Reading Ben Levin’s article, “Curriculum Policy and the Politics of What Should be Learned in Schools”, has led me to have an entirely new outlook on curriculum. It really stuck with me that “curriculum decisions and choices are shaped in large measure by other considerations—ideology, personal values, issues in the public domain, and interests” (p.22). As Ben Levin mentioned, “policies govern just about every aspect of education—what schooling is provided, how, to whom, in what form, by whom, with what resources, and so on” (p. 8). The authority and responsibility of final decision-making when it comes to curriculum rests upon governments. Levin mentioned that it is almost impossible for governments to create a “teacher proof” curriculum. Teachers come from different experiences and backgrounds and will all hold very different beliefs, understandings, ideas, and educational backgrounds about these topics. Levin continuously reinforced that curriculum is shaped by public policy and politics, and I can’t help but reflect on this with an anti-oppressive lens, especially after he said “politics [are] about power” (pg. 8). Because of the institutionalized injustices we see in the world we live in, many people in positions of power are white, wealthy, and oftentimes male. If these are the people making decisions, it is no wonder there is a “gap between formal curriculum and real teaching practices in schools” (p. 17). As Levin said, “curriculum processes do not necessarily provide very much direct opportunity for input from various interests” (p. 16). It is so important to reflect on this and reevaluate the structures and processes that develop and implement our curricula, as curriculum is a “vehicle for realizing wider change” (p. 14). The best way to learn is to listen, and we need to make more of an effort to diversify the voices that are shaping the material our students/future changemakers are learning every day.
The Treaty Education curriculum was an interesting read and it is great to see that the government is ”committed to making mandatory instruction in history and content of the Treaties in the K-12 curriculum” (p. 3). I think this is a great start, but I think we still have so much further to go. The treaties were unjust and in many cases, not followed. There is so much ignorance and resentment, and the possible denying of responsibility that there would have been tension. So much education is needed for all and the need for truth and reconciliation is so important that everyone has to be on board and see this as a priority in our schools. Also, reflecting on Ben Levin’s article, there is still so much in our curriculum that needs to be reevaluated and reformed, such as the implementation of subjects in high school about gender studies, and black history.