Throughout my academic career, one of the most useful strategies I implemented when studying was making connections from the material to real life. Making connections enabled me to build a strong understanding of the information as I could see where this information could be applied, making it more meaningful knowledge. By adding meaning to my school work, I was more motivated to learn as I no longer needed to ask the question ‘why am I doing this?’ or ‘am I ever going to us this? As I am now making the transition from a student to a teacher, I want to continue to place emphasis on the importance of making connections. This is why I believe in an integrated curriculum.
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Integrated curriculum is defined as a “curriculum approach that consciously applies methodology and language from more than one discipline to examine a central theme, issue, problem, topic, or experience” (Jacobs, 1989). For example, if I am an elementary school teacher and the big idea is Lakes and Rivers. I can teach a science lesson about the forms of life in the water. I can teach a social studies lesson about the geography of the areas and what people access those bodies of water. Lastly I can teach an English lesson on common vocabulary words and/or a research project. This enables students to observe that as we increase the number of subjects connecting to the big idea, the stronger our understanding of that big idea is.
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One of the main reasons why I believe in this approach is because it adds relevance to student education. Students will now know why they are learning the information, where it can be applied and how this will be done. Combining these principles together students will become “more engaged in this type of learning and enjoy school more” (Drake, Reid, & Kolohon, 2014). This increased enjoyment will not only show on the faces of your students, but it will also show in their test scores. A 2007 study done by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics found a strong positive correlation between student interest and student achievement. Not only did these students get higher marks, they also took more challenging classes. It was as a fire had been igniting within these students; a passion for learning which pushed them to excel, and it can be attributed to making learning fun.
To ensure learning is an enjoyable experience, teachers also cannot simply stand in front of the class and lecture students. A teacher who adopts this practice should encompass constructivist principles and favour problem-based learning; believing they’re students learn best when they are actively learning new information (Kuhlthau, Maniotes, & Caspari, 2007). This is because a teacher who uses an integrated curriculum is making an attempt to put their students needs first. By choosing a central idea that their students can relate to, they are able to make critical connections to course material, helping them scaffold new knowledge from what they already know. By posing open-ended questions, the students will then have to draw upon all of their knowledge from all subjects to effectively provide solutions.
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Allowing students to make connections to real life will show students the importance of material they are studying. By integrating the curriculum, students will be learning information that they will be able to apply outside of the classroom. I strongly believe that closing the gap between school and the real world will allow students to see that light at the end of the tunnel; motivating them to pursue their education. Arthur Aufderheide once said “All knowledge is connected to all other knowledge, the fun is in making the connections”. It’s time students to let make these connections, and for the first time for a lot of students, have fun learning.
References
Jacobs, H. (1989). Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Design and Implementation. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/61189156/chapters/The-Growing-Need-for-Interdisciplinary-Curriculum-Content.aspx
Köller, O., Baumert, J., & Schnabel, K.. (2001). Does Interest Matter? The Relationship between Academic Interest and Achievement in Mathematics. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 32(5), 448–470. http://doi.org/10.2307/749801
Kuhlthau, C., Maniotes, L., & Caspiri, A. (2007). Guided inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group Inc.
