The substantial changes in the school system are necessary due to several reasons. First of all, teaching and learning models that were effective a decade ago no longer meet the needs and interests of students. The perceptions of teachers’ roles have also changed. Nowadays, educators are not regarded as only the providers of information, but they are expected to guide and support children throughout their developmental process. To prepare students for success in a rapidly changing environment, schools need to implement curriculum change. It is possible to say that the role of school leaders and supervisors is the most important in this process because their management activities help to ensure the reform initiatives are followed at the school-wide level and to create a favorable culture that may sustain the positive outcomes.
One of the national curriculum change projects is Scope, Sequence, and Coordination of Secondary School Science (SS&C). The major goal of the project is the improvement of science literacy and the reform of science teaching mainly at the secondary school level by readjusting curriculum to formulated learning objectives. According to SS&C, a prerequisite for positive change in schools’ ability to improve coordination and sequence of instruction; employ interdisciplinary educational approach; prolong the period of science studies to six years; and promote innovative scientific thinking among students (Bybee, 2005). Although SS&C covers many similar topics that are already included in school curricula, it suggests using non-traditional instructional approaches focusing on connections between disciplines and the arrangement of more practical activities. In this way, SS&C addresses the need for the development of critical thinking skills and obtainment of direct experiences rather than memorization of vocabulary and abstract scientific terms.
The main players in reform realization are instructors and supervisors. SS&C requires teachers to improve their instruction and curriculum development skills. Educators have to be more flexible and responsive to create more engaging classroom environments. Moreover, the learning process should be student-centered rather than teacher-centered or task-oriented. And it is possible to say that supervisors may play a decisive role in encouraging shifts towards the use of more effective teaching models and practices. According to Mafora and Phorabatho (2013), without supervision, teachers are likely to focus on those content areas which they already know well without paying significant attention to new curricula. Supervisors are thus needed to guide educators and inform them about the required content and techniques of applying new curricula in practice. Supervisors should monitor teachers’ performance to assess the scope to which new strategies are implemented.
Potential obstacles to the successful implementation of new curricula are the lack of a favorable educational environment in schools and suitable resources, as well as inefficient managerial planning for change. Every change initiative should be supported by clear goal focus, synergized communication, team cohesiveness, and decentralized power (Mafora & Phorabatho, 2013). Supervisors need to modify school climates by encouraging the commitment to change through the establishment of open dialogs with teachers and the provision of necessary resources. Planning is a managerial task that aims to ensure the organizational mission, objectives, and vision of change are comprehended by every party involved in the process (Mafora & Phorabatho, 2013). Without establishing all human, financial, time, and other material resources, the implementation of curriculum change is likely to fail. Therefore, supervisors should plan organizational issues in detail to mitigate the risks.
The initiatives for curriculum change, such as SS&C, are meant to guide schools in changing the way they operate to meet children’s learning needs in a more efficient way. Curricula change does not focus only on the refinement of curriculum content but implies a substantial reorganization of school systems including instructional models, and educational culture. Moreover, changes require on-going professional development which cannot be maintained without principals’ support. Therefore, the overall success of reforms largely depends on supervisors’ managerial activities. By performing their important functions such as planning, monitoring, and leading, principals facilitate curriculum implementation and contribute to better reform outcomes.
References
Bybee, R. (2005). Science curriculum reform in the United States. Web.
Mafora, P., & Phorabatho, T. (2013). Curriculum change implementation: Do secondary school principals manage the process? Anthropologist, 15(2), 117-124.