During my initial lessons about the integrated curriculum I began to think of how
difficult it must be to incorporate various disciplines into a single allotted
time slot. As a future teacher, my own
initial concerns with the integrated curriculum were that I might not have
competent knowledge of the curriculum involving more than one or two subjects.
Drake et al. (2014) provide detailed descriptions on how to effectively and
efficiently incorporate an integrated curriculum into the modern classroom.
However many current teachers are still facing issues stepping outside the
boundaries of their ordinary classroom lessons and routines.
A
qualitative study proposed by Scott (2013) interviewed five grade 10 high
school teachers in Calgary regarding their ability to incorporate various
perspectives into subjects like history and economics. The various perspectives
specifically apply to French and Indigenous viewpoints on issues around globalization
such as the expansion of mining in Canada during the industrial revolution (Scott,
2013). The study concluded that all five of the teachers faced serious problems
finding the time to incorporate French and Indigenous Studies into issues of
globalization. Furthermore the teachers had issues relating these perspectives
to the topics of discussion and lastly they felt uncomfortable due to their own
incompetent knowledge of Indigenous and French cultures leading the avoidance
of the topic (Scott, 2013). Although it is a small sample, the results from
this study clearly demonstrate that teachers in Calgary are having difficulties
implementing a more integrated curriculum that helps students learn material
through various perspectives.
There are many justifications and
fingers that can be pointed for why these five teachers and many more across
Canada are facing barriers creating an integrated curriculum. Scott proposes
that they should do a literature review of relevant local issues that involves
various perspectives. I believe however that the onus is still on not just the
teachers but the board of education to find ways to create a less segregated,
mind-numbing schedule that involves switching from math to science, English, etc.
The integrated curriculum avoids this problem. First of all, the five teachers interviewed
by Scott should have created a Know Do Be Umbrella as demonstrated by Drake et
al. (2014) in order to outline their lesson material, assessment tasks and
learning goals for the class. I will provide my own brief example of how I
believe the lesson plan could have been formulated. Firstly the teachers should
have outlined the ‘Know” section, which in this case requires students to have
knowledge of various socio-economic issues around globalization and cause and
effect relationships or marginalized citizens. Secondly is the “Do” section.
The teachers should have their students perform group research and hold class
or group discussions. Lastly is the “Be”, in which students are to be ethical
members of a community who acknowledge and respond to marginality in their
community. There must also be “big Ideas” incorporated into the “Know Do Be” lesson
plan such as Citizenship and Communication (Drake et al. 2014).
Canada
is not the only country focused on creating a more inclusive integrated
curriculum. The following video is a short demonstration of why Indigenous
studies and perspectives have been integrated into the Australian Curriculum. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2PwPlYA4w0)Hopefully in the near future Canadian curriculums will begin to implement
similar strategies towards an integrated curriculum.
References
Drake, S. M., Kolohon, W., &
Reid, J. L. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment:Engaging Students in 21st-Century Learner.
Oxford University Press.
Scott,
D. (2013). Teaching Aboriginal Perspectives: An Investigation into Teacher Practices amidst Curriculum Change. Canadian
Social Studies, 46(1), 31-43.
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