Instructional Core

"Education is the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world."

--Paulo Friere

Curriculum Theory of Action

Our role as educators is to inspire student creativity and curiosity to solve problems and better their communities (Robinson, 2006). As teachers and administrators we must create learning experiences anchored in culturally relevant pedagogy that is not only intellectually demanding, but also responsive to the needs of individual learners. By providing equitable access to coherent and cohesive curriculum, we can effectively foster critical thinking skills and provide students with 21^stcentury knowledge and skills. When we give students equitable access to meaningful, coherent and cohesive curriculum, we do more than prepare them for life after schooling, we prepare students to be life long learners and engaged citizens.

Strategies for Implementation

If we believe all students should graduate academically prepared to be successful in post-secondary education and careers of their choice, then it is our responsibility to provide students with an instructional core that magnifies the relationships between teachers, students, and curriculum (Elmore, 1996). Focusing on strengthening these relationships requires educational leaders to provide professional development for teachers, equitable access to learner centered academic experiences, and coherent and cohesively designed curriculum. These goals are more likely to become reality when educational leaders develop collaborative organizational structures through professional learning communities.