How do you redesign curriculum for changing demands?

1 Assess your current curriculum

The first step to redesign your curriculum is to evaluate your current one. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your existing curriculum? How well does it align with the learning outcomes and standards that you want your students to achieve? How does it reflect the diversity, interests, and needs of your students and community? How does it incorporate the essential skills and competencies that students need for the future, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and digital literacy? You can use various tools and methods to assess your current curriculum, such as surveys, interviews, observations, rubrics, or portfolios.

2 Identify your vision and goals

The next step is to define your vision and goals for your new curriculum. What are the main purposes and values that guide your curriculum design? What are the expectations and requirements that you need to follow or meet, such as state or national standards, accreditation criteria, or district policies? What are the specific learning outcomes and objectives that you want your students to achieve by the end of each grade level, unit, or lesson? How will you measure and monitor your students' progress and achievement? You can use a backward design approach to start with the end in mind and work backward to plan your curriculum.

3 Research and select your content and resources

The third step is to research and select the content and resources that you will use to deliver your curriculum. What are the core concepts, topics, and skills that you want your students to learn and apply? How will you organize and sequence them in a coherent and logical way? What are the best sources, materials, and tools that you will use to support your content delivery, such as textbooks, websites, videos, podcasts, simulations, or games? How will you ensure that your content and resources are accurate, current, relevant, and appropriate for your students' level, background, and interests?

4 Design your instructional strategies and activities

The fourth step is to design your instructional strategies and activities that you will use to engage your students in learning. How will you present your content and resources in a clear, concise, and captivating way? How will you differentiate your instruction to meet the diverse needs and abilities of your students? How will you foster active learning, inquiry, problem-solving, and creativity among your students? How will you promote collaboration, communication, and feedback among your students and with yourself? How will you integrate technology and digital tools to enhance your instruction and learning?

5 Implement and evaluate your curriculum

The final step is to implement and evaluate your curriculum in practice. How will you communicate your curriculum plan and expectations to your students, parents, colleagues, and administrators? How will you prepare and manage your classroom environment, materials, and routines to support your curriculum implementation? How will you assess your students' learning and achievement using various forms of formal and informal assessment, such as tests, quizzes, projects, presentations, or portfolios? How will you reflect on your curriculum design and delivery and make adjustments and improvements based on your observations, feedback, and data?

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?