CURRICULUM

Reflection No. 3

            Curriculum is very important when talking about quality education. As we have discussed, the new definition of curriculum is the total experience of a child, not just merely the list of subjects that students should enrol and comply. Curriculum also passes through a process which starts with planning, followed by implementing and last is evaluating, but it doesn’t end there because it goes on and on as long as there is a need to change or improve.

            This topic curriculum reminded me of my high school and college life because this was mentioned many times in our school. When I was in high school I belonged to a science curriculum. All I can remember, we had two math and science subjects in every year level and they’ve said that we’re ahead from the other sections. In college, they said that we belonged to a new curriculum therefore we encountered new subjects. My knowledge therefore about curriculum is its old definition, which is just the list of subjects. But it was changed when I enrolled in Professional Education and masters because it is broader than my prior knowledge about it.

            One experience also of the broader essence of curriculum is our school, where I am working right now. Our curriculum is different from the rest because this is a theological seminary, but the curriculum is approved by CHED. Our curriculum focuses in the total formation of the learners (seminarians) – academic, human, spiritual and pastoral because they are the future leaders of the church and community. It is also designed to make it responsive to emerging changes in the needs of the learner and the society. I observed how they were taught and formed. They need to balance everything before they will graduate. If they fail to pass in one aspect they will be evaluated by their teachers, formators, classmates and even themselves. Every semester they are also given the chance to reflect on their evaluation and do something about it to improve, may it be positive or negative.

            After knowing all about the importance of curriculum, I will be more conscious about it – how it is organize and how it is implemented in schools. Does it pass through the process of evaluation or it just continues to be implemented without reflecting on its effectiveness in the holistic development of the learners. Does it also respond to the need of time or it doesn’t change at all. I would like to reaffirm also that indeed, curriculum is the lifeblood of the school because