All schools and all teachers are constantly searching for ways to engage and motivate children in their learning and to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to learn happily and successfully.

The developmental curriculum is based upon sound realities of children’s development and the most appropriate ways of helping to engage them in truly meaningful and relevant strategies.

Unlike a range of approaches that come and go in education, often known as ‘fads’, the developmental curriculum is not a magic recipe or quick fix. It is not an add-on to whatever else is currently happening in the school or classroom. The developmental curriculum is based upon brain research, child development theory and the range of cultural and social influences from family and the wider environment.
It places teaching strategies around the developmental stage of children to ensure that we are engaging them in ways that respect and suit their stage of development.

That is why, in the early years of school, the developmental curriculum uses active investigations and uses children’s interests as a basis for teaching, learning and explicit instruction, rather than predetermined topics children often cannot relate to.

The developmental curriculum has been developed specially for schools by Kathy Walker, a former university lecture in curriculum and development and currently an author and consultant in education and parenting.

Many schools are now using the developmental curriculum and two schools from Victoria in 2006 received the two top awards in Australia for innovation and excellence in teaching for the developmental curriculum.

Results in schools that are using the developmental curriculum reflect the following:

• Higher levels of engagement and motivation
• Higher oral language skills
• Increased writing
• Increased pro social skills
• Decreased behavioural problems

The developmental curriculum is an exciting and refreshing philosophy that places the child at the centre of the curriculum and teaching strategies. Explicit instruction is still used, alongside much more active engagement of children working on their own investigations and projects.

Kathy now consults on the East coast of Australia in developmental curriculum to schools from all sectors - independent, catholic and state.

To find out more and to contact Kathy, please email her.

Kathy’s new book on developmental curriculum, titled Play Matters Australian Developmental Curriculum, will be available through her website and through the Lady Gowrie Children’s Centre, Carlton, Victoria.

Copyright: Kathy Walker Australian Developmental Curriculum 2008 ™