What Is Curriculum Theory?

by William F. Pinar

This primer for teachers (prospective and practicing) asks students to question the historical present and their relation to it, and in so doing, to construct their own understandings of what it means to teach, to study, to become "educated." Curriculum theory is presented as the interdisciplinary study of educational experience. The mentral concept of curriculum studies as a "complicated conversation" is explored.

Within this framework, Pinar offers a compelling interpretation of contemporary "school reform" policies and practices, and an explication of curriculum theory's power to bring forth understanding, resistance, and change. His argument is Public education today is dominated by a conservative agenda based on a business model of education focused on the "bottom line" (test scores). The origins of this agenda go back to the 1950s, when gendered anxieties over the Cold War and racialized anxieties over school desegregation coded public education (not for the first time) as "feminized" and "black." The nature of many politicians' and some parents' criticisms of public education is intelligible only as a recoding of these gendered and racialized anxieties, deferred and displaced from their originating events onto "school reform." This has rendered the classroom a privatized and racialized domestic sphere which politicians--mostly (white) men--endeavor to control, disguised by apparently commonsense claims of "accountability." What is dangerously at stake is academic freedom and control of the curriculum--what teachers are permitted to teach, what children are permitted to study.

This text offers both an understanding of the problem and a way to address it. Pinar uses the concept of currere --the Latin infinitive of curriculum--to describe an autobiographical method that provides a strategy for self-study, a way for both individuals and groups to understand their situations, leading to action. Through currere , it is possible for educators to begin to reconstruct the public sphere--now a "shopping mall" in which citizens and students have been reduced to consumers--by connecting academic knowledge to their students (and their own) subjectivities, to society, and to the historical moment. In doing so, they can take back (relative) intellectual freedom and rebuild schooling to speak to persisting problems of race, class, and gender. It is this link, this promise of education for our private-and-public lives as Americans, that curriculum theory enables.

Comprehensive and ground-breaking, What Is Curriculum Theory? is indispensable for scholars and students worldwide across the fields of curriculum studies, foundations of education, educational policy, school reform, and teacher education.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Reference, Grad School

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2003

About the author

William Pinar (born 1947) is an American educator, curriculum theorist and international studies scholar. Known for his work in the area of curriculum theory, Pinar is strongly associated with the reconceptualist movement in curriculum theory since the early 1970s. In the early 1970s, along with Madeleine Grumet, Pinar introduced the notion of currere, shifting in a radical manner the notion of curriculum as a noun to curriculum as a verb.[1] Apart from his fundamental contributions to theory, Pinar is notable for establishing the Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, founding the Bergamo Conference on Curriculum Theory and Classroom Practice, and founding the International Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies.

Although Pinar is known best for his publications concerning curriculum theory, he has also spoken about and written on many other topics, including education, cultural studies, international studies, and queer studies.
(from wikipedia)

Reviews

[Shana Elbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, this was a fabulously difficult book to read. I read the second edition, although I think the book on my "shelf" is the first edition. Pinar advocates for two philosophies of curriculum design--currere and reflective eclecticism. He then proceed to lay out his argument using those philosophies, which resulted in his writing being punctuated constantly by quotes and parenthetical citations. While this is a wonderful display of all of Pinar's vast knowledge and resource base, it was eminently more difficult to read as such, which coupled with his absolutely prolific vocabulary did not make this a fast read by any means. However, he did make some extremely important points, and because of this I found it a very useful and educational text.

[Rigatoni Baloney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last couple of chapters are more fluid and readable than the fractured and hard to follow writing contained in chapters 1-7. This was assigned school reading. I'd say I learned tidbits of useful information but overall the author wants all new English teachers to be these crusaders who collectively cause a revolution of change in their classrooms and the English curriculum. Nice idea ...but so long as Congress and the States control the purse strings, those with the gold will continue to make the rules and teachers will continue to be mailmen delivering the curriculum content as determined by bureaucrats.

[Shana Karnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, this was a fabulously difficult book to read. I read the second edition, although I think the book on my "shelf" is the first edition. Pinar advocates for two philosophies of curriculum design--currere and reflective eclecticism. He then proceed to lay out his argument using those philosophies, which resulted in his writing being punctuated constantly by quotes and parenthetical citations. While this is a wonderful display of all of Pinar's vast knowledge and resource base, it was eminently more difficult to read as such, which coupled with his absolutely prolific vocabulary did not make this a fast read by any means. However, he did make some extremely important points, and because of this I found it a very useful and educational text, which probably merits a re-read if only for clarity's sake.

[Sarah Keeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved his message but hated his style of writing

[Pandamunky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has some interesting points, but could have been more concise. It was repetitive and some parts were difficult to read.

[Peaches · Rating 4 out of 5]

The introductory chapters that define curriculum not just as lessons that teachers assign students, but as lived experiences engaging in theory are interesting. I do think curriculum studies sometimes veers into a murky "everything is curriculum," which I agree with on principle, but not necessary for educators: Practicing teachers want something firm and understandable they can take back to their classrooms, not just ideas they can muse on. A significant amount of readings on curriculum in general are theoretical ideas that authors seem to hope educators will figure out how to practically make work later. Judging from some of the reviews on here, it seems like this book may have hd that effect on readers.
I enjoyed the chapter on currere the most, which is a style I have found enjoyable to write and read in my educational journey. Pinar provide rich definitions of aspects as well as examples. It really is a form of writing all educators should engage with not only in their own learning, but with their students. I envision ways to scaffold it down to even the middle school levels (and possibly younger, but I have never worked with elementary). If you can't get through the whole book, at least try Chapter 2!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thought-provoking ideas regarding the history and current state of public education. Chapter 2 was particularly important for me as it provided a deeper understanding of currere.

[Efrain Flores-Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Un libro imprescindible!

Un libro de una enorme erudición y profundidad intelectual. William Pinar ofrece una valiosa interpretación sobre el deterioro que ha experimentado la educación pública estadounidense durante los últimos 50 años como resultado de las políticas reacionarias implantadas en ese país. La idea de este autor del currículo como una "conversación complicada" -enmarcada en el contexto socio-histórico de los educadores y estudiantes- es una propuesta que deben tomar en cuenta quienes interesan rescatar nuestras escuelas de las garras del instrumentalismo burdo (estandarización, rendición de cuentas, destrezas y competencias descontextualizadas) y transformarlas en centros para la formación de ciudadanos cultos, reaponsables y democráticos.

[Kara Lewis]

I loved this book. It says a lot about the terrible state of education today. It even compares standardized, anti-intellectual, social media dominated neo liberal agenda/environment/cultur to that of the Weimar Republic before the rise of Hitler. He makes a powerful argument and many strong parallels for the reader.