The Barrier of Curriculum

Chapter 7

Progressive Organization of Subject Matter

“The educator by the very nature of his work is obliged to see his present work in terms of what it accomplishes, or fails to accomplish, for a future whose objects are linked with those of the present” (p. 76)

How is the this for a question for starting an essay: What is the purpose of education in America?  This simple question is seldom asked and easily glossed over with platitudes (education is for “democracy”; education is to help a student get a job, etc..).  Does it change your reaction to the question when we slightly alter the question to: What is the purpose of learning in America?  The former question implies a view of our society based on old, educational structures, while the latter question implies new learning structures.  The old learning structures have as its focus content.  The new learning structures have as its focus the learning experience.  The old structure obsesses with curriculum (what must be taught when), while the new learning structure obsesses over the learner and the learning experience.  Old structures require educators (and school systems) to constantly refer to the past for their guidance and sustenance.  New learning structures use the past only to help understand the present and leverage that understanding to create learning experiences which will help learners understand the future.  Learning experiences, centered on the learner, is not anchored in the past.  Rather learning facilitators use an understanding of the past to inform the present which help them craft learning experiences that will help the learner create a framework for the future.

The content of our current (old structure) school system centers on what is taught---the curriculum.  The significance of curriculum in preventing a change from the education structures to learning structures cannot be understated.  Curriculum impacts evaluation of students, teachers, principals, superintendents, schools and school districts.  It determines where (room number, time of day) a student (and teacher) will spend their time in school.  Curriculum drives and entire industry (textbooks).  Curriculum prevents the learner, and the learning experience, from being at the center of our school system.  I have been in districts where every elementary grade-level teacher across the district must be on the same page of the textbook on the same day.  This is called “implementing the curriculum with fidelity” kids be damned!  This illusion of sound education practice lulls educators into not reflecting how the student becomes a bit player in the proper implementation of content.

This is not to say the content is not important…of course it is.  My argument is that content has become THE most important facet in current education structures.  School systems are laser focused on content because the livelihood of the adults are at stake if the students do not prove that they have “learned” the content.  This is an understandable reaction to our current education structure. The challenge for reflective educators is to bring better balance between content and the learner.  Once an equilibrium is created, we can start the discussion about how to transition from education structures to learning structures.  Deemphasizing curriculum and reemphasizing the learner and the learning experience is not easy.  In many ways our society has become blind to other options in learning for our students…we simply cannot think of another way.  However, if we truly want to answer the question, (what is the purpose of learning in America?), then we will grapple with content, structures and learning experiences.