Session 2, Part 4: Create a Clear Pathway Toward Success

Create Your Ideal Curriculum, Session 2: Decide What is Worth Learning

The summer before the pandemic, my son and my daughter planned a trip from southwest Wisconsin to central Michigan. Our goal was two-fold: to visit my brother and his family, and to attend Nerd Camp, an author/book festival for school-aged children. The purpose for this goal was bigger than any outcome, though: we wanted to connect with our loved ones and to experience a true community of readers. In other words, to belong and to create a sense of belonging for others.

So how would we get there? How would we know we were on the “right way”? There were many pathways toward our goal (although Chicago traffic was unavoidable). So we prepared the journey together with specific stopping points, such as a place to stay in the middle of our road trip. These plans led to smaller details that would help us be successful, such as making sure we had enough money for expenditures as well as knowing how to navigate the roads.

This is not a dissimilar process to preparing a unit of study. The ideal c…