Implementation of the Special Program in the Arts Curriculum in a Public Secondary School

Abstract

This article summarizes the results of a qualitative descriptive research that examines how a public secondary school in Manila is implementing the curriculum of its Special Program in the Arts. The findings of the research initially described the curriculum of the Special Program in the Arts based on its objectives, selection of content, organization of learning experiences, and evaluation. This provided a rich background for exploring the curriculum implementation process of the program. Examining the various aspects of the program’s curriculum implementation revealed that the Special Program in the Arts includes practices that are different from what is required in the program’s implementing guidelines. Despite the program’s success in implementing its admissions process, deficiencies in attaining the desired results were noted in the aspects of available resources and support systems. The study also indicated the challenges of implementing the curriculum of the Special Program in the Arts. Lack of funding, concerns over the administrative structure, and low enrollment rate have shown to hinder the program from achieving high levels of curriculum implementation. Findings from the class observations conducted also showed that there was a positive interaction resulting from the learning experiences provided to the students of the Special Program in the Arts. It was evident that the students, despite their diverse characteristics, were responsive to instruction in varying levels of learning ability. Throughout the study, valuable insights have been noted on how factors such as the teacher, learner, learning environment, resources, and pedagogy have influenced the curriculum implementation