Heal-O #8: Here we go..! What is curriculum?

..:: We're back! ::..  

After a break of over a month, it was wonderful to see my MEd HEAL family again in the new year! We walked into a new classroom with a new instructor in the first class of a new term, but it felt like nothing has changed. As with the fall term, the first thing we do when we walk into the classroom (besides greeting each other!) was reconstruct the layout of the tables and chairs so that we are forming an inclusive rectangle, ready to respond to and get inspired by each other’s inquiries and comments. I love the unspoken energy that fills the room!

I am actually not quite sure what to expect out of this course on Curriculum and Instruction in an Individual Teaching Specialty. I have not been exposed to curriculum in the way the others have been in their roles as teachers or instructors. I am very interested in this topic, but it also makes me feel a little nervous about being able to fully contribute to this course.  I may be approaching this course with curiosity, inquisition, and exploration. 

..:: What is curriculum? ::..   

When I hear “curriculum”, I associate it with words like school, education, structure, and expectations. I only refer to it within the context of a school. However, after reading Egan’s “What Is Curriculum?” work, I was intrigued by the different influences and changes that occurred throughout history that fuelled my thoughts on curriculum and curriculum inquiry. My favourite quote from this piece is from the section where he brings up Rousseau’s claim, “…the belief that children are naturally good, and will naturally incline to the good if not prevented by social and institutional constraints, leads one to believe that educational methods which allow the freedom to attain this goodness will by definition be beneficial.” Everybody starts out on the same level, in a sense, but the educational methods one is exposed to influence each person’s experience, process, and outcome. Who are our learners? How is curriculum developed in a way that accommodates different types of learning styles, interests, and influences?

I think that curriculum forms a foundation for educational content that should be able to be adjusted to fit the needs of the students and the instructors.  However, how broad or specific does a curriculum have to be in order to maintain consistency but allow for flexibility in change?

..:: The "ah-ha!" realization moments...::..  

A few years ago, I organized nutrition education lessons and activities at an elementary school in Port Coquitlam as part of my Community Health Promotion class. The teacher thought that it was important to include health and nutrition education in the classroom, but lacked the time and perhaps the support to carry through with this. In my mind at the time...if it was so important, why isn’t it part of the curriculum? Why isn’t health education integrated into the PDP program for teachers to be able to teach consistent information to their students?

A few months after that, I attended a Healthy Minds/HealthyCampuses summit organized by the Canadian Mental Health Association. At this summit, I had a great conversation with an attendee on the topic of integrating health education into the elementary school classroom. He thoughtfully asked me, “But what good would that [health education] do if the students or families cannot afford to practice health [in that way]?”

Together, these two experiences were “ah-ha!” realization moments for me. Sometimes I get too engrained in a concept or teaching that I forget about the contextual aspects that impact how we transmit information and interact with one another. Whose role is it to ‘teach’ health and wellness? What would a health curriculum look like? How is the subject of health different from other courses like math, science, and language arts (thinking in the elementary school setting). 

Health seems to be more subjective to familial customs, values, and upbringings than the other topics, generally speaking. For example, educators teach students about the importance of eating meals that balance carbohydrates, protein, and fat, based on the Canada Food Guide recommendations. However, if the environment at home does not financially or socially allow for that, this may create disconnect between the educational system and familial values. It will also highlight the fact that some students have different health statuses or experiences based on social determinants ofhealth that cannot be addressed in this manner.

..:: The "significator self" and the "authentic self"::..  

In class, we went over a thought-provoking, self-reflective exercise. One of the most interesting things I got out of that exercise was the exploration of the “significator self” and the “authentic self”. The sigificator self is the “me” in my role at work or as an individual in relation to others. It was surprising to find that the significator self seemed to play a role in a story; a role where one could influence some change but are often met by external barriers that are often challenging to overcome based on institutional boundaries. My authentic self has questioned the significator self in several instances – what are you doing in this role? What should you do? Sometimes, the roles we are in at work or in our volunteer settings may be just that – a role one plays and does not necessarily question or feel that there is no opportunity to change the circumstances. It’s the opposing tensions that pull you in one direction when you want to go in another direction. Which way do you want to be pulled?

As always, I end off my post with “my one thing” that I would do that supports my values in health and happiness:

  

[Source: LM, Jan 19, 2014]

To start off the new year...what's your one thing?