Educators should take students interests into account when planning the content of the courses they teach Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position y

When planning a curriculum, teachers should, to an extent, take student`s interests into account. When a student has an interest in the material they are more likely to not only enjoy class more, but to have a greater retention of the material. While teacher`s cannot tailor all of the class material to student interests, they should do so where they can.

Students tend to associate enjoyment with interest. This is to say that students enjoy what they find interesting. For example, in my experience, the majority of students prefer English over Math. This is because they find more interest in the stories read and discussed in English classes over the more difficult to grasp concepts in math. While math is a more difficult class to include student interests, teachers of English can, to a degree, choose what they cover during the school year. They, therefore, have the opportunity to include books and projects that they know coincide with student interest within the yearly curriculum. However, in any class, there are state requirements that must be met. So while a teacher may be able to find places to include student interests, they must be sure to not do so in lieu of teaching what is required. This way they learn what they must but also have the opportunity to learn, and better remember, what they are interested in.

Students who enjoy class are more likely to remember class. This greater retention leads to a more lasting impact on a student`s knowledge and life. When a student is more interested in what is being taught they are more likely to focus in the classroom. This will create better test grades and have a greater impact on the student`s memory. What about the fact that not all students are interested in the same thing? While this is true, it is possible to find an overarching topic or skill that can be enjoyed or utilized by the majority of students. When a student is able to remember what they learn, they are able to use that knowledge in the real world.

Lastly, when a teacher is able to teach a subject or topic that not only aligns with a student`s interest but that also can be associated with the real world, they have increased interest in the classroom, and have created an even stronger retention of the material. As an example, I am studying to be a speech language pathologist and did not truly know the full extent of what they do until I began taking classes directly associated with the career. These classes not only strengthened my knowledge of the field, but also gave me tools to use and see in action in the work place. When a student is able to associate what they are learning with the real world and see what they learn in practice they are more likely to focus in class and to remember what they learn.

To recapitulate, teachers should most definitely include topics that they know students are interested in when they create their curriculum. They may not be able to do it for every class or every topic, but when they can they may leave an indelible impact on the student`s knowledge and even their life. If it weren`t for those few classes that taught of interesting things, students would be uninterested and would not keep the important information in their memory.