Curriculum: A Teacher's Guide to Organizing and Customizing Learning Objectives

Defining student curriculum really is not as difficult as it may sound. It is truly about getting to know the student, their strengths, weaknesses, preferred learning style and objectives.

The first thing you want to do is sit and have a conversation with the student, just like when you meet someone new, especially if you really want to get to know them.

You are not going to learn everything in one day. It's about establishing a relationship, go out to lunch, and go for a walk. Do something that the student enjoys doing, but also allows an opportunity to converse.

With middle school students, I do advisory meetings, but they are more like job interviews and are apart of my "Living Life Curriculum"
I have a few fun assessments that seem more like games, or puzzles that tell about the students learning style, multiple intelligence, and or personality.

I learn how the student feels about getting up early in the morning, or do they have lot of energy t night, especially during puberty. Teenagers want to sleep all day, and stay up all night. Its not their fault, honestly its not.

That is another thing to take into consideration when developing a curriculum for a student. Who are they right now, not just who do they want to be. But took look at where they are mentally, and physically as well. One tends to have a major affect on the other.

Curriculum is not just simply reading a book and answering the questions at the end simply to forget everything you read by the end of the week.

Curriculum is not a bunch of worksheets that are given just to spend time on something that looks like learning. If it is not benefiting the student, there is no purpose in it. If it is not assisting win achieving the goal, get rid of it.

Curriculum is about tools and resources. They can be books, they can be movies, they can be trips, and interesting conversations, they can be a grandparent telling family stories, and events of the past. They can be the student himself telling a part about how their day went; blogging it, and taking pictures of their daily life.

Curriculum is what ever benefits a student's growth potential. For younger children it could be learning how to share with others, and negotiating. Learning which clothes are appropriate for certain weather or events.

For each of my students I learn more about them each time we are together or talk, if there is a need for an adjustment than it is made. We all grow as a people. Our minds grown and change, and so should the tools and resources that one uses to educate themselves.

If a student likes to read their curriculum may be a trip to the library each week. Learning how to find books, and check them out. Registering and being on time to the story readings and classes the library offers.

Curriculum may be learning what that students favorite song is about, how to spell the words, understand what they mean, and share with others why they like it. Listening to the instruments, learning what they are, how to play them, or even writing their own song.

Learning about the artist, who they are, and where they are from. Curriculum has to be interesting, and relevant, if its not, its pointless because students will not retain what they read If you can not remember information in order to use it at a later time that is not learning, and if you have it memorized but can not explain it to tech others that not learning either.

Times change, people change, information changes. You want to make sure that your student has the skills and knowledge to keep up with a society that is ever changing, and that will never be base don memorizing facts simply to answer the questions at the end.