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The Core Curriculum

Every educational system must decide on what constitutes the core of its curriculum. Human knowledge is so vast that it does not make sense to try to cover everything in the school curriculum. Some are of vital importance, such as language proficiency, others are secondary, such as trigonometry.

The core curriculum must enable the student to have the needed foundation for the essential aspects of living. The subject to be learned should be helpful in life and will find relevance in whatever career the student later chooses. What is relevant and what is not will depend upon the subject and the age level. For example, knowledge of accounting may be helpful to high school students, for this may be used for personal and family finances. But cost accounting is a specialized field that should be offered only if the student chooses accountancy or management as a career. Art appreciation is useful to students of any age, but special skills such as charcoal drawing or oil painting should be optional and hence non-essential in the sense that a student may become good in watercolor but not know charcoal drawing. Such lack of skill will not crucially affect one’s effectiveness in later life because they can later be learned as specialized skills once the capacity to appreciate art is established.

In considering the core curriculum therefore, the following may be considered essential:

•     Life Competencies
•     Language
•     Mathematics
•     Science
•     Humanities
•     Social Sciences

1. Life Competencies

Life competencies are a necessary complement to academic learning. But while language and sciences are taught systematically, life competencies are often done in a sporadic, hit-and-miss approach. A good school must be able to systematically prepare an environment and an exposure program that will nurture these competencies, which should include the following:

• Intelligence
• Effective Relationships
• Self-awareness

28    On Education

• Self-Mastery
• Physical Health
• Interest in Learning
• Enthusiasm
• Character
• Social responsibility

2. Language

Language competency is an important foundation of life skills. It is the basis of human communication and relationship. Individuals who fare low in this aspect often have low self-confidence. Language skills, particularly vocabulary, also have correlations with levels of conceptual intelligence.

Language skill development must start from the earliest schooling years, namely, nursery and kindergarten. The key is constant exposure, drilling and repetition. Children learn to speak languages correctly even without knowing the rules of grammar. They just need to constantly hear correct spoken language, and to regularly repeat phrases and sentences that they have previously learned. This needs teachers who speak the language proficiently, and who actively engage the children in conversation – a two-way interaction, not just teacher to student.

A second important facet to language competency is love of reading. This not only deepens one’s grasp of the language, but also broadens the vocabulary.

When effectively taught, language skills are lodged deep in the subconscious and are hard to correct. Hence, it is important that they are learned correctly at the youngest age.

A second language can be introduced early, but in a living and dynamic way, and not in a dry academic manner. The purpose of learning a second language is to be able primarily to engage in practical conversation, to read and write. The school must provide an environment where this language can be practiced often.

Knowledge of grammar, which comes later, is secondary to actual proficiency in speaking and using the language.

3. Mathematics

Mathematical competency is both a necessary skill in life, as well as an excellent foundation for accurate and logical thinking. Algebra, for example, introduces a student to a higher level of abstraction, while geometry hones the logical abilities of the mind. Trigonometry and calculus can be given in high school as introductory subjects, but must not be taught with the same rigor as those who are taking up collegiate subjects in engineering or physics.

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4. Sciences

The sciences are meant to introduce students to the acquisition of knowledge through scientific means. It also introduces them to a general knowledge of the main branches, such as biology, physics or chemistry. The study of these subjects should be as practical as possible, such that students appreciate the usefulness of such knowledge. They should be encouraged to do actual experimentation, or to make devices that demonstrate the principles they learned, or to make expositions or exhibits of researches they have made. The subjects should be made interesting, hands-on, and relevant.

5. Humanities

This includes history, arts, literature, and study of comparative religion. Humanities is about human values, things worthwhile pursuing in life. It is important therefore that when students learn these, it is not simply to know or memorize facts, but to develop appreciation as well as an understanding of why these values are important.

    6. Social Sciences

Social sciences are those that deal with human society, its  dynamics and the relationships of individuals in such a society. For secondary levels, these are more optional, such as economics, political science and sociology. For optional subjects, the object is appreciation and the awakening of interest.