Gen Y - Program and Curriculum Guide

Section I: Chapter 4: Using the Curriculum
Summary: In this dynamic student-centered course, teachers learn to use the curricular materials to meet student and staff needs.

• What's in the Curriculum Kit?
• How to use the Curriculum Guide
• Curriculum Guide Organization
• Unit Contents (click here for more details)
• Unit Ordering and Modifications
• Length of Units and Activities
• Pacing the Class
• Organizing out-of-class time
• Assessment and evaluation
• Standards alignment
• Adapting the curriculum for various grades
• Support for the Gen Y teacher

Chapter Excerpt:

How to use the Curriculum Guide
Teachers should review the philosophy presented in the Program Guide, the first section of this manual. These guiding principles should be mirrored in all of the activities presented to the students. Reflecting best practice, this curriculum is project-based; activities are authentic, integrated with curriculum, and related to standards. The students should be encouraged to work collaboratively. The activities concentrate on hands-on technology experience, and contain a minimum of pencil-paper activities. Instead of including long and specific narrative scripts for teachers (as in the original edition of this guide), background information is provided and step-by-step procedures for delivering the lesson are outlined. However, don't let this guide pull you away from your own experience and style as a teacher. Our lessons are shaped and imprinted by our unique style. For these lessons to come alive, you need to find ways to make them your own, to add your unique voice, and to personalize them.

Teachers should feel free to use their professional expertise and knowledge to adapt the curriculum to fit the needs of their students. This guide is a resource, not a prescribed mandate. A useful analogy for the Generation Y Program and Curriculum Guide is a cookbook. For those less experienced in the kitchen, a cookbook provides a very detailed, step-by-step outline to follow to guarantee a successful result. As one's experience with the tools and standard ingredients of cooking increase, there is less and less need to refer to and follow each and every detailed step of a recipe. In the case of the experienced chef, a cookbook may serve more as a reminder of available options or as a starting point for developing personalized, creative variations of a dish. Also, one doesn't normally cook every recipe in a cookbook. It is our hope that whatever approach you select will make your efforts and those of your students more enjoyable, productive, and successful.

Next: Chapter 5: Looking Ahead

To evaluate the full Curriculum Guide, click here.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5