03. Designing Inclusive Curriculum - Lessons from the Classroom and the Field
- Sharon Gideon
- Jun 14, 2025
- 3 min read
"Curriculum is not just content. It is context. It’s how we teach, what we teach, and why we teach it—always centered on who we are teaching."
As I look back on my coursework in Curriculum and Instruction in Diversity, two things stand out clearly: first, the value of structured, inclusive curriculum planning, and second, the deep wisdom veteran educators bring to shaping that curriculum with compassion and rigor.
In this post, I share key lessons from my Module 6 integrated lesson plan and the Module 8 best-practices guide for novice teachers, reflecting on how tools like Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (CAST, 2018), AVID strategies, and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) (Gay, 2002) are not abstract frameworks—they are classroom lifelines.
Through my interview with Laura Crain (pseudonym), a high school chemistry teacher with over 18 years of experience, I observed how rigorous instruction can coexist with emotional intelligence. Her practices aligned beautifully with UNESCO’s Four Pillars of Education, blending interactive notebooks, group lab roles, and culturally responsive project connections.
She shared how scaffolding, reflective discussions, and strategic use of tools like Nearpod make even complex science content approachable for all learners, including those with IEPs and ELLs.
Designing a Curriculum That Includes Every Learner
My Module 8 assignment explored how curriculum design can be both rigorous and developmentally appropriate. Key takeaways include:
Using Backward Design to unpack standards and align assessments before instruction (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)
Embedding UDL principles, ensuring accessibility from the start (CAST, 2018)
AVID strategies like One-Pagers and collaborative note-taking to support rigor
Reflecting student culture and voice in examples, assessments, and texts (Sheridan, 2023; Gay, 2002)
Making Classroom Management Culturally Responsive
In my Module 7 reflection, I realized that classroom management isn't a separate system—it's part of curriculum design. Many traditional behavior expectations exclude students unknowingly. Instead, culturally responsive routines (e.g., music transitions, student-named norms) support equity and engagement (Gay, 2002).
🎓 “Classroom management is curriculum. It reflects what we value—and what we expect students to value.”
A Lesson Worth Sharing: Environmental Justice Across Subjects
In Module 6, I created a cross-curricular lesson on environmental justice that integrated science, math, social studies, and literacy.
Key inclusive strategies included:
Anchoring learning in real-world issues (water justice, air pollution)
Hands-on activities and scaffolded digital tools (Flipgrid, Padlet)
Multiple ways to demonstrate learning (artifacts, journals, infographics) (CAST, 2018)
Final Recommendations for New Teachers
Top 5 Tips:
Start with the student, not the standard. Let identity drive the application.
Use one framework deeply. Start with UDL or AVID — don’t do everything at once.
Gather student input. Social validity matters.
Tech with purpose. Don’t use Flipgrid because it’s popular—use it because it builds voice.
Pair rigor with grace. Ask both: "Are they meeting the standard?" and "Do they feel they belong here?"
🎧Listen to the Research
Good curriculum doesn’t start at the printer—it starts in the heart. Inclusion, structure, and grace can coexist
"Every student is capable. They just need a way in." — Ms. Curie
This is why I teach. This is why I write. This is why I blog.
Let's grow together - Grounded in Grace, Guided by Practice
References:
CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106–116.
Sheridan, K. (2023). Inclusive curriculum frameworks for diverse classrooms.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. ASCD.
American College of Education. (2025). Curriculum and Instruction in Diversity. Canvas.
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