Headlines usually focus on the challenges of Chat-GPT plagiarism or school cell phone bans, but not everything in the modern K-12 landscape is grim. As innovative leaders taking charge in schools, we are witnessing trends in curriculum development that all students can benefit from. While not all ideas can be called “new,” as many have been studied and tested, some are given new life in the classroom with unique implementations.
Exciting Trends in Curriculum
SEL: Empowering Minds, One Emotion at a Time
Implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) has been a hot topic of debate for quite some time now. However, as is with other subjects, there is no cookie-cutter/one-size-fits-all approach. But that doesn’t mean we can’t look to our peers to garner inspiration from their successes.
Take the Momentous School in Dallas for example. Here, the school leaders prioritize mental health to power their SEL efforts. Through lessons on how the brain processes emotions to group activities, students are receiving a well-rounded approach to implementing SEL into their lives. The curriculum, named Changemakers, also makes a targeted effort to address life challenges that may cause anxiety and depression in children.
But the learning doesn’t stop at the students. Teachers are mentored from an SEL perspective and are encouraged to approach any behavioral challenges from students with curiosity—a process they call “chasing the why.” Concurrently, parents are given information on how to implement these skills in their own homes, ensuring children are engaging with SEL in all aspects of life.
PBL: Buzzing with Innovation
With a little creativity, there are many ways school leaders can implement Project-Based Learning (PBL) into their school curriculum.
At the Fulton County Schools’ Innovation Academy in Georgia, students aren’t just learning about the environment, they are immersing themselves in it. As part of an after-school project, students from grades 10-12 are monitoring multiple hives where they track and take care of the bees. They even get to harvest the honey to make crafts from the wax.
With a hands-on approach, these students are engaging in meaningful learning opportunities that also encourage them to think outside the box to address real-world issues.
Reimagining Science: Students as Real-World Explorers
While PBL is a great tool for science, it is just the start for these Pennsylvania schools.
For the first time since 2002, Pennsylvania has updated its science curriculum standards to go into effect for the 2025-26 school year. With these new standards in place, students are encouraged to act like scientists. They are moving past textbook definitions to go into the field and investigate scientific concepts they can explore in the real world. They are encouraged to communicate and experiment.
As part of this process, groups from the South Fayette School District and PA Distance Learning Charter School physically gathered samples of water from a creek to answer questions about its effects on the environment. With scientific tools in hand and the ability to examine the world outside of the classroom, these students are experiencing a version of a science curriculum unlike what many have seen before.
Leading the Way to a Brighter Future
K-12 is evolving in ways previous generations could not have expected. School principals are standing at the forefront of educational innovation, and students, staff, and even parents all stand to benefit. By engaging with trends in curriculum guided by innovation, we can use strategies for SEL, PBL, and scientific curriculum to reimagine an enhanced educational experience for all.
