OUR CURRICULUM

This document has been design to soothe the needs of a marginalized group of youths in my community, who have faced several  adversities in life. This group of marginalized youths include: drug addicts, ex-convicts and ex-child soldiers  between the ages 12-25.

This curriculum is design based on a past experience that,  I( the founder) went through and it holds its credence from how I transition from a world of no hope, loneliness, stigma and solitude through to how I came to this point in my life.

The philosophy and outline of this curriculum centers around a story titled: “ Out of the Box”, and it embodies all the characteristics of the assign formulae for effective curriculum formulation. That is, ascribing a deeper meaning to each letter from the word “PARTICIPATE”.

Title: “ Out of the box ”

I will begin with the criteria through which participants will be eligible for any of our workshops, and it thus start with  the first letter ‘ P ‘.

Participants are considered to be residents in a 1 meter square box with no window, door and covered with complete darkness. They are fed up, distress, frustrated and no hope for the future and always reflecting on what got them to their present situation.

Participants willingly decides to use reflections, and hands as a tool to create a narrow hole through the wall of the box. That is, undergoing the process of “ Decision Making “and  becoming “Problem Solvers”.

Through the narrow hole a glimpse of light infiltrates into the box, enabling them to peep outside to see a blue sky. This brings to mind to them, a ray of hope for a seemingly bright future out there. At this juncture, they sort to expand the hole into a window by “ critically ” thinking about themselves and creating self awareness.

Realizing their limitations and the opportunities on the outside world, they use their voices to sing, shout, talk, plead and ask for help. Now they are able to “ communicate and develop interpersonal skills ” with the society.

The next thing is for participants to be aware of their environment, to learn to cope with emotions, manage their stress and invites solidarity and empathy from the outside world for a door to be created.

All the above mentioned stages are done through different art mediums like, music, painting, drama, story telling, graphic designs, sculpturing, film / documentaries, mimes and poems.

Additional eligibility information includes participant’s, understanding and speaking of English Language and be willing to learn basic writing, reading and computer skills.

The Letter “P”

Participants

It defines the criteria for our choice of beneficiary/participant. Considering aspects like the social adversities experience by the participant, their aspirations, dreams and expectations, age group, language skills and gender.

The Letter “A”

Aim:

The aim of this workshop is to drill participants through life skill  education, art training and social enterprise development programs  for them to be able to have a new perspective for their lives.

The Letter “ R ’’

Relevant

For participants to be able to understand how to overcome substance use, abuse, crime and situate their passion in career development.

To be able to make positive judgments, personal interaction and impact positive change in their mental, behavioral and physical conditions.

The Letter ‘ T “

Tailoring

The curriculum will take into consideration participant’s age, health condition, frequency, and duration in substance use , abuse and crime. And the physical needs of the participant in relation to career choices.

The Letter “I”

Importance

To make participants to realize the necessity and benefits of adopting a new perspective in live for themselves, families, communities and the world. And for them to lead a life of healthy living and choices.

The Letter “C”

Constructive/Communication

To enable our curriculum to be effectively communicable, we use the acronym

“ CADA ”. Here refers to:

C=Critical Thinking & Creativity

A=Assertiveness to modify beliefs and abstract norms

D=Dissociation Analytics

A=Alternative preventive options

The Letter “I”

Information

The tools we use include:

Visual thinking/communication: design, visual culture and fine art

Explicit instruction about the design process. Here we promote the idea that the quality of participant/beneficiary’s work and the creativity they exhibit improves when the work through a process that they have learned and practiced.

The Concept of Constructivism: Giving each participant the opportunity to create art forms with relevant concepts. And the creation of rubrics from their input.

Aesthetic awareness which relates to how the aesthetic impact of the work of art has been enhanced or diminished according to the participant’ s choice.

The Letter “P”

Performance Assessment

This describes a direct measure of participant’s ability to apply their knowledge of understanding and practice of concepts.

The Letter “A”

Adaptation /Alignment

Aligning instruction with long-ranged outcomes: Improved understanding of the principles in art and design, development of the physical skills of production and growth in aesthetic understanding.

The Letter “T”

Tools of Assessment: Observation, skills & techniques explored and activities employed by participants.

The Letter “E”

Expectation/Evaluation: Fulfillment of participants intended results, dreams and aspirations.