Issues that Have Impact on Curriculum - Essay Example

RATIONALE Curriculum as defined by Kerr “refers to all the learning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school”. (As cited in (Smith, 1996, 2000). Several factors can affect the cognitive and physical development of a child or a student such as obesity, drugs, global warming, movies, and unhealthy eating habits. Increasing awareness of these factors can help in the development and promotion of a child’s well-being and increase self-esteem. Schools are where the children spend majority of their time. Schools are considered the children’s second home and the teachers their second parents. It is but appropriate that schools include as part of their curriculum policies and activities that promote and develop the child’s welfare. INTRODUCTION In this work, several factors which have an impact on the curriculum will be discussed. Each factors will be extensively described as to why, how, and when do they affect the students’ behaviour and what could be done by the school to counteract these factors thereby enhancing the development of the child. ISSUES THAT HAVE IMPACT ON CURRICULUM Obesity Study shows that the number of obese children are increasing. Factors which cause obesity include unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and a genetic predisposition. Most often children spend more hours in videogames, computers, and cellular phones that require less physical activity which contibuted to obesity. Obesity is becoming not only a health problem among children and adolescents now but also a problem in achieving quality learning. Obese children are prone to discrimination and bullying behaviour such as hitting, kicking and threatening and these can affect the psychosocial, physical, and mental well being of a child resulting to depression and low self-esteem. Hence, the ability to learn and to achieve academically is affected by the physical activity and obesity of a student. In view of this problem schools are encourage to implement school based sports program and curriculum involving physical activity and nutrition education since children spend majority of their time in schools thereby reducing the risk of becoming overweight. Furthermore, schools are also advice to include curriculum which involve professional school counselors to organize support group counseling among students, parents, and teachers as well. Support groups are a means where children can freely express their feelings and understand that others also shared the same feelings. Support groups for teachers facilitate nutrition education and physical activity within lesson plans. Fast-food Generally, fast-food meals are delicious, tasty, cheap, and often served in nice and clean restaurants. Most often these can be the source of food for students as it is found in school campuses. However, foods in the restaurants are not nutritious when not chosen appropriately since most food in fast-food restaurants contains high calories, saturated fats, and sodium. Nutritious foods are very important especially for school-aged children since it is necessary for growth, activity, and learning. What they eat affects the way they act, and how they think. Food inappropriately chosen affects the physical and cognitive development of a child. Starting a healthy habit at an early age can be carried and continued through life preventing the risk of diseases. Schools play a vital role in developing a healthy habit in children. It is where children spend most of their waking hours. Effectively children learn healthy eating habits in an environment which provides access to healthy foods and promote healthy eating policy. It is important that schools provide a curriculum that supports and develop healthy eating policy. It must be stressed out in the policy the commitment of the school to promote healthy lifestyle and nutrition. An active healthy eating policy enhances the curriculum and importantly enhances the performance of children in school. Global Warming Global warming is the expected slow, gradual warming of the lower layers of the earth’s lower atmosphere by the slowly increasing concentrations of man-made greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and to a lesser extent methane. (Retrieved September 18, 2008 from http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_global_warming.htm) The seriousness of the global warming has been a matter of debate but there is very pretty good evidence that globally average temperatures have risen and these can be felt by the warming of the atmosphere, rising sea level, and ice caps melting. Consequently, the rising temperature has its toll among students causing heat wave, increase number of infections and diseases due to a temperature suitable for microorganisms to grow, thus, frequent absenteeism happens in school age children. Increasing global awareness through required curriculum can be considered as a means of decreasing if not eliminate the causes and effects of global warming. Encourage schools to promote activities to let the students understand why there is global warming, what contributed to the increasing temperature, its effects to the environment and to humans, and most importantly inculcate in the students’ mind the importance of their contribution to mitigate global warming. Furthermore, enriching the students’ knowledge on global warming enhanced their ability to become good disseminators thereby encouraging their parents, the family, and the community as well to engage in discussions on global warming. Movies Movie is a form of communication and entertainment which has a direct impact in our society so much more in children affecting their behavior and learning. Movies can be watched in children’s own bedroom through television. They learn something in what they see in movies, sometimes good but sometimes disturbing like violence in movies which could affect the behavior of the children. Children learn from imitating what they have heard and seen in movies. Too much violence seen may contribute to the likelihood of children committing the same violence or aggravate the situation when committed. Scary movies induce intense fear, nightmares and sleepless nights in children resulting in a poor performance in school due to trauma and lack of sleep. This also causes children’s lack of concentration in school work and activity to the prejudice of their mental, psychological, physical, and social development. Introducing media literacy curriculum in schools might solve this kind of problem and reduce the aggression-promoting effect of movies and this includes engaging the students to see in their own perspective and by giving critical analysis of their own movie choices. In addition, intervention strategies must be in place to be used by parents and teachers to counteract the negative effects of movies. Drugs The issues on drugs are not new today. It has been in existence even centuries before. It was only now that the abuse of substance has taken the attention globally and that its effects have caused the population to feel unsafe even in their own homes - the altered state of mind prompted these people to commit heinous crimes. Why does a person resort to the use of these drugs? As stated in the article “the Pleasures of Opium” by Thomas de Quincey, “opium like wine gives an expansion to the heart and the benevolent affections; excite and stimulate the system always and in the highest degree; but the elevation of spirits produced by opium is necessarily followed by a proportionate depression, and that the natural and even immediate consequence of opium is torpor and stagnation, animal and mental”. (Retrieved September 18, 2008 from http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/dequincey/opium4.html) The immediate pleasure and high spirits which these drugs of abuse produced have conquered the mind and heart of man. Having not satisfied with the usual form of drugs may it be powder or capsule form and to increase the effect of high spirits and pleasure man uses drugs in the form of injectables which contributed to the rising number of HIV positive. The use of needles being transferred from one person to another has caused the spread of diseases six times higher. (Retrieved September 18, 2008 from http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23321312-23289,00.html) The pleasurable effects which these drugs can give are only temporary. Drugs of abuse causes physiological, physical, mental, and social effects which prompted the Government to regulate the use of drugs which can be abused. Among the physiological effect of abuse of drugs include degeneration of the pulmonary system, tachycardia or the brisk rise of heart rate which can be accompanied by high blood pressure, the psychoactive ingredient in drugs causes altered sense of reality and euphoric feeling. People who are abusing drugs are not limited only to those who are working or have a high income; very sadly it has found its way through the students. The young minds that are in the stage of satisfying their curiosity have no qualms in trying these kinds of drugs which have a grave effect on their mental, psychological, and social development. Schools are encourage to incorporate as part of the curriculum to let the students know the ill effects of continued use of drugs and to promote activities which can help the students to focus more in their studies and other rewarding and most satisfying activities. CONCLUSION In conclusion, there are several factors which could affect the physical, psychological, social, and cognitive development of a child. Parents are not the only people who take a vital role in the child’s well being but the schools, the teachers, and the community forms an integral part in the development of a child. Coordination and cooperation from among these group of people makes wonder for a child towards making a brighter future for themselves and for the country. References: HIV Rise Linked to “Flawed” Program. Retrieved September 18, 2008 from http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23321312-23289,00.html) The Pleasures of Opium (from Confession of an English Opium Eater). Retrieved September 18, 2008 from http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/dequincey/opium4.html) What Is Global Warming? Retrieved September 18, 2008 from http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_global_warming.html) Read More