ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Deciding what to teach is fundamental to effective teaching. It defines the purposes of our instruction, and it has a major influence on what our students learn. Making decisions about what to teach, however, is no simple task. Knowledge continues to grow exponentially, and important educational stakeholders hold very different views about what is important for children and youth to learn. Classrooms have limited instructional time; competition for curriculum space is fierce. Ultimately, it is classroom teachers who must negotiate between curriculum expectations and scarce time resources. When decisions are made wisely and curriculum design is done skillfully, our students develop a sense of where they are going and what they are expected to learn. Decisions made poorly lead to confusion and a breakdown in student learning.
