Module 4: The Teacher as Curriculum Implementor and Manager

Lesson 4: Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementation

Intended Learning Outcomes:

 Identify stakeholders of the curriculum
 Enumerate the role of each stakeholder

Take Off
Who are involved in curriculum and curriculum development? These are the persons
who we call the stakeholders. Stakeholders are individuals or institutions that are interested
in the curriculum. They get involved in many different ways. You must be one of them.
Together with the teachers, school managers, parents and even the whole community have
interest in the curriculum. We will all meet them in this lesson.

Content Focus

1. Learners are at the core of the curriculum.

To what extent are the students involved in curriculum development? The old view
that students are mere recipients of the curriculum, is now changing. Learners have more
dynamic participation from the planning, designing, implementing and evaluating. However,
the degree of their involvement is dependent on their maturity. The older they are in high
school or college, the more they participate. From another angle, whether learners are in the
elementary or college level, they can make or break curriculum implementation by their
active or non-involvement. After all, learners together with the teachers, put action to the
curriculum.
At the end of the curriculum development process, the fundamental question asked
is: Have the students learned?
When some college students were asked about their role in curriculum development,
here are their answers.

Student 1: I never realize that a students, I have a participation in curriculum

development. It is true that as students, our learning is the basis of the success
or failure of the curriculum. For example, if all of us pass the board
examination, it means that the teacher education curriculum is a success.

Student 2: In high school our teachers would always look into what we are learning. The
whole year round, we have varied curricular and co-curricular activities inside
the class. I think, we as students, should be considered in writing the
curriculum.

Student 3: When we were in the elementary level, our lessons were very simple. But now
that we are in college, the content we learn has become complicated. I learned
that actually, our curriculum is spiral, and that the difficulty of the subject matter
is also adjusted to our maturity level.
Why do curricularist place of lot premium on the students? It is because, the learners
make the curriculum alive. A written curriculum that does not consider the students, will have
a little chance to succeed.

2. Teachers are curricularists.

Teachers are stakeholders who plan, design, teach, implement and evaluate the
curriculum. No doubt, the most important person in curriculum implementation is the teacher.
Teachers’ influence upon learners cannot be measured. Better teachers foster better
learning. But teachers need to continue to the success of curriculum implementation.
Teachers should have full knowledge of the program philosophy, content and components of
curriculum and ways of teaching.
A teacher designs, enriches and modifies the curriculum to suit the learner’s
characteristics. As curriculum developers, teachers are part of textbook committees, teacher
selection, school evaluation committee or textbooks and module writers themselves.
When a curriculum has already been written, the teacher’s role is to implement like a
technician, however, teachers are reflective persons. They put their hearts into what they do.
They are very mindful that in the center of everything they do, is the learner.
Some of the roles that the teachers do in curriculum implementation are:
1. guiding, facilitating and directing the activities of the learners;
2. choosing the activities and the methods to be utilized;
3. choosing the materials that are necessary for the activity;
4. evaluating the whole implementation process, and
5. making a decision whether to continue, modify or terminate the curriculum.
All these roles are crucial to achieve success in the implementation. Unsuccessful
implementation may even lead to educational failure.

Let us read how the teachers viewed as curriculum implementer.

Student: I believe my teachers know very well our curriculum. She knows what to teach
and how to teach it well. I do not miss my class everyday because she guides
us in all our lesson activities. Without out teacher, I am not sure if we can learn
more than what we are achieving now.

Teacher: As a classroom teacher, it is my responsibility to make my students learn. I

have to give action to the written curriculum. I have to see to it that my students
are provided experiences to learn from. I keep in my mind, how I can sustain the
interest of my students by using teaching strategies that are effective. At the end
of the day, I am very happy to know that my students have achieved the
intended learning outcomes. I do this because as a teacher, I am a curriculum
implementer.

Truly, the teacher has a great stake in the curriculum. Curriculum planning, designing
and implementing are in the hands of a good teacher. In the educational setting, it is clear
that the teacher has a very significant role in curriculum development.
3. School leaders are curriculum managers.
Principals and school heads, too, have important roles in curriculum implementation
process in schools. They should understand fully the need for change and the
implementation process. They should be ready to assist the teachers and the student in the
implementation. Communication line should be open to all concerned should the school
leaders lead in curriculum teamwork. Convincing the parents on the merits of the new
curriculum is the job of the school heads. They should be committed to change and should
employ strategies to meet the needs of the teachers, and learners like building, books,
library and other needed resources.

4. Parents
Parents are significant school partners. Besides the students, teachers and school
administrator, play an important role in curriculum implementation. When children bring
home a homework from school, some parents are unable to help. Schools need to listen to
parents’ concerns about school curriculum like textbooks, school activities, grading system
and others. Schools have one way of engaging parents’ cooperation through Brigada
Eskwela. In this event, parents will be able to know the situation in the school. Most often
parents volunteer to help. They can also be tapped in various co-curricular activities as
chairpersons to children in Boy and Girl Scouting, Science Camping and the like, Parents
may not directly be involved in curriculum implementation, but they are formidable partners
for the success of any curriculum development endeavour.
How do parents help shape the curriculum in schools? Here are some observations.
  The school composed of parents who are positively involved in school activities have
better achievement than schools with uninvolved parents. Disciplinary problems are
minimal and students are highly motivated. When parents take interest in their child’s
learning, they become close to the school.
 The home is the extended school environment. In lifelong learning, the achieved
learning in schools are transferred at home. Thus, the home becomes the laboratory
of learning. Parents see to it that what children learn in school are practiced at home.
They follow up lessons, they make available materials for learning and they give
permission for the participation of their children.
 In most schools, parent associations are organized. This is being encouraged in
School Based Management. In some cases, this organization also includes teachers
to expand the school learning community. Many school projects and activities are
supported by this organization. This is considered as the best practice in most
performing schools.

5. Community as the Curriculum Resources and a Learning Environment

“It takes the whole village to educate the child” goes the statement of former First
Lady Hillary Clinton. What do you think of this statement?
Yes, it is true that the school is in the community, hence the community is the
extended school ground, a learning environment. All the barangay leaders, the elders, others
citizens and residents of the community that becomes the venue of learning. The rich natural
and human resources of the community can assist in educating the children. The community
is the reflection of the school’s influence and the school is a reflection of the community
support.

6. Other Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementation and Development

Some stakeholders may not have direct influence on the school curriculum. These
are agencies and organizations that are involved in the planning, design, implementation
and evaluation of the school curriculum. To name a few, the list follows.
6.1 Government Agencies
- DepEd, TESDA, CHED- trifocalized agencies that have regulatory and mandatory
authorities over the implementation of the curricula.
- Professional Regulation Commission and Civil Service the agency that certifies and
issues teacher licenses to qualify one to teach and affirms and confirms the
appointment of teachers in the public schools.
- Local Government Units include the municipal government officials and the
barangay officials. Some of the teachers are paid through the budget of the LGUs.
They also construct school buildings, provide equipment, support the professional
development teachers and provide school supplies and books. They are the big
supporters in the implementation of a school curriculum.
6.2 Non-Government Agencies
Non-Government agencies are organizations and foundations that have the main
function to support education. To name a few, this includes the following:
-Gawad Kalinga – to build communities means to include education. The full support
of GK in early childhood education is very and out-of-school youth have been
established.
-Synergia – an organization/foundation that supports basic education to elevate
education through Reading, Science, Mathematics and English.
-Metrobank Foundation – supports continuing teacher development programs.
-Professional Organizations like Philippine Association For Teachers and Educator
(PAFTE), State Universities and Colleges Teacher Educators Association (SUCTEA),
National Organization of Science Teachers and Educators (NOSTE), Mathematics
Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) and many more.

A school curriculum, whether big or small is influenced by many stakeholders. Each

one has a contribution and influence in what should replace, modify and substitute the
current curriculum. Each one has a significant mark in specific development and change
process of curriculum development.
 Take Action
Learn More, Make an Interview
With the use of the interview protocol below, ask two persons (ex: 1 student and 1
teacher or 1 teacher and one LGU) among the Stakeholders. Record your interview data and
report to the class.
Interview Protocol on the Roles of Stakeholders

Name of the Interviewee: ____________________________ Interviewer: _______________________

Name of School: __________________________________________
Category: (check only)
Student: ___ Teacher: ___ School Head: ____ Parent: _____
Community___ LGU___ Gov’t Agency ____ Non-Gov’t Agency ____

Lead Questions:
1. What do you know about the curriculum that is taught in this school?
2. Are you involved in the activities in the school? How?
3. Why do you get involved in the school activities?
4. Do the activities contribute to the learning achievement of the students?
5. What is your most important involvement that contributed to the learning of the students? Give specific
example.
6. Would you like to continue what you are doing for the school curriculum? Why?

Note to interviewers:
1. You may use tape or write on your field notebook their answers
2. Consolidate the answers and writ I paragraph form your report for two individual samples.

Self Check
Stakeholders: How are they involved in curriculum implementation?
Enter in the matrix the stakeholders and identify their involvement in Curriculum
Implementation

Stakeholders Involvement
 Self Reflect
Reflect on this question and answer .

If all the stakeholders contribute positively in curriculum implementation, do you think,

curriculum change or development will succeed? Why? or why not?