A Curriculum On The Pre Columbus Caribbean

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Name: Hassan Basarally Student I.D.: 806007430 Course Name: Introduction to Curriculum Course Code: EDCU 2013 Tutor: Ms. Kitty al-Hosein-Garcia Due Date: 10th December 2007 Topic: Pre-Colombian History of Trinidad and Tobago University: The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Department: Department of Liberal Arts

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Pre-Colu Pre-Columbian History of Trinidad and Tobago

Hassan Basarally 806007430 Dept. of Liberal Arts The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 10th December, 2007

3 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

4

CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONS AND UNDERPINNINGS

7

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

17

CURRICULUM INTENTIONS

19

CURRICULUM COMPONENTS

23

LOGISTICS

35

IMPLMENTATION

38

APPENDIX I

i

APPENDIX II

iii

APPENDIX III

iv

APPENDIX IV

vi

APPENDIX V

vii

BIBLIOGRAPHY

viii

4 Introduction The term curriculum itself has different interpretations. Ralph Tyler and Hilda Taba propose that it is “a plan for action or a written document that include strategies for achieving goals and ends” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 10). It can also be defined from its Latin root currere, which is a course to be run. Here it is “a set of obstacles or tasks that an individual has to overcome, something that has a beginning and an end, something that one intends to complete” (Eisner, 2002, p.25). Progressivists such as Dewey assert that it is “all of the experiences the child has under the aegis of the school” (Eisner, 2002, p.26). The varying definitions lead to confusion about the nature of curriculum. To reconcile the differing interpretations Eisner isolated the features of curriculum to create a working definition. These features are: events, planning, educational nature and consequences. From this a curriculum can be defined as a series of programmes designed with educational benefits whose aim is to achieve previously articulated goals or results that occur from classroom interaction that can only be identified after the curriculum has been implemented. However this definition can be used for the intended or planned curriculum. This is “that which is planned” (Eisner, 2002, p.32). However the student does not only learn from the written curriculum nor is this the only type of curriculum that exists. Among the other types of curriculum are the hidden, operational and null curriculums. According to Vallance the hidden curriculum is “those practices and outcomes of schooling which, while not explicit … seem to be a regular and effective part of the school experience” (Lewy (Ed.), 1991, p. 40). The experiences that they have

5 contribute also. According to Piaget “[c]hildren construct knowledge out of their exploratory actions on the environment”. (Wadsworth, 1996, p.149). Hence there is the operational curriculum which consists of interactions in the classroom and null curriculum. The null curriculum are the “subject matters and/or experiences that are not taught or learned but that students know, at least in a general way, exist” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 12). Using this definition of curriculum and the understanding of its different types a curriculum will be developed in this document. The history of the Caribbean began with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Here Columbus met warlike cannibals called Caribs and another docile peaceful tribe called Arawaks. After defeating the Caribs, the Europeans developed colonies in the region. This brought civilization to the Caribbean region and to the natives. Anyone holding this interpretation of the history of the region would if fact be seriously misguided. This curriculum seeks to give students a revision of the commonly held notions about the history of the region. It seeks to explore the civilization of the Tainos and Kalinagos, dispel the notions that they were cannibals, and expose the fact that the Europeans committed genocide and brought little benefit to the indigenous people of the region. The result being a newfound interest and competence in the subject area. The target group is Third (3rd) Form students who would benefit from learning the PreColumbian History of Trinidad and Tobago. The curriculum is divided into several sections. The Foundations and Underpinnings section explain the educational and philosophical basis for the document that would guide its implementation. The Needs Assessment details the target group and the educational requirements that have to be met. The Curriculum Intentions list the

6 rationale, aims, objectives and performance standards of the document. The Components are the lesson plans that are to cover the content of the curriculum. The Logistic section details the materials, facilities, time, cost and personnel required for the implementation of the curriculum. The final part of the document is the Implementation that analyses the feasibility and possible improvements for the document. References Eisner, E.W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Lewy, A. (Ed.). (1991). The international encyclopaedia of curriculum. Oxford: Pergamon Press. Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins F. P. (2004). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues (4th ed.). Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. Wadsworth, B. J., (1996). Piaget’s theory of cognitive and affective development (5th ed.). New York: Longman Publishers USA.

7 Curriculum Foundations and Underpinnings “We prefer one thing to another, we shift our attention from one event to another, we praise one behavior and condemn another, we like and dislike, and whenever we do it, we value” (Hart, 1971, p.29). This is the basis of philosophy. The curriculum is designed to promote a specific type of learning, teaching and subject matter. This is a product of what the society at large and the curriculum developer in particular view as beneficial to the student population. It is fundamental to the process of curriculum development. The philosophy or ideology in a curriculum determines the way in which it is implemented in the school. It guides decision making as it determines what is viewed as important in the curriculum. Philosophy places emphasis on subject area and teaching techniques and most importantly it inculcates certain values in the students. These occur in the different curricula: hidden, null, written etc. These philosophies or ideologies can be defines as “belief systems that provide the value premises from which decisions about practical educational matters are made” (Eisner, 2002, p. 47). While some theorists such as Lamm view philosophy as a “devise of social control” (Lewy (Ed.), 1991, p. 103). It is still important as the absence of philosophy leaves “the educator vulnerable to externally imposed prescriptions, to fads and frills, to authoritarian schemes” and other imposed ideologies (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 9). Hence the choice of philosophy in a curriculum is essential to its acceptance and implementation. Philosophy can be broadly divided into ontological, epistemological and axiological categories. These categories differ primarily in the source of truth and knowledge that is ascribed to. The curriculum is meant to educate, therefore it must be certain from where it takes knowledge or truth. Ontology is concerned with reality as the

8 source of truth. It has positions in which truth and reality exists in the natural world, human experience or God. Therefore knowledge can come from scientific and empirical investigation of the environment, the relationships that humans have between themselves and the environment or each other or from divinely revealed texts. A curriculum based on this would focus on students learning the facts from one of the sources of truth. Epistemology is similar in the fact that it deals with the nature of knowledge but deals with the processes of its acquisition and holds that knowledge is gained in innumerable ways. While ontology holds that knowledge can only come form one of its articulated sources, epistemology recognises that truth can be gained by many ways. Besides looking in the natural world, human experiences and God, truth can be gained through intuition which has no logical basis. The focus is on the processes of thought in the acquisition of knowledge not the knowledge itself. What this philosophy promotes as ways to acquire truth or knowledge is scientific investigation and critical and reflective thinking. Its effect on the curriculum is that focus is placed on students learning the process of acquiring knowledge and the curriculum content would be more flexible as there are different ways of gaining truth. Axiology deals with ethics. “The problems and issues axiology investigates have been with us from the moment man began to reflect upon conditions of his life, the structure of reality, the order of nature and man's place in it” (Hart, 1971, p.29). Here there is the view that morality can be divinely ordained, naturally existing or evolves from humans. This aspect deals with the social development of the students. All these different philosophical sources give rise to the educational theories and philosophies.

9 These are used in the curriculum to reflect the beliefs that are to be imparted on the students. The approach of the curriculum reflects the foundations, domains, theoretical and practical principles embodied in this document. There is no blind adherence to a particular approach; instead to create a relevant curriculum to suit the needs of students in Trinidad and Tobago a synthesis is utilized. In fact theorists have stated that to adhere to any one philosophy would be impossible. Doll (1981) states that “there is nowhere a purist example of a school that follows any one of th[e] educational philosophies to the letter” (p. 31). The only philosophy that this curriculum would adhere is the epistemological focus on the development of the process of students acquiring knowledge. This curriculum’s philosophy would then be a combination of Idealism, Reconceptualism, Pragmatism, Realism, Reconstructionism, and Rational Humanism. Firstly the view of the aims of education is a combination of the general theories of Traditionalism and Progressivism. The aims of education generally are to develop learners intellectually, as functioning citizens, as individuals in society and as actual and potential workers. (Doll, 1981, p. 22). From Progressivism, this curriculum focuses on the students being able to better their environment. “Human beings should learn to modify the environment in which they find themselves” (Doll, 1981, p. 23). In addition knowledge is not held to be static but subject to change due to advances in different subject areas. Doll (1981) states that “[v]alues are relative, subjective, and changeable” (p. 24). There is also the belief that intellectual development that is needed is “selflearning” and “solving live problems” (Doll, 1981, p. 22). This theory views the child as an active participant in the learning process. “The child acted on the environment, he or

10 she did not simply digest it” (Eisner, 2002, p. 69). From the Traditionalist camp the belief that group work is essential to the social development of the child is incorporated. “Homogenous grouping, tracking, and special grouping of pupils help to develop able learners to high levels of competence” (Doll, 1981, p. 22). The student must be made a source of social change. Hence this curriculum holds the Idealist belief that “[l]earning is to be pursued to benefit mankind” (Doll, 1981, p. 27). Students must be active participants in the society so as to prepare them for eventual leadership. To this regard it is similar to Reconceptualism. “The purpose of the curriculum is emancipation” (Ornstein, & Hunkins, 2004, p. 10). Emancipation in this curriculum comes through the fostering of critical literacy. The most important skill of the hidden curriculum to be taught is critical literacy. Critical reading involves the students being able to identify the ideology and point of view brought by the author. Texts have “no neutral position” (Luke & Freebody, 1997, p.193), therefore students must analyse it to determine whether it can stand up to independent criticism. As a hidden part of the curriculum is the development of critical thinking, the curriculum here embraces the Pragmatist view that the ideal teaching method “is concerned not so much as teaching the learner what to think as with teaching him or her to critically think” (Ornstein, & Hunkins, 2004, p. 35). To foster a degree of social activism, this curriculum also embraces the Pragmatist position that there is “[n]o demarcation between school and society” (Ornstein, A. & Hunkins, F., 2004, p. 35). As students are sought to better the society, the experiences of students must be taken into consideration. These experiences create the previous knowledge of the child and Pragmatists utilise this knowledge “to

11 relate what they teach to the surroundings and experiences of individual children” (Doll, 1981, p. 29). From Reconstructionism, this curriculum seeks to involve all stakeholders in the students’ education. It plans to “fuse the resources of formal education with social, political and economic resources to try to better the human condition” (Doll, 1981, p. 29). This curriculum also agrees with the Realists on the importance of the availability of an adequate quantity, quality and variety of teaching material. “Textbooks and other written materials prepared by experts, laboratories, films, testing, and biographical studies are important media for helping children learn” (Doll, 1981, p. 29). The philosophy of this curriculum agrees with the Realists that “reality and truth emanate from both science and art” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 34). However the Idealist belief that truth can be found in religion is not discarded. Faith has its place in the students’ life, while academic subjects require empirical thought, questions of morals and values that plague the student is in the realm of God. Hence the source of truth here is both religion and science with clear demarcations. Another theory that this curriculum utilizes is Rational Humanism. This school of thought encourages the use of primary sources in teaching. This type of material would be condensed of edited to suit the level of students. One of thee proponents of this theory is Mortimer Adler. He sought to develop mieutic processes in the student. These processes “[are] intended to enable students to provide reasons for their opinions and to find evidence and counterarguments to the views being expressed” (Eisner, 2002, p. 47). Students are to remove traditional notions through reinterpretation. Features of the humanistic approach state that, “the informal and hidden curricula are also worthwhile”

12 (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 9). Hence the epistemological focus on the processes of learning is adhered to. In addition there are educational philosophies that guide the teacher in instructional methods and approaches in the classroom. The curriculum accepts the Perennialist view that subjects such as history are “indispensable” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 39) but rejects that academic principles are universal truths and the teacher is the “authority in the field” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 37). The student must not just accept information taught but investigate its credibility through academic interrogation. This is also the case of Essentialism. The curriculum seeks to equip students with the skills that Progressivism inculcates. “Progressivism, instead, place[s] heavy emphasis on how to think, not what to think” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 44). Students at the end of this curriculum must not only be able to critically analyze subject matter but also educate others such as their peers and relatives and move towards social awareness and action. This is the point where Reconstructivism is incorporated “students and teachers must not only take positions, they must also become change agents to improve society” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 44). The internationalist aspect of reconstructivism is also used as students must become aware of how issues in the Caribbean are affected by international events. This curriculum leans towards the Interpretivist school due to the fact that the philosophy of this curriculum relies heavily on Progressivism which is the basis of the Interpretivist school. Like this curriculum, the Interpretivist school promotes peer motivation, analysis of current issues, is research based, allows student interaction and the teachers are guides that help to identify the interests appropriate to the child. This

13 curriculum follows the Interpretivist school in “taking the interests of each individual student and forming a curriculum that builds on these interests and experiences in order to create a meaningful course of study to each, individual student” (“Positivist and Interpretivist Schools”, 2007). There are two main curriculum development models: Ralph Tyler and Hilda Taba. The curriculum utilizes the method used by Tyler. His model holds “[c]urriculum as a science and extension of the school’s philosophy” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 93). Students’ needs are taken into consideration and curriculum and instruction are interdependent. Objectives are necessary to plan lessons and the way to determine the success of the teaching strategies is to administer assessments to the students. The Tylerian Model as Doll (1981) calls it, is composed of objectives, activities, organization of activities and evaluation. However others such as R. M. Wolf have identified only three: objectives, learning experiences and evaluation (Lewy (Ed.), 1991, p.411). Objectives in Tyler’s model are “the desired performances or behaviors that students are to acquire” (Lewy (Ed.), 1991, p.411). The activities or learning experiences are the actual implementation of the lessons. While Wolf defines evaluation as “activities undertaken to determine the extent to which the objectives of the program are being obtained” (Lewy (Ed.), 1991, p.411). An important aspect of the curriculum understands how students learn. The cognitive development of students has been the focus of much investigation. Of this three theories stand out: Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory, Bruner’s Theory of Instruction and Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory. Firstly Piaget’s theory views cognitive development as a process entailing four stages: the sensorimotor,

14 preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational stages. In addition children construct meaning of the world. According to Piaget “[c]hildren construct knowledge out of their exploratory actions on the environment”. (Wadsworth, 1996, p.149). This exploratory action involves both teachers and peers. “The views of peers become particularly important for cognitive development when a child becomes able to assimilate the view points of others that are contrary to his or her own” (Wadsworth, 1996, p.153). The students become responsible in a way for their own learning. “It is self-regulation” (Wadsworth, 1996, p.154). This means that the student only learns when he or she is developmentally able to. This theory has implications for the curriculum. The focus of the lesson must be on what the student can learn instead of forcing meaningless concepts. There must be a greater array of educational materials to suit the learners’ varying needs. In addition knowledge is only created through manipulation and comprehension of information. Bruner’s theory states that “[t]he student who comes to grasp how bits of information within a subject area are related is able to continually and independently relate additional information in a field of study” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 111). Bruner’s theory consists of three stages: acquisition, transformation and evaluation. Acquisition is the assimilation of knowledge. Transformation is the “extrapolation, interpolation and translation into another form” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 111). And evaluation is “the determination of whether information has been processed in a way that renders it appropriate for dealing with a particular task or problem” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p. 111). The final cognitive development theory is Gardner’s. This states that there are eight intelligences: naturalist, verbal/linguistic, musical/rhythmic, logical/mathematical,

15 interpersonal, visual/spatial/ intrapersonal and body/kinesthetic. Gardner promotes that these different cognitive mechanisms be taken into consideration. “[E]duaction favours students who are adept in verbal and logical/mathematical shills and those ways of learning, but discourages those who have different innate intelligences” (Gibbs, J., 2001, p.63).This has traditionally been the case resulting in little attention being placed on learners whose learning styles do not complement the teacher’s method.. Therefore this curriculum would have the teacher being a facilitator of the lessons. Students are provided with a range of material in which they are to analyse for credibility. This material would be a combination of primary and secondary sources. This material would be of a Eurocentric and revisionist agenda. Students would analyse by investigating the ideology of the author and whether the texts stands up to scientific screening such as archeological findings. In addition students would be made to interact with the remaining indigenous inhabitants of Trinidad and Tobago and charged with conveying their history to the general public. Assessment would be in terms of oral presentations and debates and written papers. References Eisner, E.W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Gibbs, J. (2001). Tribes: a new way of learning and being together. Windsor: Center Source Systems LLC. Hart, S. L. (1971, September). Axiology-Theory of Values. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 32, 1, Retrieved November 15, 2007, from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00318205%28197109%2932%3A1%3C29%3AAO V%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X Lewy, A. (Ed.). (1991). The international encyclopaedia of curriculum. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

16 Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins F. P. (2004). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues (4th ed.). Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. University of Texas. (2007). Positivist and Interpretivist schools: a comparison and contrast. Retrieved November 15, 2007, from http://www.edb.utexas.edu/faculty/scheurich/proj2/index.htm Wadsworth, B. J., (1996). Piaget’s theory of cognitive and affective development (5th ed.). New York: Longman Publishers USA.

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Needs Assessment The needs assessment is the process of identifying the educational needs of the target. This process employs different data collection methods to ascertain the needs of students so that appropriate educational goals can be set. Needs assessment is the process for “justifying the educational importance of educational innovation” (Eisner, 2002, p. 176). Eisner (2002), states that the needs are “the products of judgements about what counts in educational matters” (p. 177). Therefore, the needs assessment for this curriculum would be conducted in line with the Tyler model of curriculum development. This assessment would focus on the objectives, learning activities and evaluation methods of history in the classroom. The value of needs assessment lies in it provides information on the possible problems of and the resource requirements of the curriculum. Suarez states that it results in “the identification of goals, the determination of the extent to which desired goals are being achieved, or the specification of areas in which efforts and resources should be placed” (Lewy (Ed.), 1991, p.433). The target group of the curriculum would be Form Three male and female students. This was chosen as the appropriate level as the students would be about to select subjects to be pursued at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (C.S.E.C) level. It is the aim of the curriculum to develop an interest in the study of history so that students would be inclined to pursue it. The needs assessment was conducted by the use of questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires (See Appendix I) were distributed to a sample of Form Three

18 students. Interviews (See Appendix II) were conducted with History teachers in several Secondary schools. From the information collected the experiences of students and teachers were used to identify the needs for the fulfillment of the curriculum. Firstly, the students did not enjoy the subject because they found it ‘boring’. This was due to the content being viewed by the students as not relevant to their lives. They enjoyed learning about the region and Trinidad and Tobago and its people however, they manner and information available gave a poor reflection on the region. They teachers interviewed echoed these sentiments. The students enjoyed activities such as field trips, debates, presentations and group work while they disliked only writing exams and handing in projects. Generally they found that a revised content matter focusing on new research would stimulate student interest. Therefore, the needs of the students are: to stimulate an interest in the subject, to provide content that is credible and relevant to the students and to provide classroom activities and evaluation that student can enjoy while maintaining academic credibility. References Eisner, E.W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Lewy, A. (Ed.). (1991). The international encyclopaedia of curriculum. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

19 Curriculum Intentions Rationale Any document in order to be accepted and well received must articulate its rationale, aims and objectives. The curriculum is no exception. These aspects are derived from several sources in order to meet the needs of the intended target. The needs assessment was taken into consideration as “[t]he requirements of contemporary life has always provided, at least informally, a standard source from which curriculum purposes have been derived” (Zais, 1976, p. 301). Besides that of the society, the needs of students are also taken into consideration. According to Zais (1976), these considerations have “long provided educators with a source of curriculum purposes” (p. 302). Also it is necessary to elaborate on how the general education of the student would be enhanced by this curriculum. History is not the abstract study of dates, people and events. It is insight into the very nature of human behaviour. Its study is not simply to learn from past mistakes. If so the human race would have learn nothing in its existence. “Ideas have a history. They undergo a process of development. They change, are modified, are distributed or are forgotten only to reappear years, decades or perhaps even centuries later” (Kreis, 2000). Hence it is a subject that equips the student to understand present conditions through an analysis of the past. In the context of Trinidad and Tobago it allows students to dissect the rich, complicated and diverse past that has shaped its people into a twin islands republic. Unfortunately, many students do not undertake this exciting journey. It brings one to the question of how can a people not want to study their own history. For decades students in

20 the country have been fed a bitter diet of Eurocentric lies. The myths of European discovery and uncivilised natives have provided students with no motivation, intrinsic or extrinsic, to study the history of the country before Columbus. This results in students having little affinity to the country of their birth compared to that for the metro pole. The problems that exist are that the information available to students is not historically accurate. In addition content is primarily from a European point of view. The teaching methods have little practical work making the subject appear abstract. To combat this, the curriculum seeks to educate using the most recent and sound information, foster increased student participation and promote alternative evaluation strategies. It is believes that this would create true education. “Education can be described as a process intended to bring about certain desirable changes in the behaviour of pupils, that is to say, changes in what pupils think, or the way they act or feel” (Nicholls & Nicholls, 1972, p.33). Aims/ Goals On the completion of this curriculum students should: 1.

appreciate the achievements of the Taino and Kalingo civilisations in Trinidad and Tobago.

2.

recognise the interactions between the indigenous people and others before the arrival of Columbus.

3.

understand that historical sources are written from an ideological viewpoint.

21 Objectives and Performance Standards Students should be able to: Table 1 Objectives List the political, economic, cultural and

Performance standards Students would complete a table of the

technological activities of the indigenous

different aspects of the indigenous

people. Evaluate the arguments on the contacts

societies. Students would write an essay

between the indigenous peoples of Trinidad

identifying the evidences of contacts

and Tobago and other peoples before the

between the indigenous and other

arrival of Columbus. Assess the impact of European settlement on

people before the arrival of Columbus. Students would describe the effects of

the indigenous peoples.

the Europeans on the indigenous

Explain the factors responsible for the decline

population. Students would describe the events and

in the indigenous population.

conditions that caused the death of the

Distinguish between biased sources in history.

indigenous populations. Students would identify instances of bias in given texts.

References Kreis, S. (2000). Why study history? Retrieved November 28, 2007, from http: //www.historyguide.org/guide/study/study.html Nicholls, A. & Nicholls, S. H. (1972). Developing a curriculum: A practical guide. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. Zais, R.S. (1976). Curriculum: Principles and foundations. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.

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Curriculum Components “Content might be described as the knowledge, skills and values to be learned” (Nicholls & Nicholls, 1972, p. 48). In this document the content will take the form of

23 lesson plans that would cover the objectives previously stated. According to Zais (1976), the content must fulfil the following criteria: significance, utility, interest and human development. Significance refers to the content’s importance to the curriculum. Utility is the benefits the students would have to take into adult life. Interest is the amount of intrinsic motivation and engagement that a student would place on the content matter. According to Zais (1976), human development “centers on inquiry into oral values and ideals, social problems, human emotions, effective thinking processes, controversial issues, etc.” (p. 347).

Lesson Plan 1 Teacher: Hassan Basarally Time: 60 minutes

24 Grade level: Form 3 Subject area: History Topic: Correct names of the indigenous people. Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to: Identify Tainos and Kalinagos as the proper names of the indigenous people. Explain why the names ‘Caribs’ and ‘Arawaks’ incorrect. Locate where these groups existed in Trinidad and Tobago Materials: selected chapters from Handbook of South American Indians, evaluation sheets, large map of Trinidad and Tobago. Learning pre-requisites: Students should have knowledge of the geography of Trinidad and Tobago. Set Induction: The teacher place the map in front of the classroom and label the areas where different indigenous groups lived. Students would be given time to copy the information. Procedure: 1. The selected chapter would be distributed to each student for a period of silent reading of 30 minutes. 2. The teacher would then have selected students read to the class the most important parts of the reading. 3. The teacher would then elaborate on the accuracy of the names ‘Caribs’ and ‘Arawaks’ and reiterate the areas of their settlement. Closure: The lesson would be reviewed by the teacher matching the correct term with the location on the map.

25 Assessment: An assessment sheet would be given to students to complete individually at home (See Appendix III). This would be collected by the teacher and the necessary corrections made. The following rubric would be used: Terms

Understanding Identification Total

2 marks each

2 marks each

2 marks each

Used Taino correctly Used Kalinago correctly Gave 3 reasons or more for use of terms. Gave 2 reasons or less for use of terms. Identified 3 areas or more of settlement. Identified 2 areas or less of settlement.

Follow up activity: Students would be taken to view existing indigenous settlement in Cleaver Woods, Arima. Lesson Plan 2 Teacher: Hassan Basarally Time: 90 minutes Grade level: Form 3 Subject area: History Topic: Taino and Kalinago civilisation. Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to:

26 List the political, cultural, economic and technological systems of both the Tainos and Kalingos. Compare and contrast the activities of both societies. Materials: photographs and models of indigenous practices, table to be completed by students, selected reading from The Tainos and Handbook of South American Indians Learning pre-requisites: Students should be familiar with the terms Taino and Kalinago. Set Induction: The teacher would display photographs or models of Taino and Kalinago practices for the students to observe and examine. Procedure: 1. The readings would be distributed to each student. 2. Each student would be give 30 minutes to read the extracts, highlighting the political, cultural, technological and economic activities of the Tainos and Kalinagos. 3. At the end of 30 minutes, copies of the table (See Appendix IV) for the students would be distributed to reach member of the class. 4. Students would then be divided into groups of 5 to collaborate to complete the table in 30 minutes. 5. At the end of the exercise a member of each group will read the completed table to the class, adding or deleting points as deemed necessary. Closure: The teacher will draw a duplicate table on the board filling in the correct information for students to copy. Assessment: Students would be provided with a table to complete in the classroom. The following rubric would be used:

27 4-5 points for

2-3 points for

Less than 2

each group

each group

points for each

(10 marks)

(6 marks)

group(2 marks)

Political Cultural Economic Technological Similarities Differences Total Follow up activity: A descendant of the indigenous peoples could be invited to the classroom to elaborate on the society’s achievements

Lesson Plan 3 Teacher: Hassan Basarally Time: 90 minutes Grade level: Form 3 Subject area: History Topic: Contacts before Columbus. Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to: Identify the groups that could have had contact with the region before Columbus. Explain the evidences for these contacts. Materials: selected readings from They Came before Columbus, the video production Vikings Sag, television video/DVD player.

28 Set Induction: The teacher explains to the class that there is proof that Columbus was not the first to reach the Caribbean. The teacher than asks if the students could identify any other groups that could have arrived. Procedure: 1. The class carried to a room where the necessary equipment has been assembled in advance. 2. The teacher provides the each member of the class with a copy of the reading and an essay question. 3. The teacher advises the class to take notes on the topic during the video presentation, keeping in mind the question. 4. The teacher then starts the presentation which should last for 60 minutes. Closure: At the end of the video presentation the teacher discusses with the class what they thought of the arguments presented. Assessment: Students would be given a week to supplement the information provided and submits an essay. The following rubric would be used: Abilities To identify the groups in the material given •

Marks 4

Nordic and West African groups identified

4

• 1 group identified To evaluate the evidence of interaction with Nordic groups

2 10

•

4 points or more identified and elaborated

10

•

3 points identified and elaborated

8

• 2 points or less identified and elaborated To evaluate the evidence of interaction with West African groups

6 10

29 •

4 points or more identified and elaborated

10

•

3 points identified and elaborated

8

2 points or less identified and elaborated To communicate in an effective manner with proper grammar and punctuation

6 6

and spelling. •

Little or no errors

6

•

Few errors

4

• Frequent errors Total

2 30

Lesson Plan 4 Teacher: Hassan Basarally Time: 90 minutes Grade level: Form 3 Subject area: History Topic: The effects of European colonisation. Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to: Describe the effects of European colonisation on the indigenous people. Assess the consequences of European policies on the Tainos and Kalinagos. Evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of European settlement on the indigenous population. Materials: readings from The Spanish Caribbean: Trade and Plunder, Learning pre-requisites: Students should have an understanding of the lifestyle and society of the Tainos and Kalinagos.

30 Set Induction: The teacher would display pictures depicting European settlement and the condition of the indeginous peoples at that time. The teacher than asks the students to determine whether the Europeans had appositive influence on the people. Procedure: 1. The teacher provided each of the students with the reading. 2. Students are given 20 minutes to read the extract. 3. The teacher then draws a table on the board and divides it into benefits and disadvantages of European settlement. 4. The teacher than asks the class to fill provide answers to fill the table. 5. The class is then divided into 2 groups. 6. Each group is given 30 minutes to collaborate to provide arguments for the benefits and disadvantages of European settlement. 7. Each group is then instructed to select 5 members to present their arguments in a class debate. 8. Each group will alternate speakers with the opposing side. Closure: The teacher will reiterate the arguments made by both sides. Assessment: The following rubric would be used: Abilities To identify the consequences of European settlement

Marks 10

•

Each speaker presented a different point

10

•

Speakers were slightly repetitive

6

• Speakers were not able to produce different points To speak clearly and logically •

Speakers were clear, logical and accurate

4 8 8

31 • Speakers gave inaccurate information, points were unclear To develop debating skills

4 7

•

Speakers were convincing in their arguments

4

•

Speakers were somewhat convincing

2

•

Speakers were able to rebut each other

3

Follow up activity: Students could interview a descendant of the Tainos and Kalinagos and present an oral report on the changes they underwent with the arrival of the Europeans.

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Lesson Plan 5 Teacher: Hassan Basarally Time: 60 minutes Grade level: Form 3 Subject area: History Topic: Identifying bias in historical data. Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to: Define bias. Identify features of bias in primary sources. Deduce the ideological basis an author is coming from. Synthesise material to gather information despite bias. Materials: readings from Sources of West Indian History, newspaper clipping, copies of teacher prepared handout. Learning pre-requisites: Students should be familiar with reading history texts to collect research.

33 Set Induction: The teacher displays a picture from the newspaper (See Appendix V) to the class and then asks 2 students to describe what they believe happened in the picture. The teacher explains that the same event can be interpreted differently by people. Procedure: 1. The teacher distributes 2 different descriptions of the Tainos and Kalinagos, one from a European and the other from an indeginous person. 2. The teacher allows the students 15 minutes to read the extracts. 3. The teacher hen asks the students to identify the differences in the representation made in both. 4. The teacher explains that the author is not neutral; he has an ideology that is expressed in his writing. 5. The teacher provides the students with copies of the handout that has questions for students to ask themselves before accepting information. Closure: Teacher reviews lesson and identifies the areas of bias in the extracts done during the lesson. Assessment: The teacher distributes another extract and asks the students to identify bias in the text.

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References Nicholls, A. & Nicholls, S. H. (1972). Developing a curriculum: A practical guide. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. Zais, R.S. (1976). Curriculum: Principles and foundations. New York: Harper & Row Publishers. Logistics The logistics here refers to the materials, facilities, time, cost and personnel needed for the implementation of the curriculum. The importance of ascertaining the required material is necessary for the content mater to be taught. In addition having the necessary tools ensures that the curriculum is implemented in the desired timeframe. Table 2 Material Lecturer/ Facilitator Stipend for guest speakers (as necessary) Lap Top Computer White board Markers Television set DVD/Video Player Video production Photocopying Machine Paper Tables and chairs Texts Transport for field trip Miscellaneous Total

Details 1 @ $10,000.00 2 @ $500.00

Cost (TTD) $10,000.00 $ 1000.00

1 @ $7000.00 1 @ $800.00 1 (Box) @ 20.00 1 @ 15,000.00 1 @ 2000.00 1 @ 200.00 1 @ 20,000.00 12 @ 30.00 40 @ $100.00 Selected Chapters Bus for approx 40 students

$ 7000.00 $ 800.00 $ 20.00 $15,000.00 $ 2000.00 $ 200.00 $20,000.00 $ 360.00 $ 4000.00 $ 2000.00 $ 2000.00 $ 2000.00 $64,380.00

This curriculum is designed to be implemented in a secondary school. The space required may be available, if not two classroom may be used. If the required seating is

35 not found additional can be purchased. All other requirements are covered by the budget for materials (See Table 2). Table 3 Facilities Classroom Seating

Details 40 feet x 40 feet 40 tables and chairs Table 4 Participants

Detail Programme Sessions per week Sessions per programme Duration per session Total duration of sessions Duration of field trip Total time

Time 6 weeks 1 5 90 minutes 7 hours 30 minutes 9 hours 16 hours 30 minutes

Table 5 Lecturer/ Facilitator Details Programme Sessions per week Sessions per programme Preparation per session Total preparation time Post session activities (as deemed

6 weeks 1 5 4 hours 20 hours 1 hour

Time

necessary) Total post session activities Total

Approx. 5 hours 25 hours

36 Total time for curriculum

41 hours 30 minutes

The additional personnel would come from the remaining indeginous communities and local historical societies and would be approached in advance to gain their participation. Table 6 Personnel Lecturer/ Facilitator Guest speakers

Purpose Delivery of curriculum content Supplement content with experiences Implementation

The implementation of the curriculum is an important step as it directly affects the appeal and feasibility of the document. The implementation process allows the curriculum developers to quickly identify shortcoming and observe its performance in the field. Inefficient implementation leads to curriculum failure, Ornstein and Hunkins (2004) state that failure occurs when “the importance and complexity of the implementation stage were not understood” (p. 324). For implementation to occur, those involved in the curriculum must fulfil their respective roles. These groups or individuals are students, teachers, supervisors, principles, curriculum directors and consultants, parents and community members. Of primary importance is the student. They are the client of the curriculum and it cannot be instituted without their active participation. “If students see little relevance in the curricular activities planned, they are not going to be motivated to participate-or learn” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p.321). The teachers are meant to convey the content matter. Their participation is necessary as the experiences of the classroom are essential to

37 improving content and instruction. The supervisors and principals provide the leadership support that he curriculum need from school administration. These individuals provide the assistance required when problems occur. The curriculum directors and consultants give expert advice on the implementation of the curriculum. While the parents and community members give an idea of the needs of students. There are several models of curriculum implementation. The model utilized by this curriculum the Educational change model of Michael Fullan. This model states that successful implementation is dependant on need, clarity, complexity and quality of programs. It involves all those previously mentioned as necessary for the implementation. The need shows the importance of the curriculum to the target. “People want to know the purpose for the innovation” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p.317). Clarity refers to the ability of people to understand the curriculum intentions. “If we are going to persuade others that the suggested innovations worthwhile, then we must be clear at the outset as to what the goals are and specify the manner in which people will be involved” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p.317). Complexity is the degree of difficulty in which the curriculum is implemented. The quality lies in the content, whether it is worth teaching or not. In addition to this there is the concept of practicality hat is how useful the content would be for the student. This model suggests pilot testing as a means to gather information necessary for the evaluation process. Pratt (1994) has a pilot model that includes four phases: test, analyse results, modify and retest. This process can be conducted in several secondary schools and the results evaluated using one of the evaluation models. Evaluation of the curriculum must be comprehensive. It must involve “not only the assessment of a written document… but more important, of the implemented

38 curriculum as a functional corpus of phenomena involving the interaction of students, teachers, materials and environments” (Zais, 1976, p. 378). Evaluation as defined by Ornstein and Hunkins (2004), “is a process or cluster of processes that people perform in order to gather and interpret data to decide whether to accept, change, or eliminate something- the curriculum in general or an educational textbook in particular” (p. 330). There are fundamental questions to be asked when evaluating curriculum. The re is the question of intrinsic value which is the “goodness or appropriateness of the curriculum” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2004, p.332). Instrumental value which is whether the goals and objectives would be met. The question of comparative value is whether the curriculum is better than what is already on the market. Decision value is the curriculums need to be altered. Taking these questions into consideration, Eisner’s Connoisseurship Evaluation Model is used. According to Eisner (2002) the purposes of evaluation is to diagnose, revise curricula, compare, and anticipate educational needs and to determine if objectives have been achieved (p. 171). Eisner looks at the significance of content, quality of teaching and outcomes achieved. Contented is evaluated on two levels. “First it is important to determine whether the content and tasks the curriculum encompasses are within the development scope of the children” (Eisner, 2002, p.181). The second is whether the experiential level of the content and students are equivalent. For example it is important for students to learn about the indeginous societies of the country but irrelevant to their interests. If this occurs the curriculum needs to be altered. The quality of teaching according to Eisner must be evaluated by in depth observation over a lengthy period of times. Only then can an accurate assessment be made. For Eisner the outcomes achieved

39 are divided into three. The subject specific outcomes are related to the content taught. If the student learns other that that what the teacher teaches that falls under student specific domains. “The third segment of student outcomes ids represented by those that flow from what the teacher teaches about him- or herself”, this is the teacher specific outcome (Eisner, 2002, p.186). These comprise Eisner’s connoisseurship model. “Connoisseurship is a private act; it consists of recognizing and appreciating the qualities of a particular” (Eisner, 2002, p.213). This requires one to understand all aspects of the subject in order to evaluate it. Just as the connoisseur understands all aspects of the product he appraises. Through this method Pre-Columbian History of Trinidad and Tobago would be evaluated. References Eisner, E.W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins F. P. (2004). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues (4th ed.). Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. Pratt, D. (1994). Curriculum planning: A handbook for professionals. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.

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Appendix I Below is the questionnaire distributed to students: Do you like studying History. YES NO Give reasons for your answer? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __ What interests you most about the subject? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __ What interests you least about the subject? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __

41 How can History be made more interesting for you: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __ Do you believe that studying the subject is important. YES NO Why? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __ Does the teacher make History interesting for you? YES

NO

What does the teacher do to increase or decrease your interest? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __ Do you enjoy the assessments that are given? YES

NO

What kinds of assessment do you want to see more of? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ __

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Appendix II Below are the question asked to teachers: What topics in History engages the students most? Which ones engage them the least? How often are the objectives of the lesson met? What classroom instruction creates the most student participation? Why do you believe that students are engaged in some topics and not others? What types of assessment provides the best results from students?

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Appendix III Tainos and Kalinagos Worksheet 1. Which of the following terms correctly refers to ‘Arawaks’: a. Taino b.Kalinago c. Spanish c. Tupinamba 2. Which of the following terms correctly refers to ‘Kalinagos’: a. Cannibals b. Caliban c. Kalinagos d. Tainos 3. Explain why the term ‘Carib’ and ‘Arawak’ are not accurate names for the indigenous people.

44 _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________

4. In the below map, draw a line to the areas of Taino and Kalinago settlement and label which group settled in what location.

45

Appendix IV Table of Taino and Kalingo Civilization Tainos

Kalinagos

Similarities

Differences

46 Political aspects: e.g. leadership, law

Cultural aspects: e.g. religion, food

Technological aspects: e.g. manufacturing, tools

Economic aspects: e.g. trade, products

Appendix V

Photograph for Set induction

47

Bibliography Eisner, E.W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

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Gibbs, J. (2001). Tribes: a new way of learning and being together. Windsor: Center Source Systems LLC. Hart, S. L. (1971, September). Axiology-Theory of Values. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 32, 1, Retrieved November 15, 2007, from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00318205%28197109%2932%3A1%3C29%3AAO V%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X Kreis, S. (2000). Why study history? Retrieved November 28, 2007, from http: //www.historyguide.org/guide/study/study.html Lewy, A. (Ed.). (1991). The international encyclopaedia of curriculum. Oxford: Pergamon Press. Nicholls, A. & Nicholls, S. H. (1972). Developing a curriculum: A practical guide. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins F. P. (2004). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues (4th ed.). Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. Pratt, D. (1994). Curriculum planning: A handbook for professionals. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. University of Texas. (2007). Positivist and Interpretivist schools: a comparison and contrast. Retrieved November 15, 2007, from http://www.edb.utexas.edu/faculty/scheurich/proj2/index.htm Wadsworth, B. J., (1996). Piaget’s theory of cognitive and affective development. (5th ed.). New York: Longman Publishers USA. Zais, R.S. (1976). Curriculum: Principles and foundations. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.

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