What is the spectrum of needs and interests across the population I serve?

Curriculum Content

Decisions about “what to teach” are a major determinant in choosing and writing curriculum; they are influenced by what children should know and be able to do, the degree to which children and teachers share control, and how learning should be organized and managed (Biber, 1977). Historically, school districts and programs operated independently, decisions were made locally, and teachers typically had a significant voice in the process of choosing curriculum content. In publicly funded schools and programs today, those decisions are increasingly centralized and driven by state and federal standards and conditions attached to funding streams.

Choosing what children should learn is a values-driven process, as the choices made represent what the community, state, or country thinks is worth knowing. Over time, as society changes, our ideas about what is important evolve as well. In the early days of our country, curriculum included the study of literature, philosophy, writing, grammar, history, science, math, Latin, modern languages, art, music, and rhetoric (debate, public speaking).

After the progressive movement in the early decades of the twentieth century, social priorities shifted to include practical knowledge, skills, and citizenship as part of the curriculum (Dewey, 1903). This was the beginning of vocational and career education as part of the curriculum: Older boys learned carpentry, metalworking, and auto mechanics, while girls might study home economics (cooking and sewing, among other things). Gardens were a common feature in the schoolyard. Learning about “community helpers,” and block and dramatic play, became a valued part of the kindergarten curriculum because of the possibilities for learning about and acting out real-life roles (Shapiro & Biber, 1972).