Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education

SAMAR COLLEGES INC.
Catbalogan City, Samar
Tel. Nos. (055) 251-3021, 543-8381, Fax (055)251-3021

I. Course Code : Prof. Ed 205

II. Course Subject : The Teacher and the School Curriculum
III. Number of Units : 3 Units
IV. Course Pre-requisite : None
V. Instructor :
VI. School Year : First Semester 2022-2023

Module 1. Curriculum and the Teachers

Lesson 3. The Teacher as a Curricularist

Learning Content:
1. Description of Teacher as a Curricularist

The Curricularist as a Teacher

Are you aware that the teacher's role in school is very complex? Teachers’ function is
broader and inclusive of other functions. Teachers do a series of interrelated actions
regarding curriculum, instruction, assessment, evaluation, teaching and learning. A
classroom teacher is involved with the curriculum continuously all day. However, a teacher
is rarely described as a curricularist.

Curricularists in the past were referred to only as those who developed curriculum
theories. According to the study conducted by Sandra Hayes (1991), the most influential
curriculumists in America include John Dewey, Ralph Tyler, Hilda Taba, and Franklin
Bobbit. The word "curricularist" is described as a curriculum specialist (Hayes, 1991;
Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004; Hewitt, 2006). A person who is involved in curriculum
knowledge, writing, planning, implementing, evaluating, innovating, and initiating may be
designated as a curricularist.

The classroom is the first place of curricular engagement. The first school experience
sets the tone for understanding the meaning of schooling through the interactions of learners
and teachers that will lead to learning. Hence, the curriculum is at the heart of schooling.

Who is a Curricularist?

A person who is involved in curriculum knowing, writing, planning, implementing,

evaluating, innovating, and initiating.

The teacher as a Curricularist

1. Knows the Curriculum. Learning begins with knowing. The teacher as a learner
starts with knowing about the curriculum, the subject matter or the content. As a
teacher, one has to master what are included in the curriculum. It is acquiring
academic knowledge both formal (disciplines, logic) or informal (derived from
experiences, vicarious, and unintended). It is the mastery of the subject matter.
(KNOWER)
 2. Writes the Curriculum. A classroom teacher takes record of knowledge
concepts, subject matter or content. These need to be written or preserved. The
teacher writes books, modules, laboratory manuals, instructional guides, and
reference materials in paper or electronic media as a curriculum writer or
reviewer. (WRITER)
3. Plans the curriculum. A good curriculum has to be planned. It is the role of the
teacher to make a yearly, monthly or daily plan of the curriculum. This
will serve as a guide in the implementation of the curriculum. The
teacher takes into consideration several factors in planning a curriculum.
These factors include the learners, the support material, time, subject matter or
content, the desired outcomes, the context of the learners among others. By doing
this, the teacher becomes a curriculum planner. (PLANNER)
4. Initiates the Curriculum. In cases where the curriculum is recommended to the
schools from DepEd, CHED, TESDA, UNESCO, UNICEF or other educational
agencies for improvement of quality education, the teacher is obliged to
implement it. Implementation of a new curriculum requires the open
mindedness of the teacher, and the full belief that the curriculum will
enhance learning. There will be many constraints and difficulties in
doing things first or leading, however, a transformative teacher will never
hesitate to try something novel and relevant. (INITIATOR)
5. Innovates the Curriculum. Creativity and innovation are hallmarks of an
excellent teacher. A curriculum is always dynamic; hence it keeps on changing.
From the content, strategies, ways of doing, blocks of time, ways of
evaluating, kinds of students and skills of teachers, one cannot find a single
eternal curriculum that would perpetually fit. A good teacher, therefore,
innovates the curriculum and thus becomes a curriculum innovator.
(INNOVATOR)
6. Implements the Curriculum. The curriculum that remains recommended or
written will never serve its purpose. Somebody has to implement it. As
mentioned previously, at the heart of schooling is the curriculum. It is this
role where the teacher becomes the curriculum implementor. An
implementor gives life to the curriculum plan. The teacher is at the height of an
engagement with the learners, with support materials in order to
achieve the desired outcome. It is where teaching, guiding, facilitating skills of
the teacher are expected to the highest level. It is here where teaching as a science
and as an art will be observed. It is here, where all the elements of the curriculum
will come into play. The success of a recommended, well written and planned
curriculum depends on the implementation. (IMPLEMENTOR)
7. Evaluates the Curriculum. How can one determine if the desired learning
outcomes have been achieved? Is the curriculum working? Does it bring
the desired results? What do outcomes reveal? Are the learners
achieving? Are there some practices that should be modified? Should the
curriculum be modified, terminated or continued? These are some few questions
that need the help of a curriculum evaluator. That person is the Teacher
(EVALUATOR)

Functions of a teacher as a Curricularist.

 Knower The teacher as a curricularist knows the curriculum. Learning starts with
knowing. The teacher as a student begins with knowing about the
curriculum, the subject matter, and the content. As a teacher, one has to
chiefly learned what are incorporated in the curriculum. It is gaining
scholastic knowledge both formal (discipline or logic) or informal (derived
from experiences, secondhand, and unintended). It is the mastery of the
content.
Writer The teacher as a curricularist writes and even reviews the curriculum. As a
curriculum writer or reviewer, the knowledge concepts, subject matte or
content that has been recorded by the teacher need to be written or
preserved through books, modules, laboratory manuals, instructional
guides, and reference materials in paper or electronic media
Planner The teacher as a curricularist plans the curriculum. A good curriculum has
to be planed yearly, monthly, or daily (lesson plan). This will function as a
guide in the enactment of the curriculum. As a curriculum planner, the
teacher will take into attention several factors which include the learners,
the support material, time, subject matter or content, the desired outcomes,
the context of the learners among others in planning the curriculum.
Initiator The teacher as a curricularist initiates the curriculum. The teacher is
obliged to implement when a curriculum is recommended to the schools
from, DEPED, CHED, TESDA, UNESCO, and other educational agencies
for improvement of quality of education. Delivery of a new curriculum
requires the broadmindedness of the teacher, and the full conviction that
the curriculum will augment learning. A transformative teacher will never
hesitate to something novel or relevant even if there will be many obstacles
and complications in doing things first (leading).
Innovator The teacher as a curricularist innovates the curriculum. As curriculum is
always dynamic, an outstanding teacher will always be creative and
innovative in order to keep at pace with the changes in the curriculum.
Implemente The teacher as a curricularist implements the curriculum. It is in this role
r that the teacher gives life to the curriculum plan. Implementation of the
curriculum by the teacher will define the success of the recommended,
well-written and planned curriculum.
Evaluator The teacher as a curricularist evaluates the curriculum. These are some
questions that will guide the teacher as evaluator: How can one conclude if
the intended learning outcomes have been met or attained? Is the
curriculum operational? Does it convey the intended results? What do
results divulge? Are the learners accomplishing? Are there some practices
that should be revised or improved? Should the curriculum be reformed,
terminated, or sustained?

These seven different roles is performed by the teacher in the classroom

every day and these multi-faceted functions qualifies a teacher to be a curricularist.

Activity:

Do a simple survey following the steps below:

1. Group A will survey at least 10 elementary teachers, while Group B will survey at
least 10 secondary teachers who are currently teaching either in private or public
schools.
2. Use the survey tool below.
The Teacher as a Curricularist Survey Tool

Name of Teacher (Optional): _________________________________________________

School: ________________________________ Grade Level Assignment: _____________
No. of Years of Teaching: ______________________ Degree Graduated: ____________
Highest Educational Attainment: _____________________________________________

As a school teacher, Responses

Yes No
1. I master the subject matter that I have to teach.
2. I implement what I have planned for my teaching.
3. I monitor and assess if my students are learning.
4. I modify my activity to suit my learners in my classroom.
5. I lead in the implementation of a new curriculum in my
school.
6. I write instructional materials based on the recommended
school curriculum.
7. I look for other ways of doing to improve teaching and
learning in my classroom.

3. Consolidate the data using the matrix below:

Consolidated Survey Results

As a school teacher, No. of

Responses
Yes No
1. I master the subject matter that I have to teach.
2. I implement what I have planned for my teaching.
3. I monitor and assess if my students are learning.
4. I modify my activity to suit my learners in my classroom.
5. I lead in the implementation of a new curriculum in my
school.
6. I write instructional materials based on the recommended
school curriculum.
7. I look for other ways of doing to improve teaching and
learning in my classroom.

4. Report the survey to the whole class together with the interpretation of the data.