There is plethora of teaching and curriculum experimentation at present.  Much gets reported in our pages, under such titles as thinking skills, building learning power, learning to learn.  There is much talk of a skill-based curriculum and this is accelerating under the engine of personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS).

            Subjects are not exactly in retreat but the development of diploma courses certainly reduces numbers taking some traditional subjects and many secondary schools are developing KS3 courses which blend subjects, especially for lower attaining pupils.  This is one of those ‘baby and bathwater’ moments.

            First, many teachers often assume that some groups of students cannot learn as well as others and this led them to offering a very limited curriculum.  It is essential to challenge such beliefs, and this was typically achieved by offering alternatives and becoming aware of the learning gains for students when they are offered something better.  We can equate this to action research or professional enquiry.  Second, subject knowledge was found to be important in professional development.

By: Dusty M. Mangila | Teacher II | Limay National High School | LImay, Bataan