Schools are strange creatures... students arrive at an early age, innocent and full of energy and enthusiasm. The ideal job...teaching children who absorb information like a sponge, tapping into their endless curiosity...or one would think. We then box these same children into rigid schedules, in which we relay a curriculum which has been pre-determined. As adults, there is nothing that we do which compartmentalizes skills into separate lines. On a daily basis we complete tasks which include math, reading and writing, communication skills, logic, etc. Knowing this, why do we divide subject matter into disciplines?

Students need to see that there are connections among the various "disciplines". How invested can a student be when told that they will be studying a topic such as science, yet are not provided with an authentic experience? Integrated studies provides a vehicle for providing students with the curriculum, but in a manner in which they can see the true relevance of what they are studying. Many argue that integrating subjects waters it down, but I would beg to differ. Creating a unit which truly incorporates information from different content areas forces students to make connections which they otherwise would miss. So, why are schools not integrating to the extent possible?

1) It is time consuming; even teachers who want to plan integrative units across the content areas face the obstacles of finding the necessary time to develop such a unit
2) Current schedules do not allow for teachers to teach cross-content areas
3) Teachers must go outside their comfort zone in order to do this type of teaching; instead of being an expert on their own area, they must be ready to field questions about other content areas
4) Some teachers are not comfortable in taking on the role of the facilitator
5) Professional development in this area is lacking

With so many issues to content with, why bother?

1) Students learn more when engaged and able to see connections and relevance
2) Provides opportunities to go beyond "the curriculum"; as students begin to make connections their desire to delve into the topic of study may increase
3) Class time is extended allowing the study to continue/artificial start and end times to subject matter is eliminated
4) By team teaching integrative units, students have access to more than one teacher, increasing the likelihood that they will gain access to more "expertise"

Negative implications

1) Teachers who thrive on being an expert and in control of the curriculum will not enjoy their day at work!

http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-1/middle.htm
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103011/chapters/What_Is_Integrated_Curriculum%C2%A2.aspx