Learning, Curriculum and Life Politics: the selected works of Ivor F. Goodson
Coming to Curriculum
General Lines of Development
1. The development of the college as a community in which the Upper School students, the staff - professional and others - and the adults from the local community work together rather than in compartments. This implies: ‘participatory’ rather than ‘authoritarian’ making of decisions; the blurring of the lines separating school and community and an actual mixing of adults and students in an extended school and community day.
2. The re-thinking and selection of the curriculum in terms of its relevance. This may involve: different content for certain subjects, e.g. maths, physics; development of interdisciplinary problem-based rather than subject-based work in some areas - particularly in humanities and creative arts; the introduction of new specialisms perhaps as parts of interdisciplinary areas, e.g. sociology, psychology and the disappearance of - or considerable lessening of importance of - others.
3. A re-thinking of organisation in terms of who makes decisions and at what level, and a new academic organisation in 'areas' rather than in subject departments.
4. A re-thinking of the methods by which students learn and the size of the groups into which they are organised, with an emphasis on more individual or small group learning, more ‘independent’ time available for student-chosen activities, more co-operation between teachers, and more use of new media.
5. The development of an organisation which will allow the development of individuals along lines suited to them personally and at a speed appropriate to them without classifying children more than is essential into ‘able’ and ‘less able’ groups.
6. A pastoral organisation which will be the main contact for parents by which an overall responsible master or mistress controls approximately 200 students helped by a team of tutors who also teach the students for at least one subject.
7. The development of a form of government both within the school section and the wider community, by which, those who take part in the life of the college, determine the policy to be adopted (McMullen 1970).
