The child centered curriculum
description
Transcript of The child centered curriculum
Reporter
YOLANDA TEVES SOBREPEÑA
THE CHILD-CENTERED
CURRICULUM
A new respect for the child, a new freedom of action, was incorporated into curriculum building in the child centered
school.
The philosophy underlying this curriculum design is that the child is the center of the
educational process.
The curriculum should be build upon his interest, abilities, purposes and needs. This
type of curriculum emerged from the extensive research carried on in the 20th century carried
by John Dewey and his followers.
Common characteristics of programs founded on the new philosophy were the
“activity program”, the “unit of work” and the recognition of the needs for
using and exploring many media for self-
discovery and self direction.
The strengths of this approach are described as follows: Children rather than miniature adults,
become the focus of educational efforts Experience rather than rote learning,
become the medium of learning Research assumed significance in the
planning for the developmental needs of children
Children’s motivation in learning was recognized The creative energies of teachers and children
were released Educational expectations and standards were
custom made in terms of each child’s abilities and potentials
Rigid-grade organization was abandoned along with traditional promotion policies
Reporting on children’s progress became descriptive and
For the first time, teacher education on a board scale became professional education
The weaknesses of the child-centered curriculum are chiefly in the possibilities for “misinterpretation” and in the neglect of adequate consideration of the matrix in which the education of children must occur:1.The misinterpretation of the philosophy of
the child-centered curriculum was a natural consequence of radical change. Teachers sometimes ill prepared to adapt to changing concepts of child development, Frequently created a school environment, which fostered license rather than freedom.
2.The child-centered philosophy is often conceded to be an inherent weakness. In this effort to free the child, many critics charged that the basic purposes in the establishment of schools were ignored. From the beginnings of formal education as a function of the society, conceived as a means of perpetuating the life of a people. Society supports school in order that its youth will be educated in its values, beliefs, traditions, customs, and mores. Society looked upon the child-centered curriculum and found it lacking. While the schools often became the scapegoat for ills were the correctly attributed to other social agencies, nevertheless they were frequently vulnerable to the charges leveled against them.
Child-Centered. Teacher-Centered.
Environment
Low student: teacher ratio (1:10 or less) Higher student: teacher ratio (1:20-25)
Multi-age groupings with a focus on the peer modeling and reinforcement
One age grouping
Students have the same teacher for three years allowing for long-term, trusting
relationships
Teacher changes yearly
Child is free to move about room, interacting with anyone
Child is encouraged to stay seated, silence is encouraged
Everything is introduced experientially with manipulatives
Manipulatives usually used only in math
Environment is maintained by children with a focus on personal responsibility
and pro-social skills
Environment is maintained by teacher and custodian
CurriculumPractical life activities used to develop sense of
order, cooperation, concentration and independence
No practical life
Sensorial activities are systematically used to refine coordination, discrimination and
vocabulary
If used, sensory activities are used sporadically and not as an integral part of the curriculum
Writing precedes reading Reading precedes writing
Phonetic, sight vocabulary and whole language are all used to meet individual needs and
learning styles of children
Language texts used (although some schools are now using whole language approaches)
Grammar introduced in kindergarten and taught in context
Grammar taught out of context (from text) at older ages
Interdisciplinary approach is used for art, music, history, physics, ecology, zoology, botany,
geography, anatomy, chemistry, foreign language, physical education
Separate texts are used for social studies, science, health and music
Math concepts and processes are introduced early
Rote learning is used to teach math facts
Daily lesson plans are determined by each child's needs
Daily lesson plans are determined by teacher's manual
Lessons are given 1:1 or in small groups
Lessons given to all students in a class at one time
Use of texts are for reference; lessons and activities are teacher-made
Texts are used for all subjects with little individualization
Character Development
Child-centered activity and curriculum
Teacher-centered and curriculum-centered activities
Internally motivated; children work because they want to
Externally motivated; children work because they have to
Child chooses work and works as long as he/she wants, allowing for self-monitoring
and concentration
Teacher chooses work
Work continues until a child masters a concept
Pace of activities is determined by teacher's manual
Non-competitive processes; no reference to other students' "grades" or "scores"
Competition for grades among peers; emphasis is on tests and grades
Hands are considered a pathway to the brain and a mechanism to understand
abstraction
Paper/pencil and oral explanation are used to "teach" abstraction
Children are introduced to concepts first; details are learned after a concept is
mastered
Children learn detailed information first, then the concept
Thank you for listening