Ideologies and CurriculumWestern Governors UniversityTitle o, Lecture notes of Accounting

Download Ideologies and CurriculumWestern Governors UniversityTitle o and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum Ideologies and Curriculum Western Governors University Title of paper 2 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum Congress Heights Elementary school is located in an urban neighborhood, in a underprivileged community. Congress Heights is tailored to serve underprivileged families for instance lunch is free, often they offer food or clothing drives and many other programs put in place to assist the families with daily needs. I serve a classroom of 22 kindergarteners seven girls and fifteen boys, all of my students identify as African Americans. Growing up in an underprivileged neighborhood can make learning hard sometimes, my students are struggling with a lot of things much bigger than their kindergarten brains can understand, so often they act out or throw tantrums to express themselves. My students have endured many unthinkable tragedies such as death, constant violence, poverty, hunger and many other social injustices. Dealing with such tragedies can sometimes make learning difficult because my students have several triggers, sometimes they are too tired and or hungry to stay focused, so often they are allowed to take breaks to eat breakfast or snack and to sometimes just get some rest. Having to make these types of accommodations takes a lot of learning time away. Despite these struggles my students still work very hard to obtain and understand the lessons taught. SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION Social Reconstructionists believe that the purpose of education is to fix the wrong in society. Social Reconstructionists believe that society is unhealthy and wrong, but through education, these wrongs can be fixed and made right (Schiro, 2008). They also believe that education is only valuable when it contributes to the attainment of a future good society (Schiro, 2008). Education is more than just learning the basic 5 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum and explore different centers that are each different adult themed jobs. The students are allowed to play and explore the tools required for these careers. We as teachers ask questions and guide them in the right direction to stimulate learning. These centers are only implemented after a lesson is done on the career. . I find that students seem to understand better when they are allowed to explore and learn skills on their own. The students seem to be more stimulated and you can see their ideas going off like light bulbs.. After the mini lesson and practice of the skill the students understanding and interest for the career grows greatly. The student is able to recall the skills as they relate to their lives and this is a sign that the student understands. Scholar Academic Scholar Academic educators believe that the current curriculum is just fine. This ideology believes that the curriculum should be up to date with the culture. The curriculum is designed based on shared knowledge of groups of educated adults. This ideology focuses greatly on cultural literacy. As stated in Curriculum theory: Conflicting visions and enduring concerns Scholar Academic have a realist view point and believe the purpose of education is to help children learn that background knowledge is shared for understanding (Schiro, 2008). It is believed that children are like sponges and that they absorb knowledge (Schiro, 2008). It is believed that students are missing knowledge that can be taught. Students are seen as naïve and untrained but they can grow sophisticated with knowledge. Things outside of intellect are seen as trivial or unimportant. It’s imperative that students learn 6 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum commutative knowledge to be viewed as a member of society. Scholar Academic educators go by three disciplines: a defined area of study, the collection of facts, writings, and other works of scholars associated with a well defined area of study, and a community of individuals whose ultimate task is the gaining of meaning (Schirno, 2008). These disciplines are seen as a community of people searching for truth within knowledge. Education is viewed as a cultural process to obtain commutative meaning and understanding. The teachers identify with one or more of these disciplines making them an exemplar to the students. The teacher’s way of obtaining and understanding of knowledge all speak true to the disciplines. The teachers rely on three major teaching methods, which are: didactic discourse, supervised practice and Socratic discussion. Didactic discourse is simply the learning of a subject by book or lecture. Supervised practice is executing or demonstrating the knowledge learned. Socratic discussion is lecturing and raising questions to increase understanding. This traditional curriculum works and is implemented everyday in my classroom. The students are expected to absorb the information being taught. The students are expected to gain a commutative meaning and they are expected to elevate and become better people through education. I feel this curriculum is very appropriate for my instructional setting it creates structure and stimulates learning within the classroom. Learning Centered 7 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum Blackie argued, “The belief is that the child must discover the fact for himself” (as cited in Schiro, 2008, p. 109). Learning centered schools are solely based on the needs and desires of the students. They believe that the student should explore and learn on their own and the teachers should act as facilitators. The students decide the way the school is governed. The students ultimately determine what they learn because they decide what activity they participate in, how long they participate, if they want to work individually or as a group and they decide the members of the group. (schirno, 2008) Learning centered educators believe that meeting the needs of the student is more important than meeting the expectations of the adults. (Schirno, 2008) The school does not teach based on subjects they learn according to interest. The students are not required to sit in chairs to learn they are constantly moving and walking around at their discretion. As opposed to traditional classroom constant dialogue with peers and teachers are encouraged. Students are not forced to read and write it is believed that students will do so, when their body is naturally ready. Students do not learn through books and lectures they learn through doing for example they care for animals, grow, plant and build objects. They believe in treating children just as they are and letting the stages of their development teach them naturally. Learning centered educators do not want the children to conform to society standards the educators want the students to be unique. The students learn at their own pace, it is believed learning naturally occurs. The teachers and students are both expected to learn and grow from the curriculum. The students are viewed as whole organisms that grow naturally as long as adults do not corrupt them. They believe that everything a child needs to know is on the inside of them already. Each 10 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum shared knowledge to qualify. I feel learning basic skills acts as the foundation for the advancement of the students. I would also incorporate social efficiency into my curricula, I want students to gain knowledge and I also want students to get hands on experience with skills that will be relevant to the real world. It is my idea that when students leave school they should be prepared for the world. Students should not only have basic classroom knowledge but also skills that they will need. It is my vision that students be well rounded, ready and well equip with the basic knowledge, skills for the real world, cultural literacy and their own interpretation and ideas of some activities. In order, for the students to be well equipped they also have to have a clear understanding of society and where they stand within it; that is where social reconstruction will be relevant to my curricula. To have the idea that everyone is going to college and only needs tools to succeed in college is not fair to believe, so that’s why I feel students should get the basic needs along with skill that helps them in life. With all four of these curriculums the students are sure to be laced with the tools and skills to start a career, begin college or to travel on whatever path they choose in life. I honestly feel that if every school had this type of curricula all students would be well rounded and prepared for the world. We would have more successful adults who have a great influence on society just as social reconstructionist believe; through education society can be fixed. My personal philosophy works for my instructional setting because in the area I work in not all students have the opportunity to go to college. So, a lot of my students need more than basic knowledge to be successful. I feel that we set every 11 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum student up for success when they gain basic knowledge, when they get an opportunity to explore different careers and skills for life, when they have cultural literacy and understand societal power. It’s important that students be exposed to careers that don’t all include a higher education. The students being exposed to many different opportunities to learn inside of the classroom and outside of the classroom makes the chances for success greater. Scholar Academic helps the children learn shared information in society; basic information such as reading, math, history, science. Social efficiency as discussed above would be the students learning tools and skills that are going to be helpful for them in the real world. Teachers will manipulate and create opportunities to learn in and outside of the classroom just as learner centered educators do. The students will have a chance to gain their own interpretation of those activities. Students individual needs are also important in my curricula same as learning centered curricula. With all of these tools, students have a greater chance at becoming successful adults Well educated students become well educated adults who will influence society in good ways as social reconstructionist believe. Part C The way I would implement all four ideologies is through curriculum and instruction. With all four ideologies combined I will have a goal in mind that will drive my instruction. The bases of my curricula is scholar academic and learner centered. The students will have a full day of effective instructions in literacy, 12 Running Head: Ideologies and Curriculum science, math, social studies. The students will receive mini lessons in whole and small groups. During small groups the students will get more one on one attention. The students are required to practice these subjects through completing worksheets and assessments. The students will have two hours out of everyday to learn through play. The students will get a chance to partake in centers. During centers time the students get to explore jobs and careers that adults have. For instance construction, doctor, dentist, scientist and more. To ensure students have an idea of societal power we will read books such as Same Same But Different, On Our Street. These books will give the students a sense of social awareness. Implementing this instructions will be effective because it will be based on three instructional models common core curriculum which is research base content, professional development which will be given to assist staff with curriculum and advancing teachers knowledge, and assessments that will give us the data needed to ensure students are growing as desired. This curriculum is sure to succeed and create well rounded, successful children who will eventually grow into adults. References