The Big Picture

 

     The point here is to explain how your subject and/or grade level fits into the overall educational scheme. Why, for instance, do we even offer -- and require -- 9th grade English (or whatever)? What is the official reason? What is your reason? Who benefits from the kids studying this subject -- the kids? the society? their future teachers? their future employers? How does it fit into the school's larger scheme of things? (Why do we require one unit of history and three of Math? Why do we require Science and not a 2nd language? Why do we require three units of English and none of Art or Music?) What prerequisite information must the kids have for this subject? (This is about how one part of the curriculum drives another part.) Why is the subject offered at this particular level instead of another?

 

     Generally, what you need to do is justify your subject having the status in the curriculum that it currently has. Your goal is not to tell us why it would be better some other way, but to explain why it is the way it is, explain the rationale of those who established it as it is.