A Curriculum of Hope by Debra Kidd

A Curriculum of Hope by Debra Kidd calls for a change of approach to curriculum in schools. It is split into chapters on curriculum design: the principles of a strong curriculum, research on effective pedagogy, and the importance of cross curricular thinking. Throughout are examples from schools detailing how it all works in practice.

Kidd advocates ‘the memorability of narratives and the power of story.’ Citing contemporary research, the argument here is that stories spark our cognitive tools. ‘Story is the beating heart of the curriculum’ and inspiring, dramatic examples abound: Y5 in role as farmers with a problem, PRU students planning a ‘mission to Mars’ as NASA employees, Y8 scientists presenting in character as a disaster response team, children devising drama of Londoners in 1666.

Consistently the book talks of placing children in role to grapple ethical dilemmas, calling for a curriculum that demonstrates compassion.

But the crux of the book is that learning should be ‘plaited’ across subjects, with concepts linking curriculum areas; and content should ‘echo’ from one department, key stage, topic; to another.

Drama fills that space, as Debra is more than aware, devoting an entire section to the dramatic pedagogy ‘mantle of the expert’.

Do English and Drama run Macbeth in the same term? Does Geography look at migration while you look at The Caucasian Chalk Circle? Could Art blend their ‘Dreams’ work with your Artaud unit, does the History department even know you explore a haunted castle story in Y7? As Kidd says ‘… a chance to visit a castle is even more rich if the students have already explored a character from history there and walked in her shoes’.

A good mix of the theoretical and the practical, I could take ideas from this book and teach them tomorrow; bring the book to SLT to discuss preparations for Drama ‘deep dives’; and I will use it with PGCE students.