A stimulating manifesto of hope that explores how good curriculum design can empower schools to reach out to families and communities in ways that build bridges rather than barriers.
A great many schools are wondering how they can build curriculum models that meet the demands of government policy as well as the needs of the children and communities they serve. In A Curriculum of Hope Debra Kidd illustrates how, by using a 'plaited' curriculum model, teachers can deliver learning experiences that genuinely link knowledge to life and build strong, mutually beneficial community links from classroom to home to business, and to wider public and political spheres too.
Starting with the premise that a strong curriculum is sewn together by five key strands - coherence, credibility, creativity, compassion and community - Debra shows teachers how they can make the space to give children an education that will genuinely pave their way to a more positive future. She explores how schools can create units of work that are not simply knowledge-rich but also humanity-rich, and offers a plethora of examples in which schools, parents, children and the wider local community can learn together to build from within.