Play by the rules. Week 4

When I thought about teaching before I started uni, there was no way I considered the role that the curriculum plays in a classroom. I have since realised that the curriculum is the base of classroom life.
Firstly, what is curriculum?

"Curriculum is everything that happens in a day." 

       -Dr Gail Halliwell

Curriculum is required to be taught on a term by term basis, but what happens when you have unplanned interruptions? What if a new student arrives from a rural school and hasn't covered the content? What if an  ESL (English as Second Language) struggles to understand your classes and falls behind. What if the required content is too advanced for the class that you have?

All these questions lead me to another. 

Does the Australian Curriculum cater for every student? 

And if the answer is yes, (which I don't believe it is) then does it allow enough time for the teacher to cater for every student? Even if the content is reasonable for the age group, what if one of the students experiences a death of a loved one and takes two weeks off school? What if several students are sick and take time off school? Is there enough time for the teacher to cater for the emotional needs of the children. If our students are distracted by trauma, or sadness, there is no way we can expect them to concentrate on verbs and adjectives, or long division. The curriculum needs to allow time for realistic interruptions to teacher's classes.

Below is a list of obstacles that I have considered possible to hinder a teacher's term. Though some are unlikely, there is still a chance of a representative of the situation being present in a class.

 Of course every problem has a solution, here are some that I have thought of, that will aid in moving on with the curriculum. 

This topic has brought up more questions than answers in my mind. What is more important in our schools? What our children know? Or how our children feel? Do we value the success or well being of our students? Does the curriculum help students to grow into good people?

Why has the curriculum become such a focus for teachers in classrooms, that is taking their focus from their students.

These are critical questions that need answering. I don't believe that I know enough just yet to form an educated opinion, but I certainly hope that I'm not the only who's asking these questions.

If teachers are focusing on the curriculum, than who's focusing on our students?