Curriculum Development

Education without philosophy is blind and philosophy without education is invalid

Objectives:
To cite the importance of the curriculum.
To distinguish the features of k to 12 curricula.
To identify the philosophies of k to 12 curricula.
Activity:
Word Puzzle of Different Philosophies

Philosophical Foundation of Curriculum (Outline)

Philosophy provides educators, teachers and curriculum makers with framework
for planning, implementing and evaluating curriculum.
The term has been derived from two Greek words, Philos means love and
Sophia means wisdom.
It helps in answering what educational institutions are for, what subjects are
important, how students should learn and what materials and methods should be
used.
Study of philosophy helps us deal with our own personal systems of beliefs and
values, i.e., the way we perceive the world around us and how we define what is
important to us.
Philosophy and Curriculum
Philosophy is the starting point in any curriculum decision-making and is the
basis for all subsequent decisions regarding curriculum.
Philosophy becomes the criteria for determining the aims, selection, organization
and implementation of the curriculum in the classroom.

K-12 Curriculum
The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years
of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High
School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong
learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development,
employment, and entrepreneurship.
Here are the following features of K-12 Curriculum:
1. Strengthening Early Childhood Education (Universal Kindergarten)

Every Filipino child now has access to early childhood education through Universal
Kindergarten. At 5 years old, children start schooling and are given the means to slowly
adjust to formal education.

Research shows that children who underwent Kindergarten have better completion rates
than those who did not. Children who complete a standards-based Kindergarten program
are better prepared, for primary education.

Education for children in the early years lays the foundation for lifelong learning and for
the total development of a child. The early years of a human being, from 0 to 6 years, are
the most critical period when the brain grows to at least 60-70 percent of adult size.

2. Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners (Contextualization and Enhancement)

Examples, activities, songs, poems, stories, and illustrations are based on local culture,
history, and reality. This makes the lessons relevant to the learners and easy to
understand.

Students acquire in-depth knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes through continuity and
consistency across all levels and subjects.

Discussions on issues such as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change

Adaptation, and Information & Communication Technology (ICT) are included in the
enhanced curriculum.

3. Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Progression)

Subjects are taught from the simplest concepts to more complicated concepts through
grade levels in spiral progression. As early as elementary, students gain knowledge in
areas such as Biology, Geometry, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Algebra. This ensures a
mastery of knowledge and skills after each level.

For example, currently in High School, Biology is taught in 2nd Year, Chemistry in 3rd
Year, and Physics in 4th Year. In K to 12, these subjects are connected and integrated
from Grades 7 to 10. This same method is used in other Learning Areas like Math.

4. Building Proficiency through Language (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education)

 Students are able to learn best through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT).
Twelve (12) MT languages have been introduced for SY 2012-2013: Bahasa Sug, Bikol,
Cebuano, Chabacano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan, Meranao,
Pangasinense, Tagalog, and Waray. Other local languages will be added in succeeding
school years.

5. Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School)

Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may
choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of
career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and
12. SHS subjects fall under either the Core Curriculum or specific Tracks.

CORE CURRICULUM
There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum. These are Languages,
Literature, Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social
Sciences. Current content from some General Education subjects are embedded in the
SHS curriculum.
TRACKS
Each student in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic;
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes
three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education,
Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM).

6. Nurturing the Holistically Developed Filipino (College and Livelihood Readiness, let
Century Skills)
After going through Kindergarten, the enhanced Elementary and Junior High curriculum,
and a specialized Senior High program, every K to 12 graduate will be ready to go into
different paths may it be further education, employment, or entrepreneurship.
Every graduate will be equipped with:
1. Information, media and technology skills,
2. Learning and innovation skills,
3. Effective communication skills, and
4. Life and career skills.

Philosophies under the K-12 Curriculum

1. Progressivism
Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than
on the content or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that students
should test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of
 learners that arise through experiencing the world. It is active, not passive. The
learner is a problem solver and thinker who makes meaning through his or her
individual experience in the physical and cultural context. Effective teachers
provide experiences so that students can learn by doing. Curriculum content is
derived from student interests and questions. The scientific method is used by
progressivist educators so that students can study matter and events systematically
and first hand. One of his tenets was that the school should improve the way of
life of our citizens through experiencing freedom and democracy in schools.
Shared decision making, planning of teachers with students, student-selected
topics are all aspects. Books are tools, rather than authority.
2. Existentialism
Existentialism is another student-centered philosophy. Existentialism places the
highest degree of importance on student perceptions, decisions, and actions and
individuals are responsible for determining for themselves what is true or false,
right or wrong, beautiful or ugly (Sadker and Zittleman, 2007). To sum it up,
students make choices and then take the time to evaluate those choices. The
teachers role is to help students define their own essence by exposing them to
various paths they may take in life and by creating an environment in which they
can freely choose their way. This philosophy means that students think for
themselves and are aware of responsibilities assigned to them. Existentialism
philosophies say no to tradition and focuses on the students unique talents. The
teacher views each student as an individual and students learn how to achieve
their full potential by trying new concepts.
3. Constructivism
Constructivism emphasizes developing personal meaning through hands-on, activity-
based teaching and learning . Teachers are responsible for creating effective learning
situations rather than constantly lecturing students. Personal meaning is the best way for
students to connect to the material being taught. Constructivist theorists encourage the
development of critical thinking and the understanding of big ideas rather than the
mastery of factual information. They believe that students will be more prepared for the
ever-changing world if they learn how to develop critical thinking skills. Unlike
traditional ways of learning, the constructivist classroom focuses on the way a learner
internalizes, shapes, or transforms information.
4. Humanism
Humanism is concerned with enhancing the innate goodness of the individual.
Its focus is on individual development through a process of developing a free,
self-actualizing person. Education should start with the individual and the choices
made by the individual. The humanistic classroom is welcoming and caring.
Students feel comfortable to share their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, fears, and
aspirations with each other.
Reference:
http://www.slideshare.net/karlaanjelicamanikad/3essentialism-karla-manikad?
qid=13846f9b-7024-4b10-99a8-da94bfb3776f&v=&b=&from_search=3
http://www.slideshare.net/fhayemiel/philosophy-of-education-52294951?
qid=13846f9b-7024-4b10-99a8-da94bfb3776f&v=&b=&from_search=5

Curriculum Development pp. 16-18