This document discusses key concepts and principles for organizing a curriculum review at a school. It addresses factors that should guide curriculum choices like mission and vision statements. It also discusses curriculum models and how assessment should inform curriculum planning. Additional topics covered include the importance of transferable skills, 21st century learning skills, and monitoring curriculum implementation through lesson observations and student interviews. The overall purpose is to provide guidance on conducting a thorough and meaningful curriculum review process.

1. Concepts and Design
Principles in Organizing a
Curriculum Review
Adrian Scarlett
Curriculum Director @MarymountParis

2. Staying Connected
ascarlett@marymount.fr
Twitter: @thembinkosi
#ELSAFrance
http://internationaleducationtoday.com

3. What is Curriculum?
Define “Curriculum” in 140 characters or less.

4. Curriculum Priorities
What factors should guide a school’s choice of curriculum
model?
How frequently should this be reviewed?
Who should be involved in Curriculum Review?

6. Guiding Statements
A school should be ….
Mission Driven
Vision Led
And thus……..
Guiding Satements
Must drive and lead all aspects of curriculum
Guiding Statements are our “WHY”

7. Curriculum Models
What curriculum model do you use at your school?
Does this model best fit the Guiding Statements?

8. How should a Curriculum
be reviewed, designed
and implemented?
When should Assessments be developed?
How should Assessment inform planning?
Consider:
Understanding by Design advocates Backward
Design. Is this the best model? Should assessment
drive curriculum matters or should curriculum be
the driving force?

9. The Importance of
Transfer
Making good links:
• Does the link make learning more motivating ?
• Does the link deepen children’s understanding?
• Has the integrity of each subject been maintained?
• Is there a natural overlap between the subjects being
linked?
• Are the links made explicit to children?
• Can children see why they are making the link?
• Does the link guarantee appropriate coverage and
progression in the subjects involved?
• Does medium-term planning dovetail learning between the
subjects effectively?

10. There is no set definition of a Creative Curriculum
Creative Curriculum Models are appropriate for Primary and Middle School phases and include topic-base
Teachers plan topic-based approaches to learning for each year group, which are linked to a set of skills.
Hands-on experiences, field trips are embedded into the curriculum and complement and support instruct
• co-operation
• communication
• organisation
• presentation
• team work
• problem solving
• investigation

13. Collaboration
Scope and sequence
“Joined up thinking”
How often to you meet at Grade
Level/Teams to discuss curriculum matters?
Do you keep the focus on curriculum or are
you distracted by logistics / behaviourial
issues / events?

14. Why “quality curriculum” really matters

15. The Place of 21st
Century Learning
Global Literacy
Digital Literacy
Social Literacy

16. Digital Literacy – Not just turning on a computer….we can do dumb
things with a smartboad. Why is it better? Engagement! Deepening
the content and encouraging research. (even to find what you might
not be looking for!)
Social networks are valuable, media allows multifaceted approach to
expressing themselves – otherwise learning is too often linear ….
Should we replace obsolete content (Middle East History/Politics,
Science in textbooks), skills get dated, assessment processes?
Blogs, Podcast, Wikis, Tweets from Benjamin Franklin/Winston
Churchill, Facebook page for Julius Caesar or Napoleon, design an
app…….. or then again do the questions at the end of chapter 2 or
write a story that only your teacher will read!
Television literacy? More of a force than print! Screenplays? Video
podcasts? Prepare students 10/15 years times….. And it might just
make learning more fun!

17. The International
Dimension
Host Country
Mother Tongue
International Mindedness
Global Citizenship
Connecting Classrooms

18. Social and Emotional
Learning
Happy children are effective learners!
Can SEL be taught?
Should SEL be taught?
Who? Where? When?

19. The Language(s) of
Instruction
English medium
Bi-lingual
Multi-lingual

20. Scheduling
Influence of Schedules, how do we group kids?
Why are third graders always together?
Silo’s of high school departments
Quality of teacher meetings…..
Schedules indicate school priorities!

21. Other Factors to
Consider
Resources
“Extra Curricular models”
Extended Schools
Homework
Partnership with Parents

22. Monitoring and
Evaluation of
Curriculum
Lesson Observations
Book Trawls
Displays
Interviews with Students
Performance Management / Appraisal
Curriculum Maps
Planners