CURRICULUM AND SOCIETY: RETHINKING THE LINK

CURRICULUM AND SOCIETY: RETHINKING THE LINK by Alicia de Alba

The article discussed the need to rethink the link between curriculum and society. What crisis in society constitutes a change in curriculum? The author discusses the significance of social traits and contours providing a “contextual space for the constitution of specific social and curricular subjects.” While I was reading this article one word came to mind “Dewey.” How could we forget Dewey? Dewey was the leader in progressive education beliefs. He wrote about how “education is the fundamental method of social progress and reform.” He believed we needed to prepare students to live in our society. The progressives saw schools as avenues to help students contribute to society.

I began to think about how education has changed because of changes taking place in our society since I began school over a half of a century ago. (Boy does that make me sound and feel ancient). Subjects taught in the 50’s in high school: home economics, sewing, cooking, and secretarial skills for girls; auto body shop, the trades, vocational training for boys . During the 50’s the majority of girls became wives, mothers and homemakers after graduating high school; boys became husbands, fathers and blue collar workers upon graduation. Society dictated the curriculum of schools by educating students to become active members of society. Tracking students based on their intelligence (college track or non-college) began in the 50’s and continued into the early 60’s where curriculum reform took place again. The 1960’s took on societies liberal beliefs. Schools had open classrooms, new math and volunteering for credit and learn what you want. Real world curriculum integration mirrored society. In the 80’s with a “Nation At Risk” being published, educators saw students fall behind other nations in education. Reform takes place again in education and returns to the basics: reading and math. In the 90’s Technology made the world much smaller, family dynamics are ever changing; schools are culturally integrated rather than segregated. Curriculum in school cannot keep up with our fast changing society.

With the push of technology in our curriculum at our school, I see curriculum outdated before it is even put into use. To use the idiom: “A day late and a dollar short” is how I view the curriculum in our school. The focus is still on math and reading because of the influence of the state testing. An interesting yet insignificant conversation in our team meeting took place the other day: Why teach students cursive? Technology dictates texting and typing. Cursive is a dying art. The only cursive a student will need is to know how to sign their name. Why is that still in the curriculum when in is not needed in today’s society? A very simple example of curriculum changing because of the needs in society.