FIELD STUDY1 LEARNING EPISODE 8 Understanding the School Curriculum Close Encounter

with the School Curriculum

SPARK Your Interest

Formal education begins in school. Schools are institutions established learning activities
appropriate for each learner in each grade level. Thus schools have recommended curriculum which is
the enhanced K to 12 curriculum. The recommended curriculum was translated into written curriculum
like books, modules, teachers' guides and lesson plans which are the basis of the taught curriculum. A
teacher who implements the curricula needs support materials (support curriculum) to enhance
teaching and learning so that the written and the taught curricula can be assessed (assessed curriculum)
in order to determine if learning took place (learned curriculum). However, there are so many activities
that happen in schools but are not deliberately planned. This refers to the hidden curriculum.

A classroom teacher plans, implements and evaluates school learning activities by preparing a
miniscule curriculum called a lesson plan or a learning plan. The teacher then puts life to a lesson plan
by using it as a guide in the teaching-learning process where different strategies can be used to achieve
the learning objectives or outcomes. There are many styles of writing a lesson plan, but the necessary
parts or elements such as (a) Learning Outcomes (b) Subject Matter (c) Teaching-Learning Strategies,
and (d) Evaluation or Assessment should always be included.

All of these elements should be aligned so that at the end of the teaching-learning episode
learning will be achieved with the classroom teacher as a guide.

TARGET Your Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Episode, I must be able to:
 identify the different curricula that prevail in the school setting:
 describe how the teacher manages the school curriculum by planning implementing, lessons
through different strategies and assessment of learning outcomes; and
 Analyze if the teacher aligns the objectives to subject matter, to teaching assessment.
REVISIT the Learning Essentials

School Curriculum: What is this about?

From a broad perspective, curriculum is defined as the total learning process and outcomes s in
lifelong learning. However, school curriculum in this course limits such definition of total earning
outcomes to confine to a specific learning space called school. Schools are formal Institutions of learning
where the two major stakeholders are the learners and the teachers.

Basic education in the Philippines is under the Department of Education or DepEd and the
recommended curriculum is the K-12 or Enhanced Basic Education Curricula of 2013. All basic education
schools offering kindergarten (K) elementary (Grades 1 to 6) and Secondary (Grades 7-10, Junior High
School and Grades 11 to 12, Senior High School) adhere to this national curriculum as a guide in the
implementation of the formal education for K to 12.

What are the salient features of the K to12 Curriculum? Here are the features. It is a curriculum
that:

1. strengthens the early childhood education with the use of the mother tongue.
2. makes the curriculum relevant to the learners. The use of contextualized lessons and addition of
issues like disaster preparedness, climate change and information and communication technology (ICT)
are included in the curriculum. Thus, in-depth knowledge, skills and values, attitude through continuity
and consistency across every level and subject.
3. builds skills in literacy. With the use of Mother Tongue as the main language in studying and learning
tools from K to Grade 3, learners will become ready for higher level skills.
4. ensures unified and seamless learning. The curriculum is designed in a spiral progression where the
students learn first the basic concepts, while they study the complex ones in the next grade level. The
progression of topics matches with the developmental and cognitive skills. This process strengthens the
mastery and retention.
5. gears up for the future. It is expected that those who finish basic education in Grade 12 will be ready
for college or tech voc careers. Their choice of careers will be defined when they go to Grade 11 and 12.
6. nurtures a fully developed youth. Beyond the K to 12 graduate the learner will be ready to embark on
different career paths for a lifetime.

You will that a school curriculum is of many types for the Kindergarten to Grade 12 in the country.

 The enhanced curriculum K to 12 curriculum is the Recommended Curriculum. It is to be used

nationwide as mandated by Republic Act 10533,
 When the curriculum writers began to write the content and competency standards of the K to
12 Curriculum it became a Written Curriculum. It reflects the substance of RA 105333 or the
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. In the teacher's class it is the lesson plan. A lesson plan is
a written curriculum in miniscule.
  What has been written in a lesson plan has to be implemented. It is putting life to the written
curriculum, which is referred to as the Taught Curriculum. The guidance of the teacher is very
crucial.

 A curriculum that has been planned, and taught needs materials, objects, gadgets, laboratory
and many more that will help the teacher implement the curriculum. This is referred to as the
Supported Curriculum.
 In order to find out if the teacher has succeeded in implementing the lesson plan, an assessment
shall be made. It can be done in the middle or end of the lesson. The curriculum is now called
the Assessed Curriculum.
 The result of the assessment when successful is termed as Learned Curriculum, Learned
curriculum whether small or big indicates accomplishment of learning outcomes.
 However, there are unplanned curriculum in schools. These are not written, nor deliberately
taught but they influence learning. These include peer influence, the media, school
environment, the culture and tradition, natural calamities and many more. This curriculum is
called Hidden Curriculum or Implicit Curriculum.

So what will be the roles and responsibilities of the teacher in the relations with the school curriculum,
specifically in the K to 12 or the enhanced curriculum for basic education? Teachers then should be
multi-talented professionals who:
• know and understand the curriculum as enumerated above;
• write the curriculum to be taught;
• plan the curriculum to be implemented;
• initiate the curriculum which is being introduced;
• innovate the curriculum to make it current and updated;
• implement the curriculum that has been written and planned; and
• evaluate the written, planned and learned curriculum.
OBSERVE, ANALYZE, REFLECT

Activity 8.1 Curricula in the School Setting

It’s time to look around. Discover what curriculum is operating in the school setting. Recall the types of
curriculum mentioned earlier. Can you spot where these are found? Let’s do a hunting game!

OBSERVE

Resource Teacher: __________________ Teacher’s Signature _________________ School: ___________

Grade/Year Level: __________________ Subject: __________________________ Date: ____________

1. Locate where you can find the following curriculum in the school setting. Secure a copy, make
observations of the process and record your information in the matrix below. Describe your
observations.

Type of Curriculum Where Found Description

1. Recommended Curriculum (K
to 12 Guidelines)
2. Written Curriculum (Teacher’s
Lesson Plan)
3. Taught Curriculum (Teaching
Learning Process)
4. Supported Curriculum (Subject
textbook)
5. Assessed Curriculum
(Assessment Process)
6. Learned Curriculum (Achieved
Learning Outcomes)
7. Hidden Curriculum (Media)
ANALYZE

Which of the seven types curriculum in the school setting is easy to find? Why?

Which is difficult to observe? Why?

Are these all found in the school setting? How do curricula relate to one another?

Draw a diagram to show the relationship of one curriculum to the other.

REFLECT

Make a reflection on the diagram that you have drawn.

Activity 8.2 The Miniscule School Curriculum: The Lesson, A Closer Look

Resource Teacher: __________________ Teacher’s Signature _________________ School: ___________

Grade/Year Level: __________________ Subject: __________________________ Date: ____________

OBSERVE

This activity requires a full lesson observation from Motivation to Assessment.

Procedure:

1. Secure permit to observe one complete lesson in a particular subject, in a particular grade/year
level.
2. Keep a close watch on the different components of the miniscule curriculum: the lesson
3. Follow the three major components of a curriculum (Planning, Implementing and
Evaluating/Assessing). Observe and record your observation.

Observe and Record Observation on the Following Aspects

Major Curriculum Key Guide for Observation (Carefully look for the indicators/behavior
Components of the teacher along the key points. Write your observation and
description in your notebook).
A. Planning 1. Borrow the teacher’s lesson plan for the day. What major parts do
you see? Request a copy for your use.
Answer the following questions:
a) What are the lesson objectives/learning outcomes?
b) What are included in the subject matter?
c) What procedure or method will the teacher use to
implement the plan?
d) Will the teacher assess or evaluate the lesson? How will this
be done?
B. Implementing Now it’s time to observe how the teacher implemented the prepared
lesson plan. Observe closely the procedure.
a) How did the teacher begin the lesson?
b) What procedure or steps were followed?
c) How did the teacher engage the learners?
d) Was the teacher a guide at the side?
e) Were the learners on task?/Or were they participating in the
class activity?
f) Was the lesson finished within the class period?
C. Evaluating/Assessing Did learning occur in the lesson taught? Here you make observations
to find evidence of learning.
a) Were the objectives as learned outcomes achieved?
b) How did the teacher assess/evaluate it?
c) What evidence was shown? Get piece of evidence?
ANALYZE

Write a paragraph based on the data you gathered using these questions?

1. How does the teacher whom you observed compare to the

competencies of global quality teachers?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Was the lesson implemented as planned? Describe.

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

3. Can you describe the disposition of the teacher after the lesson was taught? Happy and
eager? Satisfied and contented? Disappointed and exhausted? ________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

4. Can you describe the majority of students' reactions after the lesson was taught? Confused?
Happy and eager? Contented? No reactions at all.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECT

Based on your observations and tasks in Activity 2 how will you prepare your lesson plan? Make a short
paragraph on the topic.
Activity 8.3 Constructive Alignment of the Components of a Lesson Plan

Resource Teacher: __________________ Teacher’s Signature _________________ School: ___________

Grade/Year Level: __________________ Subject: __________________________ Date: ____________

OBSERVE

Using the diagram below fill up the component parts of a lesson plan
I. Title of the Lesson: ____________________________________________________________________
II. Subject area: ________________________________________________________________________
III. Grade Level: ________________________________________________________________________

Outcomes Teaching Method Assessment

Fill this up Fill this up Fill this up

0
ANALYZE

Answer the following questions based on the diagram.

1. Are the three components constructively aligned? Explain.

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Will the outcomes be achieved with the teaching methods used? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

3. What component would tell if the outcomes have been achieved? ___________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECT

What lessons have you learned in developing or writing a lesson plan?

What value will it give to the teacher if the three components are aligned?
SHOW Your Learning Artifacts

Learning Artifacts for Activity 1-3

Present an artifact for Activity 1, 2, and 3.

Activity 1 Artifact
1. Present an evidence for each kind of curriculum operating in the school setting. This can be in
pictures, realia, documents or others.

Activity 2: Artifact
1. Present a sample curriculum in a form of a Lesson Plan.

Activity 3: Artifact
1. Present a matrix to show the constructive alignment of the three components of a lesson
plan.

a. Example:

Lesson Title:
Subject Area:
Grade Level:

Lesson Outcomes: Teaching Methods: Evaluation

Evaluate Your Work Task Field Study 1, Episode 6 – Classroom Management and Classroom Routines
Learning Outcome: Identify the classroom routines set by the teacher; and Observe how the students execute the various classroom routines.

Name of FS Student: _____________________________________________________ Date Submitted:

______________________________

Year & Section: ____________________________________________________ Course:

__________________________________________

Learning Episode Excellent Very Satisfactory Satisfactory Needs Improvement

4 3 2 1
Accomplished All observation One (1) to two (2) Three (3) observation Four (4) or more
Observation Sheet questions/tasks/completel observation questions/tasks not observation
y answered/accomplished. questions/tasks not answered / questions/tasks not
answered / accomplished. answered /
accomplished. accomplished.
Analysis All questions were All questions were Questions were not Four (4) or more
answered completely; answered completely; answered completely; observation questions
answers were with depth answers are clearly answers are not clearly were not answered;
and are thoroughly connected to theories; connected to theories; answers not connected
grounded theories; grammar and spelling one (1) to three (3) to theories; more than
grammar and spelling are are free from errors. grammatical / spelling four (4)
free from error. errors. grammatical/spelling
errors.
Reflection Profound and clear; Clear but lacks depth; Not so clear and Unclear and shallow;
supported by what were supported by what were shallow; somewhat rarely supported by what
observed and analyzed. observed and analyzed. supported by what were were observed and
observed and analyzed analyzed
Learning Artifacts Portfolio is reflected on in Portfolio is reflected on Portfolio is not reflected Portfolio is not reflected
the context of the learning in the context of the on in context of the on in context of the
outcomes; Complete, well- learning outcomes. learning outcomes. learning outcomes; not
organized, highly relevant Complete; well Complete; not complete; not organized,
to the learning outcome organized, very relevant organized, relevant to not relevant
to the learning outcome the learning outcome
Submission Submitted before the Submitted on the Submitted a day after Submitted two (2) days
deadline deadline the deadline after the deadline
COMMENT/S: Rating:
Over-all Score (Based on
transmutation)

TRANSMUTATION OF SCORE TO GRADE/RATING

Score 20 19-18 17 16 15 14 13-12 11 10 9-8 7-Below

Grade 1.0 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 3.5 5.00
99 96 93 90 87 84 81 78 75 72 71-Below
_____________________________________ _________________________

Signature of FS Teacher above Printed Name Date

LINK Theory to Practice

Choose the correct answer from the options given.

1. When we say school curriculum it refers only to the K to 12 curriculum.

A. This statement is true.

B. This statement is not true.
C. This statement is half true.
D. This statement is silly.

I should possess the following skills to address the need for a

2. A professional teacher should possess the following skills to address the need for a curricularist
EXCEPT one. Which one is NOT?

A. Knower of the curriculum

B. Believer of the curriculum
C. Implementer of the curriculum
D. Writer of the curriculum.

3. The influence of multimedia, peers, community tradition, advancement in technology, though not
deliberately taught in the lesson, will influence the curriculum. This is referred to as _______.

A. written curriculum
B. recommended curriculum
C. implemented curriculum
D. hidden Curriculum

4. Which two components of the lesson plan (as a miniscule curriculum) should be aligned?

I. Outcomes and Assessment

II. Assessment and Teaching Methods
III. Outcomes and Teaching Methods

A. I only
B. II only
C. III only .
D. I, II and III

5. What is the most important reason why there should be constructive alignment components of the
curriculum?
A. For ease of correcting by the school principal.
B. To assure that each component contributes to the attainment of the learning outcomes.
C. As a required template when starting to write a lesson plan.
D. As a model of other lesson plans written and published.