Creating the Curriculum

<p>Is there an 'ideal' primary school curriculum?</p> <p>Who should decide what the curriculum is?</p> <p>Should teachers have autonomy over how they teach?</p> <p></p> <p>The curriculum is the heart of what teachers teach and learners learn: effective teaching is only possible with an effective curriculum. Yet in spite of its importance there has been a crisis in curriculum that has been caused in large part by governments assuming direct control over the curriculum assessment and increasingly pedagogy. </p> <p></p> <p><em>Creating the Curriculum</em> tackles this thorny issue head on challenging student and practising primary school teachers to think critically about past and present issues and to engage with a new wave of curriculum thinking and development. Considering curriculum construction and its impact on teaching and learning in the four countries of the UK key issues considered include: </p> <p></p> <ul> <p> <li>who should decide the curriculum its aims and its values</li> <p></p> <p> <li>the extent to which issues in primary education swing back and forth</li> <p></p> <p> <li>Subjects versus thematic organisation stages and phases progression breadth and balance</li> <p></p> <p> <li>prescription versus teacher autonomy</li> <p></p> <p> <li>the key features of effective classroom practice</li> <p></p> <p> <li>strategies for assessing the whole curriculum</li> <p></p> <p> <li>how language in the classroom influences curriculum design</li> <p></p> <p> <li>understanding curricula in the context of children's social and personal circumstances</li> <p></p> <p> <li>creativity curriculum and the classroom.</li> <p></p></ul> <p></p> <p>Illustrated throughout with strategies and case studies from the classroom <em>Creating the Curriculum</em> accessibly links the latest research and evidence with concrete examples of good practice. It is a timely exploration of what makes an effective and meanginful curriculum and how teachers can bring new relevance motivation and powerful values to what they teach.</p>