In existentialist curriculum, what best describes content and relationships?

• A. Anything negotiated between teacher and student; relationships are very important
• B. A fixed syllabus determined by administration
• C. A standardized test-driven curriculum
• D. Knowledge transmitted unilaterally from teacher to student

Answer: (B)

Existentialist education centers on learner autonomy and authentic dialogue, so what gets studied and how it’s studied emerge from the learner’s lived experience and questions, not from a fixed script. The best description is that content is negotiated between teacher and student and that the relationship between them is central to learning. In this approach, the teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding inquiry, helping students articulate what matters to them, and co-creating goals and activities that give meaning to the study. This contrasts with a fixed syllabus prescribed by administration, a standardized test‑driven approach, or one‑way transmission of knowledge, all of which place control and uniformity above the learner’s voice and personal meaning.