How to Get Started as a Curriculum Developer

As a teacher, it can be hard to see how you can use your classroom experience to get non-teaching jobs in education. But there are many jobs that need your unique expertise! One of these is curriculum development and design. Want to know how to become a curriculum developer? We’re sharing our best tips!

Curriculum development is my absolute favorite thing to do. When designing lessons, I love to make them as engaging and fun as possible for students and teachers. Working as a curriculum designer allows me to be creative and feel connected to the classroom, even though I’m not a classroom teacher anymore. 

And I’m not alone. Learning how to become a curriculum developer can be a seamless way for many teachers to transition out of the classroom. After all, many of us are doing curriculum development all the time, whether we’re creating lessons for our own classroom or working as part of a larger team within our school or district.

Want to find curriculum design jobs of your own? Read our complete guide to getting started.

What Does a Curriculum Developer Do?

Curriculum developers create instructional systems to improve student learning, doing everything from designing instructional materials, working on textbooks, creating individual lesson plans and developing full units of learning. 

Curriculum developers may also advise teachers or other professionals on how to use the materials created or may advise organizations on how to develop learning plans that support their product, mission or service.

While many educators may have experience working as a curriculum designer for their school or district, there are many other opportunities for curriculum development outside of the classroom.

As a freelance or remote curriculum designer, you could find yourself working with textbook companies, edtech product developers, nonprofit organizations or even statewide educational agencies. When it comes to curriculum development jobs, the opportunities are virtually limitless!

How to Become a Curriculum Developer in 5 Simple Steps

1. Look at What You’ve Already Done in Curriculum Design

Whether you are currently a classroom teacher or not, you’ve probably written lesson and unit plans before. When you’re exploring how to become a curriculum developer, it’s helpful to think about a favorite piece of curriculum you’ve written. Reflect on what kinds of lessons, assessments, activities, etc. you enjoy creating. 

Also consider what you may not already know, but would like to learn more about. Have you always wanted to try out project-based learning? Write a lesson plan for your own classroom to practice and decide if you like that approach.

2. Build a Curriculum Development Portfolio

Next, collect your curriculum samples into a portfolio. If you have existing materials that you could use, that’s great but totally not necessary. This can be a great time to create new curriculum that showcases your skills and areas of expertise. 

When creating new curriculum samples to build a portfolio, make sure you focus on writing detailed lesson plans that anyone - even a brand new teacher - could take and use in their classroom. Try out different styles of curriculum design, too, to show your full range of skills and experience.

3. Learn New Curriculum Frameworks

There are a ton of curriculum frameworks out there. The more you know, the better. Think about diving into project-based learning, Understanding by Design, Teaching for Understanding, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), etc. This is also a great time to brush up on state and national standards.

Determining what you don’t know - and then learning about it - is one of the best things you can do when exploring how to become a curriculum developer. Luckily, there are so many options out there for curriculum development courses, online workshops, blogs and other resources to help you expand your curriculum design knowledge.

4. Write and Refine

As with anything writing-related, practice is essential. Even after you have the bones of a portfolio, continue to write curriculum. Apply what you’ve learned about different frameworks and standards, refine your approach, and continue to develop stellar examples of what you can create.

This commitment to improving your craft will be key when determining how to become a curriculum developer. Not only will you hone your skills so you’re ready for curriculum developer jobs, you’ll also be able to show potential employers your work ethic.

5. Apply for Curriculum Development Jobs in Education

When you have built your portfolio and your confidence, it’s time to apply for curriculum developer jobs! For each job you apply for, be sure to highlight your specific skills and how they would be an asset to the role. Read job listings carefully and call attention to any lesson plans and other curriculum samples that align with the company or organization’s mission.

Getting Started in Curriculum Development

Whether you’re just starting to research how to become a curriculum developer or you’re ready to change careers from teaching and make curriculum design your full-time job, there are lots of opportunities out there!

If you want to build your skills as a curriculum course, our Curriculum Development Foundations Program is designed to support you to learn everything you need to know to work as a curriculum developer.

Have questions about getting started as a curriculum developer? Don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about how we can help - and watch my Facebook Live below for more insight.