[slidehero]

>I'm surprised you're allowed to do that in the first place.

Not just allowed, but expected.

>I didn't have a curriculum I was mandated to follow.

Curriculum documents are not as detailed and prescriptive as you imagine. They absolutely do go into specific detail of what must be covered, but they don't specify the how, when, sequencing etc. The teacher of course has much discretion with regard to how they teach.

>Over here, the material changes yearly, too. But it's not the teachers changing it - it's the textbook authors moving some things around

Every system has its quirks I guess :)