How could cross curricular learning potentially impact primary education?

Hayes (2010) defines cross curricula learning as the combination of one or more subject areas which integrate a central theme, issue, process, topic or experience with the aim of enhancing more than just subject knowledge. The more you are able to connect knowledge the easier it will be for the learner to understand and remember the knowledge, as learning is an interpretive network which spreads across domains (Kerry, 2015; Clyde,1995). Everything which goes on in the world around us can be seen and understood in many different ways therefore it is important that we create learners which are able to apply their knowledge to all different areas to gain their own understanding and meaning. Piaget (1956) supports this as he believed that children find meaning through their experiences, and it is the role of the teacher to aid their students into their own learning by providing motivation for cross curricula projects. Having said this it is difficult task teachers face when trying to broaden their students minds without confusing the (Westwood 2006). Cross curricula education is a concept that has been discussed for over one hundred years throughout education history. Dewey (1902) stated that by looking for examples of strong links between subjects it results in gaining knowledge related through experience. In 1967 the idea of cross curricula learning was being argued that children’s learning should not be divided into subjects. As Eisner (1996) blame this way of thinking for a weakening of children’s knowledge. The Plowden Report 1967 suggested that some work should cut across other subjects in all stages of the primary school as ‘throughout [The Plowden Report] discussion of curriculum, it stresses that children’s learning does not fit into subject categories’ (Plowden 1967, p555) By using cross curricula teaching, re-teaching knowledge that has already been taught elsewhere will no longer be required as activities in the classroom are repetitions of previously learned skills through intergrating knowledge (Haberman, 1994). “The proper education of the young does not consist in stuffing their heads with a mass of words, sentences and ideas dragged together out of various authors but in opening up their understanding to the outer world so that a living stream may flow from their minds just as leaves spring from a tree” (Comenius, 1649). Ofsted (2002) have been the biggest movement in cross curricula learning as it described using this was a sign of a successful school. The Rose review (2009) allow supported cross curricula education as it stated that high standards are best secured when subject knowledge is applied used in cross curricula studies. Cross curricula teaching aims to tackle the problems which currently lie within our education system. Lawton (1997, p.85) argued that ‘subjects may be helpful to a point but more pressing problems are not conveniently packaged within a single subject’. The main problems of our current education system involve; exam culture, timetabling, assessment and knowledge of construction to name a few. Todays education system has been designed around ‘tests of content learning reduced to league tables that are de-contextualised to make judgements about schools’ (Kerry, 2015, p.10) Since schools are competing against each other in individual subjects it puts a lot of pressure on the teachers to meet these targets of remembering the information that is going to be tested rather than teaching children to be critical independent learners with well-rounded knowledge. This could be achieved through cross curricula teaching as it takes the pressure of assessments off and makes the child the center of the learning through experience to ensure life-long learning rather than short term knowledge to pass an assessment. Although Experiences cannot be generative of new learning without interpreting them through the skills and subject knowledge of the disciplines (Barnes, 2011).Having said this there is concern that project work used could lack in progression and result in superficial fragmented, repeated learning. (Dean, 2001). Recently in the media young people have been criticized by endless stories of lack of attention and motivation to attend school, yet the future of our world depends on their generation. (James 2009) A general feeling of distance from the learners is felt by teachers from topics such as algebra with no links to later life. Cross curricula learning could combat this as it has been argued to provide high degrees of motivation in children (Barnes, 2011). Neuroscience has become increasingly popular within education. Improved technologies have helped us have a better understanding about how we think and learn. Neuroscience research supports cross curricula teaching, as students are able to make links between present and past knowledge to real life situations which have shown to improve memory in the brain as the human brain increases capacity by creating synapses to create meaning of the information. The movement to cross curricula teaching rather than discrete subjects is becoming popular worldwide. The new Welsh curriculum ‘Successful Futures’ is also following this trend behind Scotland. As in Scotland it has proven to ‘enable teachers and learners to make connections in their learning through exploring clear and relevant links across the curriculum...Learning beyond subject boundaries provides learners with the opportunity to experience deep challenging and relevant learning” (Scotland, 2008) On the other hand Lindsey Paterson 2017 says that the new curriculum in Scotland could be a disaster due to it is cross curricular nature, as many critics argue that within project teaching and learning is only superficial and not explored in enough depth. Over all I believe that cross curricular teaching should have a central place in primary education as it, makes learning more relevant, allows for coherence in learning between subjects and helps to build and reinforce key concepts. (Chard, 2000; Dean, 2001; Barnes, 2007) The child lies at the heart of the educational process (Plowden, 1967, p.9) and by teaching in a cross curricular way it allows learner centered teaching to take place rather than teaching content which needs a different approach to teaching to be affective (Spooner, 2014). By doing this we are not only helping the students but also allowing for a new generation of independent minded teachers to convert the education system from obidient government technicians to critical professionals whos aim is to create well rounded learners. (Kerry, 2015 p.23) On the other side not all teachers have this view as professional development and time needed to be able to teach in a cross curricula way which is affective Jarvis (2009). The world is ever-changing with fast growing developments in technology, many argue that our schools should be preparing their children for the unknown possibilities for the unknown future and it is believed that with cross curricular learning children can connect ideas together from different areas and therefore achieve this through a ‘more skills-based curricula that are focused on identifying and defining essential overarching competences alongside the more traditional subject-based (Donaldson, 2015, p. 36) Kerry suggests we need to accept that in an information world, knowledge itself will be more the capacity of the human brain and that the important skills needed will be in evaluating and applying knowledge (2015, p.15) Which is why change at this point is essential to prepare the future generations. References • Barnes, J. (2011). Cross-curricular learning 3-14 (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, [Calif.] ; London: SAGE. • Barnes, J., and Shirley, I. (2007). Strangely familiar: cross curricular and creative thinking in teacher education, Improving schools, vol. 10. No. 2. p./ 289-306. • Department for Children Education Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) (2015) Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. • Dean, J. (2001). Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom (3rd edn). London: Routledge. • Eisner, E. (1996). Cognition and the Curriculum Re-considered (2nd Edn). London. PCP. • Kerry, T. (2015). Cross-curricular teaching in the primary school : Planning and facilitating imaginative lessons (Second ed.). London ; New York: Rutledge. • Lawton, D. (1997). ‘Curriculum theory and a curriculum for the 21st Century’ in Mortimore, P. and Little, V. (eds) Living Education: Essays in honour of John Tomlinson. London: PCP. • McIvor, J. (2017) ‘New curriculum could be 'disastrous'’, Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41134835 (Accessed: Novemeber 2017). • Plowden, Lady Bridget. (1967). Children and Their Primary schools: A report of the Central Advisory Council for Education, Volume 1. London: HMSO. • Spooner, K. (2014). ‘Leading change from a subject based to an integrated approach to curriculum management: an examination of Andes View School’s readiness for curriculum change’. Leicester: University of Leicester. • James, O. (2009). Britain on the couch: How keeping up with the Joneses has depressed us since 1950. London:Vermilion. Hayes, D. (2010). International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education London: Rutledge. • Piaget, J. and Inhelder, B. (1956) The child's conception of space. London: Rutledge. • (2002). inspecting post-16 London: Ousted • Dewey, J (1971) The child and the curriculum and the school and society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Rose, J. (2009) independent review of the primary curriculum. Nottingham: DCSF Publications 2002. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41134835