School Management Curriculum Design and Review

7/29/2019 School Management Curriculum Design and Review

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Managing your school 12. Leading Your Schools Learning Environment: CurriculumDesign and Review

MANAGING YOUR SCHOOL

a LeadSpace just in time guide for first-time principals

12. Leading Your School s Learning Environment:Curriculum Design and Review

OVERVIEW

This just in time guide offers suggestions for leadership actions principals can take asthey work with their schools to review and confirm their curriculum.

The checklists link The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) with sets of actions suggestedby experienced school principals and the Pedagogy section of the draft document KiwiLeadership for Principals (KLP 2008) to confirm a range processes that support leadinglearning.

Use these checklists or parts of them in any sequence to speed up your reflection onyour actions about school-wide curriculum processes.

1. WHERE ARE YOU UP TO IN YOUR SCHOOL?

Principals action Quality checksRead the The school curriculum:design and review section (NZC,pp. 3739) to the end of Futurefocus.

Using the checklist, reflect onhow your design and reviewprocess works.

As you progress, return to thechecklist regularly.

Successful schools areorganised around learning. Theirprincipals are knowledgeableabout effective pedagogy andabout what works for all studentsin their particular contexts.(Pedagogy, KLP, p. 14)

Our curriculum design and review process:

is continuous and cyclical

involves decisions recognising thatthe national curriculum is beingapplied to address the needs,interests, and circumstances of ourstudents and community

applies a sound understanding ofthe curriculums intent

applies a sound understanding of

our communitys values andexpectations

clarifies priorities for studentlearning

clarifies how these priorities will bemet

clarifies how student progress willbe assessed

clarifies how the quality of teachingand learning will be assessed

draws on existing good practice

maximises use of local resourcesand opportunities.
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculumhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum


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Make the Three-stepDevelopment Markers chart anin-school record of progress. TheSchool curriculum design andreview planning chart has been

sent to your school in documentand poster format. (It is part ofthe design and review supportpackage.)

Use the review questions as thebasis for checking your progress(note they are based on pp. 3739in the New Zealand Curriculumstatement).

Return to this chart and mark yourprogress as it occurs.

Ministry of Educationrequirements The EducationAct and the curriculum andRequirements for boards oftrustees. (NZC, pp. 4344).

Confirm you have a global picture ofhow your school curriculum isconnected into the New Zealandwide system.

Have a copy of the requirements forthe board available and discussedregularly.

2. PRINCIPAL, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY: GETTING READY TO TALKABOUT THE CURRICULUM

This checklist provides a quick way to review how the communication about curriculumoperates in your school. It assumes such dialogue is a continuous process.

Principals action Quality checks

Do you have the means forsuccessful dialogue about

curriculum?

involve the wholeschool communityin settingclear goals for teaching andlearning. (Pedagogy, KLP,p. 14)

Have we got a common language andcommon understanding of what we mean

when we discuss the curriculum and itsdelivery? Teachers? Students? Parents?

Reflect on teachersprofessional development.

create opportunities for

professional learningcommunities to flourishthroughout the school sothat teachers can workcollaboratively and shareevidence-based practicewith each other(Pedagogy, KLP, p. 14)

Do we regularly share classroomprocesses? Individually? As staff?

Are professional goals for individualsaligned with the schools goals?

Do we, as a team of teachers, have

spontaneous discussions about howteaching and learning works? Assessment?Achievement?

Do I, on occasions, initiate consideration ofnew aspects to teacher learning aboutcurriculum delivery?

Do we blend a mix of respected theory,sound practice, and new possibilities intoour teacher development?

Do I actively participate in staffdevelopment?

Do we, over time, turn conversation intonew action in the classroom?
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/implementation_packs_for_schools/school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/implementation_packs_for_schools/school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_education_act_and_the_curriculumhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_education_act_and_the_curriculumhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/requirements_for_boards_of_trusteeshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/requirements_for_boards_of_trusteeshttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/requirements_for_boards_of_trusteeshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/requirements_for_boards_of_trusteeshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_education_act_and_the_curriculumhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_education_act_and_the_curriculumhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/implementation_packs_for_schools/school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/implementation_packs_for_schools/school_curriculum_design_and_review


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Do we provide time to allow teachers tolearn before they have to act on curriculummatters?

Do we align resources for teaching to fit theneeds arising from professional

development?

Are you able to addressany gaps you haveidentified?

principals leadingprofessional learning in theschool to create successfullearning outcomes, andprincipals, senior/middleleaders and teachers

working together to solvepedagogical problems,obtain appropriateresources, and plan andmonitor the curriculum andthe quality of teaching.(Pedagogy, KLP, pp. 1415).

Encourage staff to read thecurriculum statement tohelp confirm a commonglobal picture of thecurriculum.

Read these sections of the New ZealandCurriculum:o Vision, Principles, Key competencies,

Values(pp. 813)o Effective pedagogy (pp. 3436)o Learning areas(pp. 1632)

Provide ample opportunity to shareunderstandings of them.

Actively discourage study of theachievement objectives until the broadpattern of the school curriculum isconfirmed.

Integrate curriculumlearning into teachersprofessional development

permanently.

create opportunities forprofessional learningcommunities to flourishthroughout the school sothat teachers can workcollaboratively and shareevidence-based practicewith each other(Pedagogy, KLP, p. 14)

Both individual and group professionaldevelopment goals should contribute to theschools curriculum growth needs.

To see what others have done, visit the School stories page ofThe New ZealandCurriculum Online website.
http://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/visionhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/principleshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/key_competencieshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/valueshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/effective_pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/learning_areashttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/digital_stories/school_storieshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/digital_stories/school_storieshttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/learning_areashttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/effective_pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/valueshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/key_competencieshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/principleshttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/visionhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogy


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3. APPLYING THE DESIGN AND REVIEW PROCESS IN YOUR SCHOOL

a. Confirm what your schools curriculum will be like

Remember to use the Three-Step Development Markers.

This all takes time so look ahead and give everyone time to learn their way into the newcurriculum. Make sure you retain and reuse the valuable and suitable things already inyour schools curriculum.

Principals actions Quality checks

Communication andpublicity:

involving parents

involving teachers involving students.

demonstrate theinterpersonal skillsneededfor building strongrelationships with keystakeholder groups such astrustees, parents, whnauand local businesses(Partnerships andnetworks, KLP, p. 16)

Provide a variety of ways for the schoolcommunity to share curriculum information.

Inform the community especially about thebig picture sections (vision, principles,values and key competencies), and theimportance of localising and personalisingthe curriculum. (Parents dont like surveysany more than we do so keep it short andimportant: what is special for ourcommunity?)

Ask for and collect feedback especially onvalues held dear in your community.

Summarise feedback and raise curriculumquestions and viewpoints.

Arrive at the key values foryour community.

Arrive at your list of school values afterinvolving a wide circle of people and makingsure that teachers have worked at fullyunderstanding which values and why theyare important.

Match the keycompetencies with the keyvalues listed.(Start to develop atemplate.)

have direct, hands-oninvolvement withcurriculumdesign and implementation(Pedagogy, KLP, p. 14)

Look for the best fit and matchcompetencies with values (in order to avoidtrying to do everything all the time andending up feeling as overloaded as before).

Begin to unpack the competencies and their

in-depth application to meet the needs ofyour learners.

Take a long-term view andwork out a curriculumdelivery pattern this canbe a cycle over a number ofyears.(Develop a template thatmatches values, key

competencies, principles,learning areas

Confirm structures like themes, andarrangement of learning and teaching.

Confirm how big picture goals related tosustainability and globalisation are to beattacked.

Confirm how, in broad terms, student needswill be met through their years at the school cognitive and ICT expectations,addressing special needs, and interests
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themes/structures ) Re-work this several times then rememberto revisit it every year to adjust its directionand interrelationships.

Work out how you will applyand exploit the

interrelationships betweenlearning areas.

Consider and apply integration and/orshared responsibilities regarding learning

areas and key competencies.

Give your structure thechance to apply a future-focused approach.

Consider how sustainability, globalisation,enterprise, and citizenship all need a place.

b. Work on the application of achievement objectives and specific learning areasto meet local and individual needs

Principals action Quality checks

Read the Effectivepedagogy section (NZC,

pp. 3436). Give pedagogyhigh status and carefullywork out the goals andexpectations related toclassroom delivery.

build a professionallearning community thatsupports and challengestheir professional practice(Pedagogy, KLP, p. 14)

Teachers can understand and apply theseven approaches that give all the best

chance to succeed. Inquiry learning is understood and applied

well.

The place of ICT in the pedagogy isconfirmed and arranged.

Use the essencestatements to confirm theroles of the learning areasacross different levels.(NZC, pp. 1633)

encourage innovativeteacher practice linked tostudent learning needs(Pedagogy, KLP, p. 14)

Once the broad arrangement of learning isin place then draw on the achievementobjectives to flesh out the specifics of whatthe learning will involve.

Ensure assessment toolswork for your learners and

teachers. (NZC, pp. 3940)

demonstrateunderstanding of, andsupport all teachers to use,assessment as a tool forstudent learning(Pedagogy,KLP, p. 14)

Our assessment tools:

assist and strengthen the successful growth

of learning provide powerful feedback on the teaching

processes

consistently deliver sufficient, but notexcessive, data for effective feedback anddecision making.

Establish how you willensure the transitions forindividual pupils aresmooth. (Learning

pathways, Schoolcurriculum design and

Have you built and maintained the bridgesto other education levels early childhood,intermediate, contributing, area or highschool, or tertiary?

Have you a system for sharing schoolcurriculum patterns and expectations?
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/effective_pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/effective_pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/effective_pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/effective_pedagogy


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review, NZC, p. 41)

use an evidence basefor planning and leadingteaching and learning

(Pedagogy,KLP, p. 14)

Achievement data?

Does your curriculum support eachstudents progress through to the nextlevel?

CONCLUSION

This set of checklists gives focus to principals leadership actions. They are linked toKLP so principals can enjoy seeing how often their daily leadership actions relate to theconcept of being a leader of learning.

We appreciate and thank Linda Woon, Principal of Otonga Road School, Rotorua, forproviding her expertise in helping to create and shape these checklists.

We recognise there are many different ways to approach curriculum review, but hope

you can use and adapt our approach to fit your context.

See From the New Zealand Curriculum to school curriculum for online and in-depthsupport materials and explanation to assist your learning about curriculum.

FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS

Suggested additions, questions, or comments on this guide should be emailed [email protected].
http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_reviewhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/implementation_packs_for_schools/from_the_new_zealand_curriculum_to_school_curriculummailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/implementation_packs_for_schools/from_the_new_zealand_curriculum_to_school_curriculumhttp://www.leadspace.govt.nz/klp/area.php?id=3#pedagogyhttp://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/the_school_curriculum_design_and_review

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School Management Curriculum Design and Review