K-12 Curriculum Development

Curriculum development is the heart of education.  Curriculum developers range from politicians to school administrators and classroom teachers.  This article shares ten myths about curriculum development.  When curriculum is misunderstood or not aligned, it has a detrimental effect on student achievement.


1.  Curriculum should be developed by the Central Office staff and delivered by
     classroom teachers.

2.  State Standards are the curriculum.

3.  Curriculum development and revision should take place once every five years.

4.  Curriculum development should not become a political process.

5.  Curriculum and pacing should be designed to follow the adopted textbook.

6.  If educators select verbs which require higher-order thinking skills, then the
     district will have a rigorous curriculum.

7.  When curriculum maps are completed, then teachers should move to a new
     district project.

8.  If every sixth grade teacher uses the same curriculum, then teaching will
     become scripted.

9.  If a curriculum is developed, then teachers will create lessons and units using
     the district's curriculum.

10.  If the district develops a strong curriculum, then student understanding will
       increase.

Please feel free to post your thoughts on the Ten Myths About Curriculum Development or share additional myths.