One reason why curriculum planning has received so much attention but generated so little practical activity is the inadequate grasp of the arts of perception--the arts which enable curriculum developers to see and make use of the significant and particular features of problematic situations. The four kinds of practical arts are: perception (list the symptoms which indicate something is wrong); problemation (formulate the problem); prescription (generate a plan of action); and commitment (take action). Perceptions are enhanced when guided by systematic use of the four commonplaces of educational situations--student, teacher, subject matter, and milieus. A checklist including details from all four factors should be used by curriculum planners, a proper balance must be maintained among the commonplaces, and interaction among the commonplaces should be encouraged when making curricular decisions. Curricular descriptions generalities must be imbued with particular characteristics, a process which considerably modifies their meaning. Deliberation is the pattern which should be used for curriculum development. Activities which would encourage curriculum planning include reading and analyzing accounts of actual deliberations and developing sets of commonplaces and mediating terms. (RM)