CURRICULUM statement
My Curriculum Statement
I believe that passion and interest are at the center of learning. Based on such understanding, the curriculum should be designed to foster personal development and to experience the joy of life, so as to make learning an enjoyable and meaningful process.
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As John Dewey puts it, “the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth”. I also believe that education should be student-centered, admiring individual uniqueness and embracing diversity. In this sense, to foster students’ personal development is vital in designing curriculum and instruction.
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Promoting self-discovery is crucial to personal growth. Apart from general education such as arts and humanities, math and science. Students will acquire knowledge about themselves. They will think about the questions of “who they are” and “what do they like”, and gradually find their goals as they move along the journey of learning.
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Developing soft skills, such as problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, etc. are incorporated in all courses. Students will acquire and practice those skills as they learn. Class activities and projects will not be limited to individual work, but including various forms such as group-led discussions, Case studies, and authentic problem simulations, so as to get students prepared to solve problems in real-life scenarios.
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Sparking interests is also important to individual development: Students are offered multiple opportunities to discover and develop their interests by attending student activities, joining clubs and association, and taking interest-oriented courses as they like.
To foster personal development
To experience life
Learning and life are inseparable. A curriculum should always connect what is learned to students’ lives, experiences, feelings, memories, and expectations.
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In-class: As an EFL teacher myself, I always teach with authentic materials and to put students in real-life situations instead of restricting them to the textbook or the four walls of the classroom. In this way, students are directed to reflect on their lives, pay attention to what’s happening around them. Also, when they’ve become good observers of life, they are more eager to participate in in-class activities.
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Out-of-class activities are also provided, to let students step outside the classroom and to experience life. Such activities include vocational planning, company and institution visits, and community work, which help students to plan for their future and think about what they can contribute to society.
Assessment
To achieve the two goals stated above, an assessment system that is different from the traditional test-based evaluation is required. Compared with test performance, students’ self-assessment plays a more important role in this procedure. Students are encouraged to build their own portfolios to document their learning progress. By involving students in the planning, monitoring, and evaluating the process of learning, they will increase their control on their own development and on their life, and enjoy their learning experience with passion.
Ningou Qu
Sep 2019
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