The Lived Curriculum Experiences of Jamaican Teachers

“This book is timely and relevant as it positions teachers’ knowledge as critical to their experiences. This critical knowledge is demonstrated in their stories as they navigate their journey as teachers. The book captures how important it is for teachers to be reflective at each phase of their experience. I am captivated by the lived experiences of the teachers and how they theorize these experiences. The Jamaican context is framed by colonization and within that, teachers must create their own spaces. The stories in the book depict a space of the past and present and how they interrelate. Teachers’ stories represent a riveting account of how their own experience is pivotal to shaping their practice. An absolutely eye-opening account of positioning teachers as the first person, insider and knower of their practice. I encourage all teachers to read this exciting book as it provides powerful insights of what teaching looks like in the Jamaican context.” —Hope Mayne, University of Technology, Jamaica This book offers first-person narratives of teachers’ curriculum encounters. The reflections of teachers are presented using Pinar’s Method of Currere as a tool for undertaking deep analysis of teachers’ curriculum encounters. The Method of Currere allows teachers to embody curriculum in all its forms, allowing for reflection on encounters in the formal, informal, hidden curriculum and beyond. The book aims to provide readers with a broad understanding of curriculum as the lived experience encapsulating the educational, personal, and professional life of the teacher. In this way teachers are able to trace and make sense of the development of their knowledge and make changes that lead to the continuous offering of quality education. The book will be of interest to students, scholars and practitioners involved in curriculum studies, teacher education/training, teaching, and general education. Carmel Roofe is Senior Lecturer in Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education, at The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica.