Curriculum Specialist

Teachers form their lesson plans based on guidelines that direct what students need to learn before they can move on to the next grade. And Curriculum Specialists are the ones who set those guidelines. As a Curriculum Specialist, you use different research and teaching techniques to form education programs that help students of all ages obtain the best education.

Your job as a Curriculum Specialist starts with an evaluation of teaching methods that are already existing. You look at things like the level of technology, the type of teaching, the quality of textbooks, and the way different subjects are handled. Often, you talk with Teachers and students (after all, they’re the ones who know these things best) to find out which methods are or aren’t working. Once done with your research, you start looking for ways to improve things. For example, you might suggest new materials like textbooks, classroom activities, and technology or computer programs. You might work on the curriculum of all subjects, or focus on just one. It all depends on the size and type of school you work in.

Another big part of your job is training. You help new Teachers out, serving as a mentor to them and giving advice about the teaching resources that they can use. When new technology or testing standards are introduced, you help all Teachers—even those who’ve been around for a while—understand what these are and how they can best be used to help students.