What is a Curriculum Developer?

Curriculum DeveloperEarning an education degree doesn’t mean you have to actually teach in the classroom, because you could become a curriculum developer. Also referred to as instructional coordinators, curriculum developers are highly trained education professionals who focus on creating the curriculum guidelines and teaching standards used in schools. Curriculum developers play a prominent role in developing grade-appropriate instructional material, coordinating its implementation with K-12 students, and evaluating its effectiveness at optimizing learning. As states continue applying the Common Core and school districts place greater emphasis on teacher accountability, demand for curriculum developers will be strong. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts slightly above-average job growth of 13 percent through 2022. The following is a brief job profile for figuring out whether curriculum development is for you.

What Curriculum Developers Do

Curriculum developers hold the primary responsibility of developing and organizing the use of new curriculum within the classroom to facilitate student mastery of key concepts. It’s their duty to assess how well curriculum and teaching techniques actually work in sparking learning. On a typical day, curriculum developers may be involved in observing teachers’ instruction, reviewing student assessments, reviewing educational materials, recommending textbooks, creating new pedagogical strategies, interviewing school staff, collaborating with principals, and mentoring teachers. Curriculum developers often orchestrate teacher training workshops to prepare educators for effectively carrying out curriculum changes in their classroom. Curriculum developers usually specialize in a certain grade level or content area.

Where Curriculum Developers Work

While curriculum developers may not take center stage in leading a classroom, they’re still actively involved in the school community. The highest percentage of curriculum developers is employed by public and private elementary and secondary schools. A growing number of curriculum developers are being hired by government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, to oversee the implementation of the Common Core, according to the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Instructional coordinators could also find favorable job prospects in colleges, technical schools, teacher training programs, and other educational support services. Curriculum developers usually have an office, but traveling among schools and visiting classrooms is frequent. Unlike teachers, curriculum developers will generally work year-round without a summer break.

How to Become a Curriculum Developer

Becoming a curriculum developer won’t happen overnight, because most school districts require their job candidates to have at least a master’s degree. In addition, public school systems often mandate that curriculum developers must be properly licensed as teachers or school administrators and have classroom teaching experience. After earning a bachelor’s degree, it’s advised that future curriculum developers pursue a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction. This degree will make certain developers are equipped with knowledge in curriculum design, instructional development, learning assessment, and learning theory. Having a background in a specialized subject, such as English or mathematics, could be helpful.

Related Resource: Become an Instructional Coach

Curriculum developers use their educational expertise to assist classroom teachers in adopting new curricula and strategies for instructing their pupils. In today’s digital world, curriculum developers often work to suggest innovative ways for teachers to incorporate technology seamlessly into the delivery of their curriculum. According to the BLS, curriculum developers are rewarded with an average annual salary of $64,040, which surpasses the income of many teachers. If you’re interested in specializing your career as a curriculum developer, it’s essential that you sharpen your analytical, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and leadership skills to creatively build educational programs that enlighten young minds.