How to use this curriculum
Each lesson is listed
in the order it was taught. Each lesson builds on the previous one
with each subsequent lesson dependent on the personal growth the
students develop. For the beginning days, the Sequence and
the Content are listed together. In later days, they are
separated as the instructor feels more comfortable with the
Sequence.
Each lesson is
complete within itself. Any of the lessons may be expanded to
include timely issues in the news or activities and events that are
happening in your school and community. In fact, the more the course
can be connected to current events and local teen issues, the more
relevant the course becomes and the more connected the students feel
to the material. One school incorporated the show “The Apprentice”
as a vehicle to discuss leadership skills. That program was also
used to investigate how the contestants, as well as Donald Trump and
the other successful corporate giants that often appeared on the
show, used the strategies shared in this course.
Each lesson is
extremely detailed in terms of the actions of the instructor and the
directions to the students. Each action and direction is very
specific and is necessary to achieve the result for which the lesson
aims. Some instructions may seem uncomfortable at first because
these are quite different from teaching strategies learned in
professional development.
One of the reasons
that this course is so successful is that the instructor steps out
of the traditional methods of teaching. Instead, instructional
techniques are employed that mirror those used by the top business
trainers in the world based on research by doctors and scientists
who delve into how and why we learn. These methods change passive
students into curious, active and involved learners. Some of the
activities may seem juvenile at times. Some are actually what
appear to be silly games. But all have a very specific purpose that
creates the desired results for teens. We as educators have to
remember that we, too, like to have fun when we learn. The details
have been provided to help you create the same results with your
students.
Use the
CD
to create your own Student Journal Page or use the ones
prepared for each lesson. Using the CD allows you to add any
articles, stories or quotes that you discover. It also allows an
instructor to add specific messages such as “Reminder: Quiz 2 is
tomorrow” or “First quarter ends this Friday”. Students appreciate
a more personalized handout. Adding color to the printout if
possible also adds to student interest. The Student Journal
Pages have been created in color but may be printed in black and
white.
Each lesson is listed
with the suggested number of days it takes to teach. This is a
recommendation only. Some lessons take less time; some take more
depending on the make up of the class, what’s happening in the
school as a whole at that time (grades, prom, homecoming) and many
other factors that a typical school year presents.
Extra activities and
suggestions are available on the CD for those days that are out of
the usual. It is a good idea to have several of these available for
those situations. In a typical school, there are days when only
part of the class is in the room because of state testing,
assemblies, health examinations or other unplanned events.
Having several items
ready to go at a moment’s notice is a wonderful strategy. Be sure
it is something that those not present can do at a later date.
Since everything counts towards their final grade, it’s important to
pick activities that can be done on student time. |
