The Teacher as a

Curricularist
Desired Learning Outcomes
• Enhance understanding of the role of the teacher
as a curricularist in the classroom and school
What specific roles do teachers play as a curricularist?

Which one describes the teacher as a curricularist?

Curricularists in the past, are referred only those who
developed curriculum theories. According to the study
conducted by Sandra Hayes (1991) the most influential
curricularist in America include John Dewey, Ralph Tyler,
Hilda Taba and Franklin Bobbit.
The word curricularist to describe a professional who is a
curriculum specialist (Hayes, 1991; Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004; Hewitt,
2006).

A person who is involved in curriculum knowing, writing, planning,

implementing, evaluating, innovating, and initiating may be
designated as curricularist.

A TEACHER'S role is broader and inclusive of other functions and so

a teacher is a curricularist.
 knows the curriculum.

Learning begins with knowing. The teacher as a learner starts with knowing about
the curriculum, the subject matter or the content. As a teacher, one has to master
what are included in the curriculum. It is acquiring academic knowledge both formal
(disciplines, logic) or informal (derived from experiences, vicarious, and
unintended). It is the mastery of the subject matter.

(KNOWER)
 writes the curriculum.

A classroom teacher takes record of knowledge concepts, subject matter or

content. These need to be written or preserved. The teacher writes books,
modules, laboratory manuals, instructional guides, and reference materials in
paper or electronic media as a curriculum writer or reviewer.

(WRITER)
 plans the curriculum.

A good curriculum has to be planned. It is the role of the teacher to

make a yearly, monthly or daily plan of the curriculum. This will serve
as a guide in the implementation of the curriculum. The teacher takes
into consideration several factors in planning a curriculum. These
factors include the learners, the support material, time, subject matter
or content, the desired outcomes, the context of the learners among
others. By doing this, the teacher becomes a curriculum planner.

(PLANNER)
 initiates the curriculum.

In cases where the curriculum is recommended to the schools from DepEd, CHED,
TESDA. UNESCO, UNICEF or other educational agencies for improvement of
quality education, the teacher is obliged to implement it. Implementation of a new
curriculum requires the open mindedness of the teacher, and the full belief that the
curriculum will enhance learning. There will be many constraints and difficulties in
doing things first or leading. however, a transformative teacher will never hesitate
to try something novel and relevant.

(INITIATOR)
 innovates the curriculum.

Creativity and innovation are hallmarks of an excellent teacher. A curriculum is

always dynamic; hence it keeps on changing. From the content. strategies,
ways of doing, blocks of time, ways of evaluating, kinds of students and skills of
teachers, one cannot find a single eternal curriculum that would perpetually fit. A
good teacher, therefore, innovates the curriculum and thus becomes a
curriculum innovator.

(INNOVATOR)
 implements the curriculum.
The curriculum that remains recommended or written will never serve its purpose.
Somebody has to implement it. As mentioned previously, at the heart of schooling is
the curriculum. It is this role where the teacher becomes the curriculum implementor.
An implementor gives life to the curriculum plan. The teacher is at the height of an
engagement with the learners, with support materials in order to achieve the desired
outcome. It is where teaching, guiding, facilitating skills of the teacher are expected to
the highest level. It is here where teaching as a science and as an art will be
observed. It is here, where all the elements of the curriculum will come into play. The
success of a recommended, well written and planned curriculum depends on the
implementation.
(IMPLEMENTOR)
 evaluates the curriculum.

How can one determine if the desired learning outcomes have been achieved? Is
the curriculum working? Does it bring the desired results? What do outcomes
reveal? Are the learners achieving? Are there some practices that should be
modified? Should the curriculum be modified, terminated or continued? These are
some few questions that need the help of a curriculum evaluator. That person is
the teacher.

(EVALUATOR)
1. A teacher introduces a new interactive digital learning platform to engage students
in the classroom.

2. The school principal mandates the implementation of a new anti-bullying program

recommended by the Ministry of Education.

3. A teacher designs a comprehensive year-long curriculum map outlining the

sequence of topics, assessments, and learning objectives for their subject area.

4. A group of teachers collaborates to create a set of study guides for students

preparing for standardized tests.

5. A teacher implements project-based learning strategies to enhance student

engagement and critical thinking skills in a mathematics classroom.
6. A teacher executes a well-structured lesson plan, incorporating various teaching
methods and resources to effectively deliver the curriculum content.

7. A department head conducts regular assessments and analyses student

performance data to identify areas for improvement in the school's curriculum.

8. Due to a power outage, a teacher improvises by organizing an outdoor nature

walk activity to teach ecology concepts instead of using multimedia resources.

9. A teacher compiles a series of case studies and real-world examples to

supplement the textbook and enhance student understanding of complex
scientific concepts.

10. A biology teacher collaborates with physics and earth science teachers to ensure
seamless integration of interdisciplinary topics across grade levels in line with the
school's curriculum guidelines.
I am a teacher!
Who Am I as a
Curricularist?
Case 1: I have a good idea on how to make
my learners pay attention to the lesson. I
will use the new idea and find out if it will
work.

Case 2: DepEd sent the standards,

competencies and guidelines in teaching
the Mother Tongue in Grade 1 in our
school. I will study and use it in the
coming school year.
Case 3: There is so much to do in one school
day. I seem not able to do all, but I have
to accomplish something for my
learners. I have made a daily activity
plan to guide me.

Case 4: I need a poem to celebrate the World

Teachers' Day. I composed one to be
used in my class in Literature.
Case 5: My class is composed of learners
from different home background and
culture. I cannot use a "one-size-fits all
strategy" in teaching so I can respond to
the diverse background. In my readings;
I discovered that there are ways of
teaching. I tried one myself and it
worked.
Case 6: Knowledge is limitless. What I learned
in college is not enough. I need to know
more, so I enrolled in the graduate
school to advance my learning.
Case 7: At the end of the year, my
performance as a teacher is reflected in
the school performance of my students.
So, I need to provide a monitoring tool to
measure how they are progressing. The
result will inform me how I will address
my learners' weakness and enhance
their strengths.
Case 8: I am teaching in a very far away
barangay with no electricity yet. Many of
the instructional aids for teaching sent to
our school are films and video tapes
which need power. I cannot use them,
but the lessons are very important. So, I
thought of making an alternative activity.
I took my class to the river and waterfall
instead of doing the lesson.
Case 9: My principal asked me to attend a
write shop to make the lesson exemplars
in the teaching of science in Grade 7. In
the workshop, I used my experiences as
a science teacher for ten years, and my
knowledge of the subject matter. At the
end of three days, I was able to produce
lesson exemplars which I am proud of.
Case 10: From grade 7 to grade 10 of the K to 12
Enhanced Curriculum, science as a subject is
presented, taught and learned in a spiral
manner. This is part of the DepEd implementing
guidelines of the curriculum. I am a biology
major, and I have insufficient knowledge about
the other areas of science such as Physics and
Earth Science. Because of this dilemma, I have
to request the principal that we have team
teaching. Which role of the curricularist, am I
trying to do?