Why Parents Should Have a Say in What Their Children Learn

Curriculum Question

Who Should Play a Part in Developing Curriculum for Schools and Why?

My curriculum question is who should play a part in developing curriculum for schools and why? In my experience, the dominant role players should be the community and the teachers. A community is made up of families and businesses, and both depend upon each other for their maintained existence and both have a vested interest in education outcomes of learners. Families should have a say in what they want their children to learn, as parents are natural guardians and caretakers. Businesses know what they need and want from future candidates, show their perspective is also important (Pereira et al., 2020). Teachers know what they know, what they can teach, and how they can do it, and so they should also be part of the discussion. Those three groups should come together to identify objectives, values, and pathways to educational success.

Overall, the development of curriculum is a complex process that involves multiple stakeholders, from educators to parents to students to business leaders, policy makers, and more. The involvement of some of these stakeholders is more essential than others—for instance, why do policy makers receive so much consideration in this process when they are so often removed from the actual communities most affected by their decision? As Freire (2018) notes, pedagogy should not be a way for policy makers to push their agenda onto the next generation—so why should they play a dominant part in the development of curriculum? Rather, to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of the students and aligns with educational goals and objectives, the actual most vital stakeholders should be consulted—i.e., those nearest the action and those who stand to benefit most from its success. This would be the students themselves, the parents/families, the community members as a whole (represented by its leaders), and the educators.

One of the key theories that underpins curriculum development is constructivism, which emphasizes the importance of active learning and encourages students to construct their knowledge through exploration and inquiry (Bell & Bell, 2020). This approach requires a curriculum that is flexible and responsive to the needs and interests of students, which can only be achieved through the involvement of all stakeholders in the development process.

For instance, administrators should realize that students are also important stakeholders in curriculum development, as they are the ones who will ultimately be using the curriculum. By involving students in the process, educators can gain valuable insights into their interests, preferences, and learning styles. This information can help to create a curriculum that is engaging and relevant to students, which can lead to improved academic performance and increased student satisfaction. This assumes, of course, that children are old enough to have developed a sense of what they want to know, what they need to know, and what they hope to obtain from their education. This may not always be the case—so that is a consideration that needs to be made.