I LOVED this story I heard yesterday on the Triple J news. The Australian Primary Principals Association has announced that the curriculm is fat and it needs some attention.
APPA President Leonie Trimper says their new Charter clarifies primary education “without the curriculum being cluttered by activities and issues that were more the role of parents, special interest groups, and other government sectors.”
“In essence, the Charter says that there should be four core elements to the curriculum:
• English literacy.
• Mathematics.
• Science.
• Social Education.”
She said that the core was not intended to imply that other learning areas were unimportant. “All learning areas are worthwhile, but the Charter argues that substantial involvement in the other learning areas depends on the critical and prior importance of ensuring that all children make satisfactory progress in the core areas.
I love that clarification, simplification and decluttering applies to so much more than the physical world.
Read the full article here
A completely unrelated question (uh-oh, am I cluttering your blog post?): when’s the book due?? I’m itching to see it!
Kate
LOL, you’re not cluttering, don’t worry! My book is in stores next Tuesday, but my webshop will be open within 24 hours, so you can order a *signed* copy from me!! Plus, I’ve got a few new products on offer … both small, but useful, like me! make sure you’re a newsletter subscriber as subscribers will be the first to know about the webshop.
Oh, thanks for the book information. Thank goodness someone has seen the curriculum ‘light’. Teachers are now expected to teach EVERYTHING. Society and parents have abrogated their responsibilities to such an extent that they are expected to teach manners, fire safety, wood heater protocols, allergy awareness, LOTE with no extra funding etc. Primary school should be about the primary things. Not that I don’t think manners are very important, I do, but children should come to school already well mannered!!!
Three cheers for the decluttering in education. What ever happened to the 3 R’s.When children can read and read well, such as critically then the whole world is opened up to them, They can be empowered and encouraged to pursue their own interests where they will stream ahead and learn soooooo much more when they love the subject and have the time to do such. Many other “subjects” need to go back into the family where they belong and will have a lasting effect of bonding and growth.
Children need more time to be children , run around freely, ride bikes , freely, not on a marked track……have time to lie around the watch the clouds float by, make shapes in the clouds, watch spiders, enjoy the seasons….and they don’t make more clutter with gadgets…….