Curriculum Planning
In recent years, education has been changing. There is a visible move away from more traditional definitions and understandings towards a more student-centred, integrated curriculum that promotes life-long learning. With this change in educational focus comes a change in the role of the teacher. Now more than ever there is a need for us to take a more active role in pedagogy and curriculum, to do more than simply implement a syllabus. I envision my role as a newly qualified teacher to be one of facilitator, and at a micro level, developer.
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Visual Art provides a unique opportunity for curriculum development at a classroom level. The open, holistic nature of the subject provides an opportunity for the course to be flexible and adaptable to an ever-changing world. Students develop a wide range of skills outside of technical artistic abilities; skills like critical thinking, self-reflection and regulation and problem-solving. Visual Art gives students the scope to really examine the world around them and their position within it. With this in mind, this section presents my work in curriculum planning, including units of learning implemented during placement, a Junior Cycle Short Course designed with my peers, and a visual art department plan for the academic year 2023/24.
This section includes four units of learning implemented while on school placement. The units encompass all three strands of Visual Art: Art, Craft & Design, with some being interdisciplinary in nature and incorporating more than one. The units are a framework for learning, providing the opportunity for students to explore a variety of subjects, techniques, and skills while still leaving room for changes in situ.
The Visual Art Department Plans in this section detail the Units of Learning planned for each year group across the 5 terms of the academic year. The plans have been separated into two sections - Junior Cycle (incorporating years 1, 2 and 3) and Senior Cycle (incorporating TY and years 5 and 6). They are designed to be adaptable to all school environments and to be easily differentiated for students of all abilities.
Course Title: Local Storytelling Through Digital Media
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This Junior Cycle short course, designed as a classroom-based assessment (CBA), merges storytelling and digital media in order to inspire students to engage more deeply at the world around them. Students will identify something unique or interesting about their local community and through creative narration and appropriate use of digital media, create a documentary exploring this subject.
