Dear Parent,
INTRODUCTION
This is a general letter to parents of 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade students. It explains a section of our curriculum that relates to these grades. We are sending it because the curriculum is new and will be unfamiliar to virtually everyone. We want you to understand what we are trying to accomplish, and to enlist your participation. We call the studies the Personhood Curriculum.
The one “subject” that children love is “How to be an adult.” They really don’t know how to go about it, schools have not in the past taught it, and often parents don’t know how to teach it. This curriculum will go a long way towards correcting this. You can be a significant part of it.
Some students are lucky, and someone in their life helped them learn the value of their education. Others figure it out by themselves. In either case, these are usually the students who do well in school, and in life. They learn early "how to be an adult."
One way to look at the curriculum is that it is designed to “Build Quality People.”
This curriculum is designed in part to lead students to an internal appreciation of the value of their schooling, and the motivation to learn it for life, rather than to simply pass the next test. If this is achieved, it becomes much easier to teach that student the core subjects, because the student will be internally motivated to learn! He sees the value of his education, and how it can serve him throughout his life.
THE CURRICULUM
The curriculum is designed to provide several aspects of education previously not taught by schools in general. It starts in the 3rd grade and runs through the 8th grade. The following is an overview of what is taught in grades 3, 4, & 5.
3rd Grade: Helps students understand goals and working towards goals. This is preparing the student for the Personhood curriculum of the fourth grade.
4th Grade: The study of Life Goals, Life Rules, and beginning the selection of the student’s own set of positive Life Goals and Life Rules. Teachers guide this process. These are global ideas that guide a person to make good choices. They deal with what kind of person the student wants to become, and the rules that will guide him to reach those goals. This is the beginning of internalizing motivation towards learning things that will be valuable to him.
5th Grade: We really get serious about motivating the student to become the BEST he or she can be! We bring home the fact that everyday choices we make have a major impact on our success in life. This 15 to 20 minute presentation has strong impact. It can turn a child from not caring about school into one who cares very much and will put in whatever effort it takes to learn!
Then we introduce the concept of being self-made. (This has no aspect of being a selfish person.) It builds upon the concepts of Life-Goals and Life-Rules. It locks in the importance of choosing these rules well, and in using them to guide one’s life. This idea along with those of Life-Goals and Life-Rules leads the student into realizing that he has the power to develop into an autonomous person who is very capable and highly respected. It therefore develops high self-esteem based on actual quality of the person.
We introduce the concept of “What if...?” questioning. This is a process used to help make good decisions in life.
Next we explore how schoolwork can contribute to the student reaching his own good Life-Goals.
Next we teach the students how to monitor their own actions and decisions. It's like having a built-in little voice to remind them of what they have decided they want to be like, or of things they have decided to change.
HOW PARENTS CAN HELP
How can you help your student? Become familiar with this special material and the schedule it will follow.
(See this web page <URL> for the schedule in our school, and how to review the teaching materials.) (Also provide hardcopy for those without Internet.) Adults should easily understand this material. Knowing what is being taught and when, you can review it with your student. You know your child better than anyone else, and will likely know those areas where he or she needs extra attention. Reinforce the teaching in everyday life, and in relation to schoolwork. Expand the teaching into specific areas unique to your child. Follow the idea of linking everything being learned into how that will benefit your child now and in the future. Use very concrete connections. Follow the examples of the class lessons "Relevancy" sections.
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The curriculum will continue through the 8th grade. Another letter will be sent home in Jr. High.
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For help, or with questions, feel free to contact <name>, who has been designated the school / parent liaison person for this curriculum. <phone number>, <Email>