Teachers as

Curriculum Leaders
 This chapter present and discuss significant literatures and various
ideas that explore the important role of teachers as curriculum
leaders. It suggests that teachers role in curriculum is not limited to
curriculum implementation but also includes various curriculum
leadership roles.

Objectives :
 Discuss the key roles of teacher leader in curriculum processes;
 Discuss the importance of teachers as curriculum leaders in
planning and evaluating instructions;
 Discuss the roles of teachers as curriculum leaders in the K-12
Education Program; and
 Identify ways to develop teachers leaders in curriculum.
 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.

Curriculum Leadership can be simply defined as set of

important roles and activities that each teacher does in relation
to curriculum planning, curriculum design, curriculum
implementation, and curriculum evaluation.
 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 education values. They are
visionaries and effective problem-solvers. They develop vision of a
great society and use education as a tool for accomplishing the
vision.
 As curriculum leaders, they are professional working with different
social agencies and various stateholders to improve quality of
education and to make the curriculum more relevant and responsive
and to ensure effective and efficient implementation of curriculum,
curriculum reforms, and curriculum policies.
 Some teachers, 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.
 In many literatures, instructions 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 leaders in the local school context :
  Designing instructional plans
 Selecting and developing instructional materials.
 Assessing and reporting students’ progress.
 Designing environment appropriate for the students.
 Selecting appropriate teaching strategies and approaches
 Preparing reports and accomplishing official forms
 Teaching subject 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 teacher to see
themselves as prime movers and advocate of educational reforms at any
kind from local school, district, division,region and national level.
 The following are A to Z roles and function of teachers as curriculum leaders in
their own school, district, division or regional level :
A- Advocate positive curricular reforms to ensure quality of education.
B- Broaden understanding of the teaching and learning process.
C- Conduct research to enhance curriculum content and improve teaching
learning.
D- Develop appropriate curriculum for students
E- Evaluate curriculum materials and the implementation of the curriculum.
F- Facilitate activities to ensure public understanding of evey single
curriculum.
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 learner needs, issues and interest.
M- Manage curriculum implementation and curriculum change.
N- Nurture creativity and critical thinking in the curriculum
O- Orient teacher, 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 researchers that influence the curriculum.
S- Select appropriate instructional strategies, methods, and
approaches.
T- Train teachers who will implement the curriculum.
U- Understand implications of social issues and social changes in the
curriculum.
V- Validate the contents of the curriculum.
W- Win support from stakeholders and government on needed
curriculum reforms.
X- X-ing(crossing) out bureaucratic barriers to the curriculum
implementation.
Y- Yearn for quality education through a relevant and responsive
curriculum.
Z- Zero out irrelevant and erroneous curriculum contents and
The tasks of teachers as curriculum leaders may seem to be very ideal
and overwhelming, considering the fact that teachers 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 kind of citizens 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 administration
particularly school principals. Olvia (2005) and Ornstien and Hunkins (1993)
defined curriculum to include instructions. Accordingly, curriculum and
instruction are inseparable. Part of curriculum processes is instructions that
deals with the implementation of the curriculum.
 McEwan (2003) pointed out that instructional leaders must be
knowledgeable about learning theory, effective instructions, 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 the 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 conductive to teaching and learning.
 Communicate the philosophy,vision,and mission of the school.
 Train teachers and schools staff.
 Lead in the development or purchase of instructional materials.
 Prepare the school budget for instruction.
 Observe classes of teachers.
 Check assessment tools( exams,and authentic assessment)
 Curriculum leaders fulfill these instructional leadership functions in
dynamic cand democratic ways. They inspire teachers and students
to commit themselves to excellent teaching and learning. They create
efficient system to ensure smooth implementation of instruction.
 Planning effective insructions is an important task of teachers as
curriculum leaders. Reiser snd Dick (1996) develop an instructional
planning model that presents a very logical sequence of instructional
planning.
 In Reiser and Dick’s model, the teacher as curriculum leaders need to
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 learners
characteristics while the teacher’s select the lesson objectives. The
model also puts emphasis on the development of assessment tools
after identifying the objectives of the lesson. This will ensure that
proper assessment tools, aligned with the objectives of the lesson,
will be utilized to assess students learning.
 Analyze
Content

PLAN CHOOSE
IDENTIFY DEVELOP
INSTRUCTI INSTRUCTI
INSTRUCTI IDENTIFY ASSESSM
ONAL ONAL
ONAL OBJECTIV ENT
ACTIVITIES MEDIA
GOALS ES TOOLS

IMPLEMEN
ANALYZE TAT
LEARNERS INSTRUCTI
CHARACTE ONAL
RISTIC

REVISE INSTRUCTION
Planning instruction in Reiser and Dick’s model includes the following
instructional procedures :
1. Motivation
2. Presentation of objectives
3. Recalling prerequisites skills and knowledge
4. Presentation of information and examples
5. Practice and feedback
6. Summary
7. Assessments
Teachers may use several teaching strategies and learning activities in
each procedure to ensure the success of instruction. Teachers need to
respond to the learning needs of the students and align their teaching
styles with the learning system of every student. Thus,planning is
necessary.
 Instructional media and other instructional materials - also
plays an important role in instructions. Teachers need to select the
instructional media that can be used to help effectively implement
the objectives of the lesson.
 Technology and other forms of instructional media - are parts
of the interest of millennial students. Millennial students almost
always rely technology, especially Internet, in getting information
about their lessons. They use technology in almost all aspects of their
studies.
 Implementing Instructional includes actual teaching and learning
process -In this part of instruction, the teacher’s skilll 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 – the teacher
will use the results of students assessment in revising instructions .
Teachers and curriculum leaders need to know how to utilize the
result of assessment in improving classroom instructions.
THANK YOU AND GODBLESS ❗