Primary Education Aims and Curriculum

Cohen, Manion &Morrison Ch. 3 & Ch. 8Arthur & Cremin Ch. 1.1 & Ch. 4.1-2

Before we beginTask 1

• The nature of primary teaching

Turn to the person next to you and discuss the following questions;

•What primary teaching is like?

•What does it feel like?

•What kind of activities involve in being a primary English teacher?

The nature of primary teaching

According to the author of the first article Richards, p9 A & C

There are eight characteristics of primary teaching. Each of these characteristics corresponds to the eight letters in the word TEACHING.

• How?

The author uses the acrostic poem method to illustrate and define the meaning of teaching.• What is acrostic method?It is series of lines in which certain letters form a name or a message when read in sequences. (Nordquist,)2012

• Acrostic poem is used for children to help them memorize and learn vocabulary and play with words.

An example of an acrostic poem

Name: Justin• Jump• Up high• Swimmer• Trying my best• I like to drive• Noisy

Acrostic Poem: Teaching according to Richards

• T=Tiring: (why?) primary teaching is a demanding work. It is demanding in

all aspects: socially, physically, intellectually , and mentally. You as teacher

is dealing with human beings who are in the process of growing. Kids at

that age are very active and energetic which will require lots of work from

you.

• E= Exhilarating (Why):because you and your children get excited and

enthusiastic to finish a certain project and accomplish something you

planned to reach.

• A=Amusing (Why) : Because you are dealing with young children, you do

not know what to expect every day. Everyday you will experience

something new with the children. “Never a dull moment” p,9

Acrostic Poem: Teaching according to Richards. Cont.

• C=Chaotic (Why): Because you are dealing with different issues

related to parents, children, paper work, principle, and school

guidelines in addition to your personal life and that what can

make teaching chaotic.

• H= Hectic (Why) : “primary teaching occurs in and extremely

busy place called classroom where multiple activities talk place

where no body stand still for long.” so you have to cop with all

what going on inside the classroom.

Acrostic Poem: Teaching according to Richards. Cont.

• I=Inspiring: you can be inspired from children who can be creative

sometimes. You will also be inspired from their eagerness to learn despite

their home situation. You can be also inspired by your colleagues and what

you can learn from them.

• N=Never ending: when you deal with children, there will be always thing to

do, things to add, things to change, and things to be perfected and that

why teaching is never ending.

• G=Gratifying: despite some frustrations you may encounter during

teaching, primary teaching brings you a lot of satisfaction. This satisfaction

comes from teaching a child how to read, help a child acquire a skill,

delivering a great lesson, and many other activities you do inside the

classroom which will bring you lots of satisfactions.

What activities are involved in being a primary teacher• Pre-active teaching : involves preparation and planning for

children learning, organizing the classroom, collection the

resources, and managements of every day activities.

• Enactive teaching is teaching in action. ¨ But inactive teaching

not only done in the classroom but also in the hall, school play

ground, and school trips. (explain?)

• Post-active teaching: reflection on practice, writings

evaluation , writing reports, making assessment of children

progress, and keeping records .

Teaching: Is it a Science, a craft, or an Art?

“The never ending argument”

1- How can teaching considered to be a

science?

Some researchers argue that it is possible to study teaching

through comparing results of testing different methods of

teaching on children ‘s outcomes. These studies help teacher

with supportive ideas learn about the best methods of teaching

and the context in which they can be used.

2- How can teaching considered to be an art?

Other researchers argue that teaching is a gift. It involves

imagination, creativity, sensibility, and personal and professional

judgments. It can not be taught, but it can be learned indirectly.

3-How can teaching considered to be a craft?

Those who argue that teaching is a craft, believe that teaching is

a set of techniques that can be picked up from or taught by

pioneers in the field. These techniques can be perfected over

years as to they proven their effectiveness.

Summary:Traits of Primary Teaching

• Primary teaching is very demanding work.

• Primary teaching is very exhausting work.

• Primary teaching is a very musing work.

• Primary teaching is a about making decisions.

• Primary teaching a busy profession.

• Primary teaching can be inspiring.

• Primary teaching never ending.

Aims of primary Education

Aims: What are they? And why are they important?

“Aims are the anticipated/ desired outcomes that are intended

or that guide our planned actions.” (oxford dictionary)

Why aims are important ? Aims define the goal of an activity.

Aims direct the activities; Where they should lead and where

they should go.

So we can not decide what should we do in a certain situation

without knowing or defining our reason and our goal. (Bailey & Earl,

2010)

• According to Cohen, Manion & Morrison, Aims, objectives and

intended learning outcomes refer to expression of educational

intention and purpose p.110 C. M & M

• Aim is a general expression of intent while objective is more

specific. Objectives are more like achievable targets.

• In short objectives and intended learning outcomes should be

SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-

bound. P.111

Universal Aims of Education Excellence Social development Equal opportunity Preparation for work Foundation for further education Citizenship/community Creativity Health/physical Individual development Personal qualities National economy Basic skills Knowledge/skills/understanding Environment Lifelong education

• As we have pointed out that the aims of education are the goals that carry out our action as educators. However, these aims are not separated from our values and principles.

• Values are beliefs that reflect concerns about what ought to be.

• Values such as equality, freedom, social justice, unique individuals, family development, social development, religious education , spiritual development, and moral development guide the aims.

• These educational values are the umbrella that include all of our beliefs of what ought to be presented in our education (aims).

Aims and Values

Consequentially “values influence our aims which in turn influence our practices”p,187 therefore, teachers should define their goals. They should try to answer the following questions:▪ “What am I trying to achieve? ▪ What are my goals as a teacher? ▪ And what are my aims of education?” pg.187

(Bailey & Earl, 2010)

The role of aims in education Values and aims influence school decisions in

the following areas:▪ Classroom origination: How students should be grouped?

How should the classroom be organized? Are children grouped according to age, ability, or interest?

▪ Teacher as authority, as a friend or as a source: Who is in charge of the class?

▪ The type of curriculum : Is it subject based or theme based?

Subject based curriculum: The traditional curriculum. The curriculum that represents different knowledge such math, science...etc.

Theme based curriculum: Applying one concept to all areas of knowledge (example)

▪ The style of teaching and the materials: is it going to be teacher’ s centered or students’ centered? Is it going to be reciting information or problems solving ?

▪ The type of assessment strategies used. (Bailey & Earl, 2010)

The circle of educational Values from Metais, 2004 … p, 182

From Values to Aims to the Curriculum

Curriculum could be defined as

1. Subjects

2. Processes

3. The study of problems

4. Areas of knowledge or experiences

5. That which children take from the learning situation in

school p.30

In primary education, curriculum should support and foster:

• Personal, social and emotional well-being• Positive attitudes and dispositions toward their learning• Social skills• Attention skills and persistence• Language and communications• Reading and writing • Mathematics• Knowledge and understanding of the world• Physical development• Creative development

The primary education and the curriculum in Saudi Arabia

Elementary education is compulsory in Saudi Arabia. It is the foundation for the development of further education.

Elementary education covers grades one to six. The basic goals of primary curriculum are to prepare

children for life, and prepare them for higher level of education through teaching them reading, math ,and other subjects that promote their development socially, mentally, intellectually, and physically depending on the stage of their development.

The school curriculum includes”▪ Arabic language, ▪ Islamic education, ▪ history, geography, health ▪ Physical education for boys ( New for the girls)▪ Science▪ computer▪ mathematics,▪ English as a foreign language( 4th and 6th grades).

Primary Curriculum

SUMMARY

• “All teachers have to work within the framework of aims,

prescribed by the national curriculum, but there is plenty of

room for the development and articulation of personal views

and philosophy. Aims helped the teachers sense of direction

and purpose in their professional work; different aims are

associated with teaching practices, curriculum organizations

and assessment procedures. As such; they deserve serious

consideration and examination” p 190(Bailey & Earl, 2010)

Next Week

• Teacher role and responsibility; and their role within the school.

Reference

Learning to Teach in the Primary

School. Arthur& Cremin,2010. 2nd

edition. Routledge: Taylor & Francis

Group, London.

• A guide to Teaching Practice: Revised 5th Edition

by Louise Cohen, Lawrence Manion, Keth

Morrison, And Dominic Wyse ( Jul 21, 2010)