Kelley Dawson learned early that if you don’t plan “good curriculum,” kids can really get out of control. “I tried every- thing to get my [fourth grade) students to behave: incentives, threats, punishments, being strict, being friendly, yelling, reasoning, sweet-talking, and pleading for sympathy.” Kelley was desperate.
Fortunately, after reflection, she realized that she shouldn’t have to get the students under control to start teaching. Rather, it was the other way around. “You have to start by teaching interesting, engaging content.” She asked herself what she was doing that made stu-dents so bored and disruptive and concluded that she was making them plod through poor textbooks and other materials, disconnected from their lives. Consequently, Kelley began to find more interesting materials than the texts (some she made herself) and to relate what was to be learned as much as possible to students* experiences and interests.
Several years later, Kelley still struggles to provide a curriculum that motivates. But the struggle seems worthwhile. Beyond fixing disciplinary headaches she notes a good curriculum “gets kids to think deeply, care about our world,