Social Curriculum
The social aspect of curriculum development starts with the early societies and how they educated their youth. The values and ideas that our society learned from the ancient Greek and Roman thinkers promotes the significance of education in a democratic society. Our American culture compels professional educators to subject themselves to a certain level of preparation. Educators and administrators must first train in a college curriculum which prepares them to be successful educators, but we also require them to continue their training in order to keep up with an ever changing society. Socio-cultural complexities in a democratic American culture necessitate a professional education system that is versatile, adaptable, and willing to evolve. From this perspective in America an educational system should be prepared to look closely at human relations and how the educational institution can aid in the development of knowledgeable and empathetic citizens prepared to function in a multicultural society. If we evaluate education as a social function we realize it has allowed our concept of education to transform from initially teaching cultural tradition to small groups of people to teaching a continued existence and growth for cultures as they learn to interact with each other in a larger society while maintaining the integrity of the individual cultures.
John Dewey
John Dewey felt that the curriculum should ultimately produce students who would be able to deal effectively with the modern world. Therefore, curriculum should not be presented as finished abstractions, but should include the child’s preconceptions and should incorporate how the child views his or her own world. Dewey uses four instincts, or impulses, to describe how to characterize children’s behavior. The four instincts according to Dewey are social, constructive, expressive, and artistic. Curriculum should build an orderly sense of the world where the child lives. Dewey hoped to use occupations to connect miniature versions of fundamental
activities of life classroom activities. The way Dewey hoped to accomplish this goal was to combine subject areas and materials. By doing this, Dewey made connections between subjects and the child’s life. Dewey is credited for the development of the progressive schools some of which are still in existence today.
activities of life classroom activities. The way Dewey hoped to accomplish this goal was to combine subject areas and materials. By doing this, Dewey made connections between subjects and the child’s life. Dewey is credited for the development of the progressive schools some of which are still in existence today.