Are you ready to focus on a curriculum method that will get everyone excited about learning? Curriculum integration could help you increase the motivation of both students and teachers.
WHAT?
In contrast to traditional and separated subject area curricula, an integrated curriculum provides a method for educators to work together across subject areas to accomplish learning goals and increase motivation. Educators synthesize their content areas and learning goals in a more real-life approach to learning. Integrating curriculum goes beyond parallel units or shared units. It will allow educators to understand other perspectives and synthesize their individual disciplines.
How?
Integrating curriculum requires planning and professional development. Not only do the logistics of what it will look like need to be established, but a vision and goals also need to be established. Assessment will have to be developed to reflect the learning goals. The following charts from The Second Principle by Leslie Owen Wilson outline the steps and actions in creating an integrated curriculum.
Why?
While an integrated curriculum is not without challenges or potential negatives, it does provide many benefits for educators and learners.
Benefits:
Increased motivation
Interconnectedness of knowledge
Different perspectives
Deeper understanding across disciplines
Enhancement of creativity and critical thinking
Opportunities for experiences and activities
Opportunities to highlight different abilities and talents
As a 4th-grade reading language arts teacher, I have had the opportunity to work with our elementary music teacher and a social studies/science teacher throughout the last two years to integrate our curriculum in small, but amazing ways. Our journey began when the music teacher and I just started looking at what standards we have in common. For example, we both teach figurative language and theme in reading and music. From there, we have continued to find ways to collaborate. We have synthesized units that can crossover other disciplines. For example, inventors and the scientific method. We have utilized timelines and projects that include social studies, science, and our computer/coding teacher. While on a small scale, we are taking steps to learn each other's disciplines and plan together. Our students are retaining more information, making connections, understanding time periods, and best of all, they really love what they are doing! Motivation has greatly increased not only for the students but also for the teachers. It creates community on our campus! We are a team!
Integrated Learning: One Project, Several Disciplines
Integrating curriculum can start small, maybe even with just a couple of teachers that are ready for a change, but it can take students on a journey that will leave them excited about coming to school!
Resources:
Button, L. (n.d.). Curriculum integration. Curriculum Essentials A Journey. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from
Nebraska Department of Education. (2017). Integrated curriculum in the primary, The Primary Program: Growing and Learning in the Heartland https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IC.pdf
YouTube. (2016). YouTube. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99FxWH3ovlU&t=27s
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