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I tend to disagree with authors points of views on the word approach itself, because to me, an approach must be based on research and theory so that it will function as its ground. In the chapter, authors at first tend to be parallel with me however, when the authors state, “ There is no specific line that designates a boundary between an inconsistent set of beliefs and…” in reality, it is a heartbreaker because I believe, an approach must be based on something(read; philosophy) that is grounded and strong rather than let it loose like that. I do wonder, is it because of curriculum itself which is so vast and vague, the authors tend to be so lenient? However, when the authors outline three characteristics of a reasonable curriculum approach, it is not that I disagree with the three points but I’d expected to see one more bullet mentioning time frame. I am thinking that curriculum that had been used by Plato to teach Romans is not necessarily a reasonable curriculum approach that can be applied today,to our students, thats why time frame is very important.

Looking at Tyler’s Rational Linear Approach, I am glad when he mention that his book is not a curriculum manual, however, I found the name to be funny because I understand “Linear” as 1,2,3 and similarly when it comes to curriculum development, it is a process of progressing. I am thinking of this after looking at figure 3.2 that starts with Objectives, followed by selecting learning experiences,then organizing learning experiences and lastly evaluation. In my case, there are many times that I tend to start my class by teaching, evaluating my teaching and the objectives will come last. There are times as well that I teach based on what my students want. However, I agree very much with him when he emphasizes that evaluation involves getting evidence about changes in the behavior of students but at the same time, I am thinking, will the curriculum then will have tendency to be in behaviorism philosophy of learning rather than constructivism?Tyler also stress that it should not be focus only on test but must be opened to other techniques such as interviews,observations,questionnaires and etc.

I think Walker’s Deliberative Approach is more suitable for a diverse team as it allows creativity, resolutions of curriculum problems that involve mutual agreement between participants and at the same time it encourages communication among planners. Also, I believe two head is better than one, thus the product will be better. It is worth to mention that his naturalistic is suitable to apply to any level of curriculum development because it does not follow a linear. Importantly, consensus is based on mutual and rational discussion.I like Eisner’s Content of Curriculum when he emphasizes curriculum should be a wide variety of specific sources be given equal consideration with traditional academic disciplines. I think this can create balance. It is balance because it will always be constructed based on students,society and subject’s needs. Thus, it contributes to the dynamism of curriculum development.

Sesungguhnya jiwa aku ini sebenarnya masih lagi tak bermaya. Nampak ok tapi sebenarnya tak.. Ketika berjalan meredah sejuk pagi untuk ke kelas atau pulang dari kelas, aku rasakan bumi ini seolah olah gempa dalam skala richter yang maha halus. Persepsi dan koordinasi aku bercelaru menyebabkan langkah aku longlai dan lesu. Mahu sahaja aku terbaring di rumput yang dilapisi sejuk beku itu.

Ya, aku demam. Aku tak sangka aku tewas pada viral infection yang menyebabkan terjadinya influenza, satu penyakit yang boleh membawa mati jika tidak kena pada gayanya. Malahan influenza ini boleh sahaja menjadi pandemic yang boleh mengakibatkan jutaan nyawa melayang. Lihat sahaja pada Avian Flu.

Ternyata manusia ini bukanlah makhluk yang kuat dan gagah sebagaimana yang disangkakan oleh kita sendiri. Lemahnya dan kalahnya aku pada virus influenza ini ternyata terbukti, selang beberapa jam sahaja, suhu badan aku mencanak canak naiknya. Malamnya pula, tekak ku perit dan kering meskipun entah berapa Tylenol dan Loratodeine ku telan. Segala sendi ku rasakan lenguh dan kebas dan ada ketikanya aku merasakan setiap saraf aku begitu sensitif kepada cuaca sejuk. Meskipun yang ku pegang batu tungku yang panas membara, aku selesa kerana aku terlampau sejuk walhal suhu badanku umpama api.

Di dalam kelas pula, aku mual mual. Pening. Baru aku sedar penangan virus influenza ini begitu hebat. Maha dahsyat lagi ku kira api neraka. Tak tertanggung aku… Bagaimana pula waktu kematianku nanti??

Dr Tackett memberikan preskripsi untuk influenza, ku kira setelah makan ubat itu, aku akan bertambah sihat tapi rupanya tidak, penyembuhan mengambil masa yang agak lama juga. Yang memeritkan ialah ubat ubatan tersebut mempunyai side effect seperti muntah muntah dan mabuk mabuk. Mengalahkan orang mengandung pula aku ini. Ketika sakit begini, teringat pula kepada ibuku.. oh ini peritnya mengandungkan aku.. ku kira ibu ku mual untuk jangka waktu yang lama juga..betapa aku anak durhaka…:( ampunilah aku ini Ya Allah..ameen.

Teringat juga aku pada isteriku, ketika mengandungkan Irfan..oh begini peritnya mabuk mabuk… betapa aku lelaki tidak bersyukur..

dan aku hairan kenapa manusia gemar kan arak sedangkan arak itu menyebabkan mabuk mabuk dan pening pening serta muntah muntah.. Bodohkan manusia peminum arak ini, sudahlah di dunia ini tersirna kebodohannya, di akhirat kelak, di azab lagi oleh Allah. Nauzubillah…

Yang ku harap, kesakitan aku ini kaffarah atas dosa aku yang lepas, terima kasih Ya Allah. Ampunilah aku Ya Allah..

Now I realize why it is so difficult to give a precise definition for the word curriculum. It is related to the development of the curriculum itself where we can know about it from the history of curriculum development. For example, Dr Stoney asked us to give definition of what does it mean to be American during multicultural class, yet, no one could give exact definition because firstly, everybody in the class has their own definition of being American. I notice as well in everyone definition there will be the elements of historical aspect, for example, “ American means those who were born here” or “ she/he migrated here few years back”. Phrases of “were born” and “migrated” are past tense verbs, so basically they were historical as the events themselves are important to those who involved.

Due to that, shallowing and narrowing the meaning will circumscribe the nature of curriculum itself. It comes from a long,diverse and complex history. Understanding curriculum will be distorted if we make the definitions rigid as it means we will neglect the up and down of its development or curriculum history. Sigmund Freud put emphasis on understanding past history of his patients to develop a big picture in order to understand what contributes to the ailment, what about curriculum which is so vast and deep.

The fallback of neglecting curriculum history is that we will neglect the intellectual and spiritual growth of curriculum. As I mention in my first week epiphany, that curriculum is dynamic, so it does have elements of growth that I mention previously. This lead to my believe that curriculum can appear as a living human being due to elements of growth that it has. Can I say curriculum becomes enrich as societies develop? I think it is, as in curriculum history we will see the changes that happen to curriculum that contributes to its dynamic. Progressive nations will have a dynamic and complex curriculum that will cover many aspects of their life, as progressive and modernism can be attributed to complexities and dynamic. Both of these attributes show there are elements of blended and intertwined perspectives and thoughts adopted into education system that particular nations preferred over.

Curriculum history is one way understanding the past. Understanding the past does not mean we have to follow the ways that previous generations outlined as the suitability and compatibility of their methods can be questioned. Importantly, I notice even they themselves could not solve the problems that they faced. However, we still look at their solutions to the problems so that we can take whatever good and leave whatever bad for us to reflect. Thus it will be the best way to understand the present day situation as we know the origin,the root of the problems.

I believe we must teach students according to what suits them best, according to the compatibility and suitability of present day situation and at the same time to prepare them for future. Learning and understanding curriculum history will tell us what is compatible and suitable for them after we reflect the pros and cons of every elements within curriculum. I will prefer subject matter mastery as it helps me to understand and memorize deep but at the same time, I just can’t imagine myself sitting in a class with drilling and rote learning as they will bore me to death. Boredom is not a choice for nowadays quality education as we are not preparing our students for clergymen/women. Our society is not a dogmatic anymore compared to hundred years ago. My dad used to bring me to hunt as a past time hobby but it does not mean that I have to bring my son to the same playing field again 17 years later. However, I do understand that spending time with my son by doing various activities like swimming or playing table tennis can help to maintain the relationship as well.

That is the goal of learning curriculum history and understand them as everybody of us wants to choose and to be involved in developing now and future generation based on what we believe/perceive. They believe they can do that best through education system. That is a faith in curriculum.

When I reflect back on Sputnik achievement by communist realm( Russia), Americans felt the achievement by the “other side” was hurtful. Americans believe their curriculum that is based on democracy value must be superior than the “other side” that implement communist system. Anyway,if we think critically, was it a total failure on behalf of American curriculum? If we think critically, it is not a failure but rather a challenge to compete and to improve education system to be better.

The main thing is that there is something we can learn from them.

After reading three articles that you assigned me a week ago and attending discussion, few concepts of curriculum start to make sense and creating a big picture in my mind. Previously, it appears in form of mosaic pictures. I need to collect every piece of them and put it in a few pages of my notebook so that later, I can put and arrange them together so that I can create my understanding on them. It’s a jigsaw puzzle. Seriously before this, I just understand it merely as a word that I don’t even bother to look closely at the definitions. I understand it as a syllabus that every teacher will try to finish it off before the end of school year, never ever appear in my mind that there are more beyond curriculum which is hidden that we live with it, allow it to penetrate into our life daily. Don’t you think that it appears to be hidden curriculum and subconscious mind have similar context in a sense that they always bring the “other 70% of us” in our daily life? No matter what and how it can give to us, I agree with Eisner that the final product is important as we don’t want to create “reward junkies”,monsters or etc. That answers why we don’t provide or teach Mein Kampf and implement it to reality because we don’t want to be responsible of creating another Holocaust again.

Firstly,curriculum tend to appears from various philosophies. I prefer to call it worldview, or perspective. Usually, a curriculum of every society will be different compared to other society, as we don’t have same world views. Though, maybe we have them exactly as they are, we tend to implement/execute it differently because again, we are unique, we are creative. Indeed there is no superior curriculum over other curriculum. Secondly, I myself accept that every education system needs curriculum that is tangible enough so that everybody can feel it. It should be alive and seen. I name it a framework.

Metaphorically, the engine is the curriculum. Curriculum scholars are the engineers. Teachers are the drivers. Which car suites me well? What types of car? Japanese car? Germany’s car? American’s car? I assume and I think, I will choose the one that fulfill my needs. Who determines that car is the best and suit my needs best? Engineers and drivers can suggest about their product, but yet, the choice is in my hand. It is a collective work. Everybody and every strata of society involves in this car making factory.

Will I fall into err when making the choice? I have faculty of mind, that will lead me to reasoning and experiences. I will depend on researches, the cons and pros. I will depend from the opinion of experts, which again will be in the two categories, reliable and valid. Indeed it is complicated. Making a choice to determine the direction of students and society’s future is not an easy task…

How complicate the matter of choosing is, at the end, I have to stick into one product, as I need car to make other things work. It is the time to use the car, to have a feel on best it suits me. If not, I still have two choices, I can improvise, or I just can replace it with another new car. Life is trial and error. The consequences are always there to be faced by us.

From The Daily Grind,I find Jackson’s notion on similarity between a school child and the incarcerated prisoner is appealing to me. Yes, it is true that both of them must develop strategies to deal with the conflict that exist between their desires and institutional expectations but at the same time, we must remember, the contexts are totally different. Learning and facing/attending punishments is like water and oil. Teachers’ perception on students/kids that will be different from warden towards prisoners. Different perception or perspective will lead to different treatment. I assume again, when both receive different treatment, then the strategies will ultimately change depending on the treatment.

Avoid Cross contamination by not going to fast food restaurants that prepare
Pork, Half Cook Pork, Bacon and whatever comes from these sources. Watch this vid. The worm looks nasty. The doctor statement’s scarry but put realization of Shariah and prohibition from Allah is good. Alhamdulillah. I am a muslim and we don’t eat pork.

Our children will spend most of their time at school, during the time, they are exposed to hidden and manifest curriculum, explicit and implicit. Of course, we know that schools will provide Math, Geography, Sociology and etc to them from the curriculum, as subjects for them to learn but importantly, and indirectly, soon we will realize that they learn other things as well as they are a part of the structure of those places. Embedded inside, cultural practices, do’s and don’ts and etc. Whatever it is, teachers play important roles as well because indeed teachers shape the content of what students are going to learn. This is the belief of Jackson in contrast to Vallance that believe text materials can assist in determining particular school’s cultures. Eisner wrote something on initiative which I could not make sense and relation to text materials that Vallance explained before, but I realized that his intention is to prove that schools indeed teach far more than they advertise.

As teachers do provide important roles as it involves expectation, it also plays role in assisting and providing teachers expectations as well in fostering compliant behavior. Teacher targets their students will read more, so what do they do is providing a program that can achieve their objective( students to read more) and at the same time providing presents/rewards. It can be done as long as mutual needs are accomplished. However, this kind of program must be carefully done as it has backwash effect if extrinsic rewards are not accomplished for particular target group. Their motivation will be very low. Interesting enough, we don’t want to create “reward junkies” to next generation. Main concern here is any program that try to implement something to the students must not interfere with schooling primary purposes.

What is schooling primary purposes? Do we have to check back the culture of Anglo-Saxon middle class as most United States schools stand on that ? Most of the culture, I think we will be based on preparing the students for the outside world.

I am not sure what is the intention of this writer when he said that competitiveness is being implemented at school sometimes on the expense of others. Very obvious analogy, if there is the best student, there must be another failure. I will clarify this later to my professor as I am confused now. I am thinking that the writer notices school nowadays do not follow/have the cultivation of imagination which make it stuck rather try to emphasis on something that can be learn outside school. I like to quote him saying this:

learning is a humble thing compared with teaching. to teach puts one in a superordinate position, to learn in the position of a subordinate. leaeners are seldom philanthropists. but who would the poet rather learn from: not Einstein, or Marx, or Darwin but from a bird. and what would he rather learn: to understand the universe, to be able to turn dross into gold, to be able to create atomic fission? no. he rather learn to sing. He’d rather learn to do something that gives joy to life from one of the most fragile of god’s creatures than to teach the largest bodies of our universe itself how not to dance

He wrote about few reasons that make different status between universities exist because of the general culture that pervades these schools, as well as because society recognizes qualities and guide their children to places whose implicit curriculum is compatible with their values and with the levels of social, economic, and academic achievements to which they aspire, important enough to mention structured forms of education.

NULL Curriculum: A curriculum that does not EXIST

To identify it, first, we must look at intellectual process that school emphasizes and neglect and secondly the content or subject areas that are present and absent in school curricula.

Another interesting points that he made:

I am trying to point out that certain subkect matters have been traditionally taught in schools not because of a careful analysis of range of other alternatives that could be offered but rather because they have traditionally been taught. we teach what we teach largely out of habit and in the process neglect areas of study that could prove to be exceedingly useful to students.