WHEN CURRICULUM BECOMES A STRANGER
Abstract
ABSTRACT. Prompted by a child's question, this reflective paper uses narrative to explore ways in which technical and standardized approaches to curriculum do little to help children and their teachers make sense of the complexity of the life world in which they dwell. These curricular approaches are perhaps symptomatic of a largerproblem. This paper examines ways in which curricula mandated by the state have been traditionally used to implement social policies and to control what is taught, how it is taught, and to whom it is taught - that is to say, what conception of children is being promoted. In this context, teachers may often become handmaidens of the state, sometimes, though not always, unwittingly implementing social policies that may undermine the possibility for critical thinking in schools. Becoming an adult in western culture can involve estrangement from one's own childhood, and the curriculum of "traditional" schooling may serve to reinforce this estrangement. QUAND LE PROGRAMME D'ÉTUDES DEVIENT UN ÉTRANGER RÉSUMÉ. Cette réflexion, suscitée par la question d'un enfant, porte sur l'aide minimale que les approches techniques et standardisées d'un programme d'études apportent aux élèves et à leurs enseignants pour mieux comprendre la complexité du monde qui les entoure. Ces approches peuvent être les symptômes d'une problématique plus)mportante. Cet article examine comment les programmes mandatés par l'Etat ont traditionnellement été utilisés, d'une part, pour mettre en oeuvre des politiques sociales et, d'autre part, pour contrôler le contenu enseigné, la méthode d'enseignement et les elèves, en d'autres mots pour promouvoir une certaine conception de l'enfance. Dans un tel contexte, les enseignants peuvent souvent être au service d'un état pour implanter consciemment ou non des politiques sociales risquant de compromettre la possibilité d'une pensée critique dans les écoles. Devenir adulte, dans la culture occidentale, peut impliquer une certaine rupture par rapport à sa propre enfance. Cette rupture peut être renforcée par les programmes d'études "traditionnels."Downloads
Published
2003-01-01
How to Cite
Cooper, K. (2003). WHEN CURRICULUM BECOMES A STRANGER. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 38(001). Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/8668
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