Diversifying the Curriculum at the School Level: Personal Questions about Why and How

ABSTRACT

The study of teachers who have developed new subjects at the post-compulsory school level represents an interesting focus in terms of the curriculum literature because these teachers, while taking individual initiatives, must also be adept at the social and political levels of school change. The research perspective of personal practical knowledge is used to explore the personal experiences of six teachers involved in curriculum diversification through the development of new subjects within their schools. The images of one teacher, Gary, are used to illustrate how the development and implementation of a new school subject are influenced by images that relate to teaching, the new subject, the school, and the teacher's role within the school. Although the teachers who participated in the study were skillful operators within their school environments, their actions did not extend to questioning or transforming the traditional academic curriculum. Their initiatives were limited to adding on new subjects, leaving existing ones intact.