Prepackaged Curriculum: The Death of a Profession
Category
Business, Education and Humanities
Department
Elementary Education (K-6)
Student Status
Undergraduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Mark Diacopolous
Document Type
Event
Location
Meadowlark
Start Date
10-4-2025 8:50 AM
End Date
10-4-2025 9:10 AM
Description
For my academic honors this semester, I intend to complete a project on the reality of premade curriculum. I will answer the following questions: 1) Does prepackaged curricula undermine teacher's sense of professional responsibility and professionalism? 2) Does prepackaged curricula actually meet student needs? 3) Who are prepackaged curricula for?
I will examine curriculums like Eureka Math, Common Core, and premade curriculum boxes. I will speak with educators across all ages (preschool to high school) about their experiences with premade curriculum and how it caters to their students, versus the student needs it does not meet. I will clearly discuss elements of the curriculum and its strengths and weaknesses.
In order to complete my project, I will interview at minimum five teachers total.
Preferably, two teachers at the elementary school level, two teachers at the middle school level, and one teacher at the high school level. Within the elementary school level curriculum, I would like to interview one teacher at the K-2 level and one teacher at the 4-5 level. Within middle school level, I would like to interview one sixth grade teacher and one eighth grade teacher. At the high school level, I would like to interview a sophomore teacher. My findings will be presented as an oral presentation of roughly 15 minutes accompanied by an essay of a minimum of ten pages. I will present my findings to my classmates and at the research emporium. The project is above and beyond class requirements as it requires extensive research outside of class and requires me to do much deeper and extensive work exploring curriculums than required by the class. I will be taking time outside of class to interview teachers, and writing/organizing my project outside of class time. Whereas in class we do not get real-world examples of premade prepackaged curriculum that is being used in the field, I will be able to examine curricula that are being implemented by teachers. I will also be able to get into the field and access multiple varieties of curricula.
Prepackaged Curriculum: The Death of a Profession
Meadowlark
For my academic honors this semester, I intend to complete a project on the reality of premade curriculum. I will answer the following questions: 1) Does prepackaged curricula undermine teacher's sense of professional responsibility and professionalism? 2) Does prepackaged curricula actually meet student needs? 3) Who are prepackaged curricula for?
I will examine curriculums like Eureka Math, Common Core, and premade curriculum boxes. I will speak with educators across all ages (preschool to high school) about their experiences with premade curriculum and how it caters to their students, versus the student needs it does not meet. I will clearly discuss elements of the curriculum and its strengths and weaknesses.
In order to complete my project, I will interview at minimum five teachers total.
Preferably, two teachers at the elementary school level, two teachers at the middle school level, and one teacher at the high school level. Within the elementary school level curriculum, I would like to interview one teacher at the K-2 level and one teacher at the 4-5 level. Within middle school level, I would like to interview one sixth grade teacher and one eighth grade teacher. At the high school level, I would like to interview a sophomore teacher. My findings will be presented as an oral presentation of roughly 15 minutes accompanied by an essay of a minimum of ten pages. I will present my findings to my classmates and at the research emporium. The project is above and beyond class requirements as it requires extensive research outside of class and requires me to do much deeper and extensive work exploring curriculums than required by the class. I will be taking time outside of class to interview teachers, and writing/organizing my project outside of class time. Whereas in class we do not get real-world examples of premade prepackaged curriculum that is being used in the field, I will be able to examine curricula that are being implemented by teachers. I will also be able to get into the field and access multiple varieties of curricula.
