Step 1 for Curriculum Planning

The first step I took when planning the curriculum was to write down our overall goals. This helped focus how the material would be taught. My son has two main issues that were holding him back. First, he has Disorder of Written Expression. That is a learning disability which means he struggles with putting his thoughts into words and then writing them down. His other big problem is anything to do with organization. Here are the four goals that have guided our year:

·       He will be able to complete a range of writing assignments with no supports or modifications.

·       He will have the knowledge and understanding included in the 7th grade core objectives as defined by the NCDPI (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction).

·       He will have the knowledge and understanding needed to qualify for Algebra placement in 8th grade.

·       He will be able to manage his time and assignments on his own.

The most important thing was to get him involved and committed to these goals, too. And, most days he’s on board and happy. Well, at least as much as an average 7th grade boy can get.