Curriculum Planning

Introduction

Curriculum planning is a continuous process which involves activities

characterized by interrelationships among individuals and groups as they
work together in studying, planning, developing and improving the
curriculum which is total environment planned by the school. Effective
curriculum planning and decision-making process is key to the success
of educational programs.

Need for Curriculum Planning

Curriculum planning develop well-coordinated, quality teaching, learning

and assessment programmes which build students’ knowledge, skills and
behaviours in the disciplines, as well as their interdisciplinary and or
physical, personal and social capacities. A good curriculum planning in
schools often requires overcoming many obstacles. The only certainty
about curriculum implementation is that there is no one right way of
going about it for all teachers in all school. There are three levels of
curriculum planning: the planning of policies, the planning of programs,
and the planning of lessons. We will focus on how planning by teachers
actually proceeds in individual schools, and in so doing, we examine in
detail the contributions made to curriculum planning by people often
referred to as key stakeholders. Key stakeholders include teachers,
principals, parents, students and external facilitators--all the people who
for personal or professional reasons ordinarily have the strongest
interests in planning.

Curriculum Planning Ensures:

*To differentiate among three levels at which curriculum planning occurs

in schools: policy, programs and lessons.

*To reflect on the backgrounds, priorities, and skills ordinarily brought

to curriculum planning by key stakeholders, especially teachers,
principals, parents, students and external facilitators.

*To become familiar with the major problems involved in curriculum

implementation.

*To understand the implications of the ideas of fidelity of curriculum

implementation and adaptation in curriculum implementation.

*To ensure a shared vision

*Shared understandings and a common language in the school

community.

*Optimum coverage of all domains within the curriculum.

*Continuity of learning between domains across your levels.

*The full ranges of learning needs of students are addressed.

*Students are given opportunities to develop deep understanding.

*Cohesiveness in teaching, learning and assessment practices.

*Elimination of repetition of learning activities without depth or breadth

across levels.

*Improved student learning outcomes.

*To critically reflect on the basic ideas that underlies research on

curriculum implementation.

*To critically reflect on some common approaches that has been used in
schools to support the process of curriculum implementation.

Conclusion

Our school’s curriculum is all the planned activities that we organise in

order to promote learning, and personal growth and development. It
includes not only the formal requirements of the New Curriculum 2016,
but also the various extra-curricular activities that the school organises
in order to enrich the children’s experience. It also includes the ‘hidden
curriculum’ – what the children learn from the way they are treated and
expected to behave. We want children to grow into positive, responsible
people, who can work and cooperate with others while at the same time
developing their knowledge and skills, in order to achieve their true
potential. It is underpinned by the values that we hold dear at our school.
The curriculum is the means by which the school achieves its objective
of educating children in the knowledge, skills and understanding that
they need in order to lead fulfilling lives.