Connecting the New Home & Career Skills

Curriculum to the Old One

Curriculum Components Unchanged

• Mandated course in middle school for all students for 30 weeks or ¾ unit

• Taught by a certified FACS teacher

• Similar curriculum outline– Content topics ---- Performance Obj. ---- Supp.

Competencies

• Delivered by using hands-on instruction

Focus on Process Skills

Communication Skills

Creative & Critical Thinking

Leadership

Management Skills

How do the new content topics fit into the old modules?

Personal & Family Resource Management Module is now five separate units.

Personal Environment ManagementConsumer Resource ManagementNutrition & WellnessFinancial ManagementClothing Management

How do the new content topics fit into the old modules?

Personal Development Module Self Human Development

Career Planning

Module Career Development

Others Interpersonal Relationships

Family & Parenting

Human Development

Where does the 10th Content Topic fit?

Community ConnectionsParticipating in local & global community

activitiesRole of adolescent in enhancing the lives of

others

Start a FCCLA Chapter

How are the new content topics different then the old ones?

• Current terms are used

• Concepts are emphasized such as wellness, responsibility, cooperation, exploration, etc.

• Shift in philosophy from teaching technical skills to teaching process skills

• Incorporates NYS learning standards

Current Terms are usedThe difference between the right word and the

almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain

• Nutrition Mgmt. Nutrition & Wellness

• Kitchen Culinary Lab

• Money Mgmt. Financial Mgmt.

• Home Economics Family & Consumer Sciences

Concepts are Emphasized

• A broad idea that is transferable & has lasting value.– Wellness encompasses nutrition, physical fitness,

mental health, etc. It is a concept for the topic nutrition.

– Relationships is a concept that includes the topics dating, family ties, friendships, etc.

– Teamwork is a concept that includes working together cooperatively. This is only inferred in the old curriculum, but now included under leadership.

– Concepts: Collaboration, responsibility, perspective, culture, change, creativity, balance, technology…

Shift in Philosophy from Teaching Technical Skills to Teaching Process

Skills• Which is more valuable to learn:

Facts?

Using & processing information?

Teaching Technical Skills

• Teach students HOW to prepare food, HOW to construct textiles, HOW to balance a checkbook, …

• Emphasis is on acquiring these skills as the end result.

Why is this a problem?

Teaching Process Skills

• Hands-on activities is considered a means to an end.

• Emphasis is on the process skills and concepts being taught.

What should the emphasis be in baking muffins?

• Making healthy choices

•Importance of following directions

•Use and purpose of a leavening agent

•Teamwork & Cooperation

Incorporates the NYS Learning Standards

• Each content topic lists the FACS and CDOS standards.

• Each content topic is also aligned with the other NYS learning standards. This curriculum is connected to 25 of the 28 standards and represented on a chart in the curriculum guide.

The FACS Curriculum is helping students make connections with

other general education.

We need to emphasize the process skills found in the Home & Career Skills curriculum:

Communication

Management

Leadership

Creative & Critical Thinking

This new curriculum can help pave the way to enlighten your administrators and fellow teachers about how valuable the FACS curriculum is to students.

Begin the enlightenment today!

Thank you!

Andrea Mosenson

FCS Education Coordinator

Dept. of Family, Nutrition & Exercise Sciences

Queens College, CUNY

Flushing, NY 11367

718-997-4161

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