Curriculum Model
A curriculum model, on the other hand, is more prescriptive. Formally, it’s defined as “an ideal representation of the theoretical premises, administrative policies, and pedagogical components of a program aimed at obtaining a particular educational outcome” (Spodek & Brown, 1993, p. 91). It describes everything about what and how the teacher will teach, from the way in which the classroom should be organized and the materials to use to activity plans and directions about how to introduce, teach, and assess lessons.
The purpose of having a model is to ensure consistency no matter who uses the curriculum or where it is implemented (Goffin, 2001). This allows for a high degree of reliability that the curriculum is being implemented as originally intended, so that it achieves its expected outcomes. The Montessori Method (Montessori, 1912), or a purchased curriculum that includes specific instructional materials you need in order to implement it, would be an example of a curriculum model. The choice to use a model or an approach is not reflective of one being better than the other but largely dependent on the mission or philosophy of a program.