Entry #10: On Designing Curriculum

Designing curriculum is probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of being a teacher, at least in my experience. When I was in my credential program, I spent so much time learning how to design assessments, both formative and summative, as well as objectives, curriculum maps, and lesson plans, all aligning with Common Core State Standards, culturally relevant pedagogy, and student-interest as much as possible. The Lindemann chapters were very informative, and they summarized what it means to design curriculum very impressively. Still, the quote that stands out to me goes as followed: "First, knowing about teaching does not always translate into being an effective teacher, any more than knowing what about writing makes students effective writers" (253). Personally, I could not imagine teaching college-level students without having some form of experience in the classroom as the teacher or even a tutor. A potential teacher can spend hours and semesters reading about what makes an effective teacher, but all that goes out the window when the teacher goes in front of the students for the first time. I wonder why college professors are not required to have a teaching credential, but a teaching credentialed teacher can teach in K-12 without a Master's degree, and in some rare cases, without a Bachelor's degree. Teachers in secondary school learn strategies for classroom management and engagement, but on paper, they are not comparatively as much of an "expert" as a professional with a Master's or Doctorate degree in their subject matter. At the same time, too many professors lack formalized training on effective teaching methods, or at least I believe based on my earlier years in college. This topic is incredibly tricky, and I am sure there is no straightforward answer nor is there urgency to address this as a concern in educational reform. Nevertheless, designing curriculum, in my experience, is a powerful, sensitive, and empowering positing to be in because teachers hold so much responsibility, and my hope is that I as well as all future teachers can give students more authority to help design the curriculum that they need best.