Educational Issue 2: Authentic Curriculum

The idea of authentic curriculum is very interesting and not something I would have generally thought about on my own. I am not sure how I feel about this topic. I feel as though this group did a great job making me enjoying many the issues being presented. I really enjoyed the links and videos they gave us it is a lot of information defining this idea of authentic curriculum. After this project, I found myself wondering how I could implement this into my own classroom. I find the idea of using students’ interests to help them learn more. I feel as though this would be a beneficial way of teaching; however, I would not fully implement it into my classroom because I am not really a fan of not teaching. I would still give students a choice while also teaching. I want students to know I have their best interests in mind, and I am trying to keep them intrigued. I would use many of the aspects presented in this lesson to my own classroom. For instance the thought of creating new communities and see new perspectives is really great because it is the idea that they are working together and collaboratively. This is something all teachers look forward to in the classroom; however, it is not the only reason.

This is beneficial in many ways such as it creating an environment in which students are excited to learn because they have a say. This means fewer students will be dropping out or disengaged. It creates positive environments amongst teachers and students. They seem to get along better when they get to know one another on a more personal level. It also creates a version of creativity and ambition in students to help them perform at the level the teacher always knew was possible.

Though it is a very beneficial issue to be presented in this research project, teachers sometimes feel as if they do not have a place in the schools. There is also the belief that these teachers are not able to do their job as teaching. They supervise as the students do their own opinions. It is also difficult for a teacher fully immersed into their classroom they must deal with students driving along the education. I feel as though this is an area I could not fulfill this strategy because I really enjoy this strategy just not the idea of not being the teacher. I studied to be a teacher because I really love it. Nevertheless, I plan to incorporate the student-based learning, student interests, and student happiness and comfort.

This group has done a wonderful job presenting this issue and allowing us to see the benefits and struggles that one might see as a teacher implementing this into their classroom. One aspect of this I really enjoyed about this groups paper and presentation is the fact that they clarified the idea that one does not have to go to one extreme or the next. As teachers, we do not have to always drop everything to implement this strategy into our classroom. We can take certain aspects and implement them as they work with our classroom. This issue can be brought into the school in many different ways making it a flexible and beneficial aspect to add to the classroom. This group did a wonderful job showing this and showing this interesting issue allowing me to see another model I want to implement into my class.