamental intellectual
disciplines of grammar, literature and writing, mathematics, science, history and foreign
language.
Joseph Schwab views that discipline is the sole source of curriculum, thus in our
educational system, curriculum is divided into chunks of knowledge such as English, Math,
Science, Social Studies, and others. In college discipline may include humanities, sciences,
languages and many more.
To Philip Phenix, curriculum should consist entirely of knowledge which comes from
various disciplines.
Academic discipline became the view of what curriculum development is after the cold
war and the race to space. Joseph Schwab, a leading curriculum theorist coined the term
discipline as a ruling doctrine for curriculum development. Curriculum should consist only of
knowledge which comes from disciplines which is the sole source.

Progressive Points of View of Curriculum

To a progressivist, a listing of school subjects, syllabi, course of study, and list of courses
or specific discipline do not make a curriculum. These can only be called curriculum if the
written materials are actualized by the learners. In broad sense, curriculum is defined as the
total learning experiences of an individual. This definition is anchored from John Dewey’s
definition of experience and education. He believed that reflective thinking is a means that
unifies curricular elements. Thought is not derived from action but tested by application.
Caswell and Campbell viewed curriculum as “all experiences children have under the guidance
of teachers”. This definition is shared by Smith, Stanley and Shores when they defined
curriculum as a sequence of potential experiences set up in the schools for the purpose of
disciplining children and youth in group ways of thinking and acting”.
Marsh and Willis on the other hand view curriculum as all the ‘experiences in the classroom
which are planned and enacted by the teacher, and also learned by the students.
Curriculum can be viewed as a field of study. It is made up of its foundations
(philosophical, historical, psychological, and social foundations: domains of knowledge as well
as research theories and principles. Curriculum is taken as scholarly and theoretical. It is
concerned with broad historical, philosophical and social issues and academics.
Most of the traditional ideas view curriculum as written documents or a plan of action in
accomplishing goals.

Viewpoints of the Concept of Curriculum from Schools of Thought

Debates among students of curriculum on a common definition of the term curriculum
continues in the field and can be traced to differences in the philosophical-psychological
orientation of these scholars. Two important schools of thought are behavioural-empiricism
and humanist-phenomenology.
The behavioural-empiricism school advocates a systematic approach which includes variables
by educationists including the teacher , predicated on intentional planning, controlling, and
affecting students learning. Its emphasis on the attainment of learning through the control of
variables external to the individual (through the introduction of reinforcement in bringing about
learning) Learning is interpreted as more or less permanent behavioural change which results
from training or from manipulation of environmental variables.
The humanist-phenomenology school viewpoint emphasizes the importance of individual
student’s freedom and his own choice in enhancing his human creativity and individuality.
Curriculum entrusts the learner with active participation and greater freedom in choosing from
a wider range of learning opportunities his educational experiences according to his needs and
interests.
There are many definitions as there are views of curriculum. The various definitions
demonstrate the existing diversity of the use of the term curriculum. Its existence as a field of
study, curriculum remains elusive and ill-defined.

What is Curriculum?
Efforts have been made to conceptualize curriculum as it exists as a field of study. There are a
wide variety of definitions to demonstrate the existing diversity of the use of the term
curriculum.
Curriculum is:
 from the Latin root currere, which means to run; the course of the race,
 the sum of all learning content
 New Webster defines it as a course of study, especially at school or college// a list of
courses offered at a school/college/university
 The term curriculum refers to the lessons and academic content taught in a school or in
a specific course or program. In dictionaries, curriculum is often defined as the courses
offered by a school, but it is rarely used in such a general sense in schools. Depending on
how broadly educators define or employ the term, curriculum typically refers to the
knowledge and skills students are expected to learn, which includes the learning
standards or learning objectives they are expected to meet; the units and lessons that
teachers teach; the assignments and projects given to students; the books, materials,
videos, presentations, and readings used in a course; and the tests, assessments, and
other methods used to evaluate student learning. An individual teacher’s curriculum, for
example, would be the specific learning standards, lessons, assignments, and materials
used to organize and teach a particular course (https://www.edglossary.org)
When the terms curriculum or curricula are used in educational contexts without
qualification, specific examples, or additional explanation, it may be difficult to determine
precisely what the terms are referring to—mainly because they could be applied to either all or
only some of the component parts of a school’s academic program or courses.
The following is a Table of Outlined Definitions of Curriculum, make an analysis and discuss the
characteristics you can deduce from the various definitions.
According to In Curriculum is…
Krug 1957 -The instrumentality by which schools seek to translate man’s
hopes for education into concrete reality.
Good 1959 -A general over-all plan of the content or specific materials of
instruction that the school should offer the student by way of
qualifying him for graduation or certification or for entrance into
a professional or vocational field.
Foshay 1969 -All the experiences a learner has under the guidance of the
school
Tanner and 1975 -The planned and guided learning experiences and intended
Tanner learning outcomes, formulated through systematic reconstruction
of knowledge and experience, under the auspices of the school,
for the learner’s continuous and willful growth in personal-social
competence.
Pratt 1997 -A plan for a sustained process of teaching and learning.
Oliva 1997 -That which is taught in schools/ a set of subjects/ content/ a
program of study/ a set of materials/ a sequence of courses/ a set
of performance objectives/ a course of study/is everything that
goes on within a school, including extra-class activities, guidance,
and interpersonal relationships/everything that is planned by
school personnel/a series of experiences undergone by learners
in a school/ that which an individual learner experiences as a
result of schooling.
Garcia 1973 -The collection of learning experiences proposed as a result of
deliberation for student attainment.
All learning opportunities the students decides to pursue or
experience
Grayson 1977 -The organized set of content and activities that a school uses as
basis for educating students.
Palma 1982 -As the basic infrastructure of a school’s educational program.
Pratt 1997 -A plan for a sustained process of teaching and learning.
-That which is taught in schools/ a set of subjects/ content/ a
program of study/ a set of materials/ a sequence of courses/ a set
of performance objectives/ a course of study/is everything that
Oliva 1997 goes on within a school, including extra-class activities, guidance,
and interpersonal relationships/everything that is planned by
school personnel/a series of experiences undergone by learners
in a school/ that which an individual learner experiences as a
result of schooling.
 Dimensions of the Definitions of Curriculum
It is interesting to note that there are several definitions of curriculum which can be
categorized into two major dimensions. These dimensions are Ends and Means, and Existential
and Personal which have implications for policy making and research.
Ends and Means- refer to the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) which may be expressed as
aims, goals and objectives. Often on the planned experiences for the learners curriculum
definition reflect ends of the curriculum, when a curriculum is so defined the subject matter is
chosen to reflect the outcomes. On the contrary, the definitions instead of emphasizing ends
may refer to means of achieving the ends.
Existential and Personal- These emphasize either the things being studied (existential) or the
students studying (personal). When definitions refer to materials of instructions, textbook,
content such as concepts, theories and facts are categorized as existential. Those which may
refer to students experiences rather than the things being studied are personal.

The Subsystems of Curriculum

Based on the definition whether the humanist or behaviourist orientation to curriculum
development, a curriculum consists of three subsystems, and are said to exist namely:
The formal curriculum which refers to the school philosophy, aims and objectives,
subjects, and activities. At the classroom level , available lesson plana, guides, teaching
modules, unit plans, course syllabi, learning continuums, and similar plans may be prescribed or
may offer options to the learner. This is primarily acknowledged as focus of the curriculum.
The extra-class or curriculum extension which is designed to support the formal
curriculum includes : 1. Curricular activities like various student organizations, the school
newspaper, programs, convocations, socials and the like, and 2. Special school services such as
library, the guidance center, the health clinic, the school canteen, and the like.
The hidden curriculum which may either be supportive of and contradictory to the
formal curriculum and the extra-class curriculum. This consists of the policies, rules and
regulations, school climate. The school climate refers to the subjective responses-attitudes,
beliefs, values and motivation of the school administration, faculty and staff, the students to
the formal school organization, the management style, the physical setting and other important
components of the school environment.

Curriculum Components
All educational organization contemplated curriculum as part of the review process, these five
components or elements of curriculum were considered guide.
1. A framework of assumptions about the learner and society. This guiding principle is to
determine learners’ capacity and ability, aptitudes and potential for learning, motivation,
needs, interests and values as well as society’s orientation to nurturing or using the individual
gainfully.
2. Aims and objectives . The primary concern to the selection of subject matter to student
experiences. This gives the idea why education should be provided and towards what direction.
3. Content or Subject Matter. Guided by knowledge of learners’ abilities and society’s
requirements, subject matter is selected, organized and packaged for use by teachers and
learners. The form of subject matter and its packaging comes in many shapes through
textbooks, curriculum guides, syllabi, and other directives to teachers and learners.
4. Modes of transaction. These deal with the processes of teaching-learning and include
methodology of teaching, learning experiences both within the institution and outside, learning
environments, teachers’ material as well as students’ material.
5. Evaluation. This provides the individual with information on performance to guide the
learner to the next steps in the sequence of the subject matter.

Criteria for Selecting Curriculum Content

The seven items are identified criteria for selecting curriculum content:
1. Self-sufficiency. This pertains to economic self-sufficiency of which comes three phases of
such type. It can refer to economy of teaching effort and educational resources, economy of
students effort and economy of subject matters generated.
2. Significance. This is the degree to which the curriculum contributes to basic ideas, concepts,
principles, and generalizations of the overall aims of the curriculum.
3. Validity. This refers to the authority of content.
4. Feasibility. This criteria considers content in terms of time allotment, resources available, and
expertise of staff.
5. Learnability. This refers to the placement and sequencing of subject content.
6. Interest. It covers the meaningfulness of the curriculum.
7. Utility. It supposes the usefulness of the curriculum content, it uses the pragmatic/practical
criterion of truth.

Criteria of a Good Curriculum

In the book of Bauzon, he summarized the criteria of a good curriculum, according to him,
curriculum experts included the following:
1. The curriculum is continuously evolving. To be viable and effective the curricular program
must have continuous evaluation and reappraisal. A program must adapt its educational
activities and services to meet the needs of a modern and dynamic community. A curriculum
that is not at all sensitie and responsive to the needs of the changing society can never be
settled once and for all. The effort to evaluate aims of education in terms of current realities
should be only a part of the continuing effort of educators to reflect the needs of the individual
and the society in their curriculum offering.
2. The curriculum is based on the needs of the people. It is imperative in developing a program
to begin with those that concern the people themselves. Their years of experience can be good
source that can be woven into the fabric of the classroom presentation. Opportunity should be
provided for student participation in developing the curriculum and also in assessing its
effectiveness. We plan the curriculum with people.
3. The curriculum is democratically conceived. The minds and energies of many people who are
in intimate contact with the interests, needs and resources of the community will create a more
effective product than the individual director could possibly provide by working alone.
4. The curriculum is the result of long-term effort. Enthusiasm for a proposed curriculum
activity often impels proponents to push for immediate action. But a class or service that is
begun hurriedly and folds quickly may hurt the long –term continuance of the program.
5. The curriculum is a complex of details. Good program planning provides the proper
instructional equipment and meeting places that are often most conducive to learning. A
friendly social meeting, good teacher-student relationship, effective guidance opportunities,
and a favourable attitude on the part of individuals, groups, and organizations within the
community are necessary ingredients for a successful program.
6. The curriculum provides for the logical sequence of subject matter. Classes and activities
should be planned so as to achieve an orderly development of subject matter and step-by-step
progress of the learner. The principle in educational philosophy holds that we begin with the
student “where he is” whether he is illiterate or a holder of a graduate degree. Curricular
flexibility is required to accommodate the various levels of educational attainment usually
found in the student body. Curricular content should be devised in a way to provide the
students with a progressive pattern that offers opportunity for further studies in those areas of
learning important to him.
7. The curriculum complements and cooperates with other programs in the community. The
public school should not try to monopolize the education scene at the community level. Its
major concern should be to see that the jobs get done regardless of who does it. The
administrator of the program ought to familiarize himself with course offerings in the
community and offer his assistance in the improvement of ongoing programs, rather than start
a similar one of his own. He should determine gaps and ommissions in the total community
effort and initiates those courses that are lacking. Cooperative effort toward this will
accomplish more than competitive zeal.
8. The curriculum has educational quality. The curriculum must be made up of offerings that
pass the test of good and sound education. We speak of quality education but there has to be
quality curriculum as well.
9. The curriculum has administrative flexibility. Flexibility is a good trait of good curriculum. A
curriculum must be ready to incorporate changes whenever necessary.

Points of View on Curriculum Development

From the different stand views it is clear that Curriculum is an active process of change.
Development connotes changes which are systematic. A change for the better means
alteration, modification or improvement of existing condition. To produce positive changes,
development should be purposeful, planned and progressive.
Let us look at two models of curriculum development and see how curriculum evolves.
Ralph Tyler Model: Four Basic Principles
This is commonly known as Tyler’s Rationale. He posited four fundamental questions or
principles in examining any curriculum in schools.
1. What educational purposes should the school seek to attain?
2. What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain these purposes?
3. How can these educational experiences be effectively organized?
4. How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained or not?
Tyler considered these important aspects of a school which are Purposes of the school,
Educational experiences related to the purposes, Organization of the experiences, and
Evaluation of the experiences. These four identified aspects answer explicitly the 4 questions.
Hilda Taba’s Grassroots Approach
Hilda Taba improved on Tyler’s Rationale by making a linear model. She believed that teachers
who implement the curriculum should participate in the developing it. In her advocacy she
presented 7 major steps to her model where teachers could have a major input. These are:
1. Diagnoses of learners needs and expectations of the larger society
2. Formulation of learning objectives
3. Selection of learning content
4. Organization of learning content
5. Selection of learning experiences
6. Organization of learning activities
7. Determination of what to evaluate and the means of doing it

Suggested Readings:
 Nature, Concepts, and Purposes of Curriculum by Dr. Purita P. Bilbao
Reference: Curriculum Development by Bilbao, et. Al. 2008 Lorimar Publishing, Inc. pp. 25 to 37.
 The Sabre-Tooth Curriculum by Harold Benjamin(1939)- search online please.

You need to DO THIS:

From the suggested readings create a substantive brief summary of one of the topics asked to
read. Write it in your notebook and submit softcopy to our designated email together with
other outputs in this module.

Summary:
 Obviously from the variety of definitions given, Curriculum is an indispensable
ingredient in the school. It is the life, the heart of the educational system. Without the
curriculum, there is no school.
 Despite the various definitions of curriculum, there is at least a common factor in these
definitions and that is: the curriculum exists for the learner providing him with
meaningful educational experiences in order to effectively pursue the general aims the
schools.
 Curriculum be it the humanist or the behaviorist orientation has three subsystems,
namely: formal curriculum, extra-class or curriculum extension and hidden curriculum. It
is said to exist as the primary focus, is designed to support, and pervades the school
system to be supportive of or contradictory to the formal and the curriculum extension.
 Curriculum must possess specific criteria in order to effectively assist the learners to
meet the requirements for teaching and learning.
 There is a logic to how any system of learning/teaching is created even if we disagree on
some viewpoints or framework.
 Curriculum is good when certain criteria are satisfied or a must meet.
 When there is a need to change in the curriculum, a systematic change for the better
can be done by means of alteration, modification or improvement of existing condition
to produce positive transformation or adjustment. This conceptualizes curriculum
development that is believed to be purposeful, planned and progressive. Teacher/s
involvement is/are prime in the process as stipulated in Hilda Taba’s approach.

References:
Pawilen, Greg T., The Teacher and the School Curriculum, (First Edition)2019, Rex Book Store,
Sampaloc Manila Philippines
Bauzon, Prisciliano T. , Foundations of Curriculum Development and Management 2 nd Edition,
National Bookstore 2012, MC Philippines
Bueno, David C. , Fundamentals of Curriculum Theory and Development (A Modular Approach),
Great Books Trading 2016 QC Philippines
Bilbao, Purita P. , et.al., Curriculum Development for Teachers. Lorimar Publishing Inc., 2008,
QC Philippines
Link address: https://www.shareyouressays.com/knowledge/5-major-components-of-a-
curriculum/100348
 ACTIVITY 1
(Target Date Finished: Feb 4,2022)
THE TEACHER AND SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Dr. Nimfa R. de Veyra ▪ 2nd Semester SY 2021-2022 ▪ College of Education, University of Eastern Philippines

Directions: In your big notebook starting page 5, scholarly write your answers /responses to each
item in cursive form using black pen. Send a soft copy to the email designated for your class.

a. From your readings, make your own definition of curriculum.

b. Enumerate and describe the curriculum subsystems, and curriculum contents.
c. Based on your own school experience, which viewpoint of school of thought do your
curriculum experience fall into? Why?
d. Explain the various views of curriculum in your own words.
e. Identify an experienced and still in-the-service teacher/head-teacher/ principal in your
locality, have an interview with him/her. Discuss two major dimensions for classifying
curriculum. Which does he/she prefers to implement in his/her school, why?
f. From this lesson what are the characteristics of a good curriculum as recognized by
different authors/educationists? Have your own reflection as a future teacher, which
characteristic is highly magnanimous and influential? Give justification/s.
Nrduep22