Focusing on the Person in the Study of Curriculum in Teacher Education

The study of curriculum forms an important component of teacher education programmes at both the pre‐service and in‐service levels. Traditionally, study in this area has been based on texts which prescribe step‐wise procedures. The student carries away from such courses an understanding that curriculum development occurs through following a recipe. There is increasing recognition of the deficiency of this view. Curriculum decision‐making is now seen as a value‐laden process in which individual teachers play a vital role. This paper reports a study of the personal practical knowledge of teachers involved in school‐based curriculum change. It demonstrates the powerful influence of the teachers' strongly held beliefs and background experiences on curriculum decisions. The study is used to support an argument that curriculum studies courses in teacher education programmes must acknowledge the role of personal practical knowledge. It highlights the need to focus on the person in the study of curriculum.