What is Peak Curriculum Performance, and how can it help?

I've been pondering curriculum models almost religiously lately. Dipping into a world of diverse educational journeys, some with firm hand-holding, others less so.

Inspired by the classic SWOT analysis, I wanted to know if a similar visual model could assess the state of a curriculum. This idea led me to consider how leadership and staff could evaluate "where the learning structure is."

In developing this, I identified four broad terms to determine if a curriculum model achieves "peak performance" within the walls of a school. Although primarily designed for schools, this framework can apply to youth groups and extracurricular education models.

PEAK DURABILITY

The first area of analysis is "Peak Durability." This assesses the curriculum model's alignment with "timeless principles" that underpin its design and implementation. These principles ask questions like, "Do we know where we are going?" and help understand when to play defence and when to go on offence.

In a recent project, the school played defence for six months as a new principal settled in and new structures were established. While this defensive stance was necessary, there comes a time when innovation is expected. This autumn, the project will shift to the offence with dynamic curriculum experiences (PBL), a new advisory program, and a revamped community service approach. Understanding when to play defence and when to go on offence can significantly extend the curriculum's durability. Maintaining the status quo is acceptable to a degree, but stagnation can quickly turn a strength into a weakness.

Other elements of Peak Durability include strategic planning and long-term visioning. Do you know if these processes were done authentically? Who was consulted, and why?

PEAK STRENGTH

The next zone the model moves into is "Peak Strength," which essentially examines the effectiveness of your curriculum design. Does the curriculum provide a robust foundation to inspire forward-facing lesson design, comprehensive schemes of work, integrated standards, and appropriate assessment?

As defined by Lisa Tunnell (2022), "a curriculum is a set of instructional techniques, learning experiences, and student performance evaluations designed to effectively convey and evaluate the intended learning objectives of a course." A well-planned curriculum map should significantly impact student progress and enhance the quality of teaching.

One way to monitor this is through models like the Avenues School Flight Path. This approach maps student achievements along a defined path, quickly identifying high and low-performance areas for suitable intervention.

A Peak Performance Curriculum should also incorporate research-based teaching techniques, encourage collaboration, and meet the diverse needs of students. A high-quality curriculum positively impacts teacher retention and supports daily classroom instruction. The curriculum ensures more efficient and effective teaching practices by reducing teachers' time on lesson planning through technology such as artificial Intelligence or a well-chosen Learning Management System (LMS).

PEAK WELLNESS

A curriculum that allows wellness to flourish should be a given. Your assessment of the wellness component should be an honest evaluation of your model's ability to permit a "pause" and a no-nonsense review of balance within your model. In truth, all curriculums should now integrate mindfulness practices and embrace a holistic educational approach.

The curriculum model should not be causing burnout; instead, learners should feel personal fulfilment and a love for learning. At THINK Global School, we assessed this through the HOPE Survey, which provided valuable data on our community's wellness.

Many typical curriculum designs promote occupational burnout, characterized by three main symptoms: exhaustion (emotional and physical overextension), depersonalization/cynicism (a callous or detached attitude), and inefficiency of personal accomplishment (a perceived lack of confidence or achievement). These symptoms result from exposure to long-term, seemingly unresolvable job stresses (Stehman et al., n.d).

Any Peak Performance Curriculum Model should aim to reduce these areas, fostering an environment where students and educators can thrive.

PEAK REFLEXES

My favourite aspect of assessing when conducting fieldwork is the reflexes of a curriculum design. This involves revisiting and evaluating your curriculum to understand how existing learning experiences, materials, and instructional strategies are performing. It also allows for the inclusion of new learning activities and the adaptation to changing contexts in your discussions.

The importance of this is underscored by the World Economic Forum, which emphasizes that a curriculum is a critical component in helping teachers keep pace with the rapid changes in trends, innovation, and the skills students will need in the future (Turnell, 2022).

Recent events have raised powerful questions: How easily did your curriculum model pivot during the pandemic? How effectively did it respond to the emergence of artificial intelligence and tools like ChatGPT? Do you have an AI policy, dedicated personnel, or a future vision built into your curriculum design?

Does your curriculum allow critical thinking to flourish, and what mechanisms are in place to address the wishes of your community and pivot when needed to address the demands of a dynamic world? Does your curriculum enable learners to understand the world as it is and allow staff to design accordingly?

Project-based learning (PBL) models, instead of classic Schemes of Work ending in a terminal exam, often facilitate these pivots. PBL units can be designed and assessed with autonomy, mastery, and purpose, and most importantly, with Driving Questions that are focused and relevant to the current state of the world rather than being outdated and fragmented from time and place.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, assessing curriculum models through the lenses of Peak Durability, Peak Strength, Peak Wellness, and Peak Reflexes provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating and enhancing educational effectiveness. 

This model encourages educators to ensure their curriculum is robust, effective, balanced, and adaptable to changing needs. 

By integrating these principles, schools can foster environments where students and teachers thrive, promoting lifelong learning and resilience. I urge educational leaders to adopt this model to achieve and maintain peak performance in their institutions, ensuring a future-ready and holistic educational experience for all learners.

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References:

Stehman, C. R., Williamson, K., Dehon, E., Alvarez, A., Garg, M., & Lall, M. D. (n.d.). Ideas to Action: Using Curriculum Design to Develop a “Roadmap to Wellness” Curriculum.

Tunnell, L. (2022, May 26). What makes an effective curriculum? Education Advanced.