The Impact of Professional Support on School Curriculum: Why It’s Worth Considering

Egi Ryan Aldino
Age of Awareness
Published in
6 min readMar 12, 2023

As a school leader, you want to give your students the greatest education possible. With so many alterations and obstacles in the educational scene, it can be difficult to stay up with the most recent trends and breakthroughs.

So, you may want some expert assistance.

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Professional help can refer to any external support that can help you improve the quality and effectiveness of your school curriculum. This could include:

  • EdTech companies that offer products and services that support educational technology
  • Technology-focused education consultants that offer advice and guidance on how to use technology in education
  • Curriculum design and development companies that offer customized curriculum solutions
  • Assessment and evaluation companies that offer tools and methods for measuring and improving student outcomes
  • Professional development and training companies that offer workshops and courses for teachers and staff

In this article, I will argue that requesting professional assistance for school curriculum can have several advantages for the school, the teachers, and the students. I will also provide a straightforward four-step procedure that will assist you in locating and collaborating with the right professionals for your school.

The Advantages of Getting Professional Assistance with School Curriculum

The school, the teachers, and the students may all greatly benefit from obtaining expert assistance with school curricula. Some of these advantages include:

  • Enhanced conformity with the most recent standards and best practices. You may develop and implement a curriculum that fulfills the expectations and standards of the present educational system with the assistance of a professional. A curriculum design business may assist you in creating a curriculum that is aligned with the Common Core State Standards or the Next Generation Science Standards, for instance.
  • Technology-enhanced teaching and learning You can effectively and meaningfully integrate technology into your curriculum with professional assistance. For instance, an EdTech business may assist you in selecting and utilizing the optimal tools and platforms for your learning objectives and settings.
  • Improved student involvement and achievement. You may build a curriculum that stimulates and pushes your kids to study and grow with the assistance of a professional. A business that specializes in assessment and evaluation, for instance, may assist you in designing and implementing exams that monitor student learning and development and give feedback and improvement support.
  • Improved instructors’ and employees’ abilities and capabilities. Professional assistance can help you build the key skills and competencies for delivering a high-quality program. For instance, a business specializing in professional development and training may assist you in organizing seminars and courses for your teachers and staff on subjects such as curriculum design, instructional tactics, technology integration, assessment and evaluation, and more.

According to research by Kools et al. (2020), school-based professional development for teachers can have good benefits on teachers’ knowledge, abilities, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as on student learning outcomes. The study also found many significant elements that determine the efficacy of professional development, including the activities’ substance, length, coherence, teamwork, and leadership.

The school as a learning organisation: The concept and its measurement

Another study by Steiner and Kowal (2019) found that curriculum-based professional learning can boost student outcomes by linking teachers’ actions and ideas to new standards in a concrete and focused way. The study also suggested some best practices for curriculum-based professional learning, such as selecting high-quality curriculum materials, providing ongoing coaching and feedback, and creating a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

A report by the Greater Good Science Center (2020) highlighted some of the best educational articles of 2020 that can help school leaders and teachers manage difficult emotions and other challenges at school during the pandemic, all while supporting the social-emotional well-being of their students. The report also provided tips, tools, and recommended readings for supporting students’ learning and development in remote and hybrid learning environments.

These examples show that seeking professional help for school curriculum can have many benefits for your school, your teachers, and your students. But how do you find and work with the right professionals for your school?

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A Simple 4-Step Process for Finding and Working with Professionals for School Curriculum

Finding and working with professionals for school curricula can be a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be. Here is a simple 4-step process that will help you find and work with the right professionals for your school:

Step 1: Determine the areas in which assistance is needed. The initial step is to identify the exact areas in which assistance is required. This will assist you in narrowing down your search and concentrating on locating the most qualified professionals for your school.

You might ask yourself questions such as, “What are the strengths and shortcomings of your existing curriculum?” in order to determine the areas in which you want assistance.

Other questions:

  • What possibilities and difficulties does your curriculum present?
  • What are your curriculum’s objectives and expectations?
  • What comments and ideas have your students, coworkers, parents, and administrators made about your curriculum?
  • What help and resources do you have or need for your curriculum?

By responding to these questions, you may determine the areas in which you need assistance and rank them according to your preferences and requirements.

  • Step 2: Seek out professional groups that may give you the assistance you need. The subsequent stage is to search for professional groups that may supply the required assistance. These may include EdTech enterprises, technology-focused education consultancies, curriculum design and development firms, assessment and evaluation firms, and professional development and training firms. You may locate these companies by doing an internet search, requesting referrals, reading reviews and testimonials, confirming their credentials and qualifications, and comparing rates and packages.
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
  • Step 3: Reach out to them and see whether they can give the needed assistance. The next step is to contact them to see whether they can give the necessary assistance. This may entail sending an email or a message, arranging a phone call or a meeting, requesting a proposal or price, checking their portfolio or samples, and requesting references or testimonials. You should be clear and detailed about your wants and expectations, courteous and professional, open and honest, and flexible and prepared to compromise when contacting them.
  • Step 4: Work with them to establish a strategy for enhancing your school’s curriculum. The last stage is to establish a strategy with them to support the curriculum in your school. This may entail signing a contract or agreement, organizing frequent meetings or workshops, producing new curricular materials or modifying current ones, incorporating new technology or tools, analyzing and monitoring the progress and effect, and celebrating your accomplishments and victories. While collaborating with them, you should communicate clearly and regularly, provide comments and recommendations, respect their knowledge and experience, value their efforts and contributions, and continue to develop and advance.

Conclusion

it is evident that seeking professional assistance for school curriculum development can have a multitude of benefits for all parties involved. The expertise and guidance provided by professionals can improve the quality and alignment of the curriculum, incorporate technology to enhance teaching and learning, increase student engagement and achievement, and develop the skills and competencies of teachers and staff. By utilizing the four-step approach outlined in this essay, schools can effectively identify and collaborate with qualified professionals to achieve their educational goals.

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Egi Ryan Aldino
Age of Awareness

Follow me! Sharing about technology, learning, and curriculum | University of Queensland, Australia 🦘 | https://egiryan.carrd.co/