You Don’t Need a Shovel to Sort Through that Pile of…Curriculum
by Kris “Bubba” Brammer
Feeling a little overwhelmed by all those curriculum samplers and flyers about the best new curriculum ever? I don’t know about you, but it seems like I get these samples, flyers, and catalogs every week of the year and twice as much in the summer. It’s tempting to just get a shovel and dump it all in the trash bin. Sorting through and choosing curriculum for the new year of ministry can be one of the more challenging behind-the-scenes-tasks. So, how do you sort through it all to begin to make the right choice when it comes to choosing curriculum for the new school year? Here are a few things I keep in the forefront of my mind when sorting through the good stuff from the…
1. Know your group. Who is this for – a small group, large group, quiet group, active group, creative group, everything and in between? Knowing your group and what they have tended to engage with in the past will help you sort through the plethora of choices.
2. Know your church’s theological and biblical leanings. Is the theology of the curriculum in the same theological ballpark as your context? This can be a challenge from just a sample lesson, so dig a little deeper – who is publishing the curriculum? What denomination are they associated with (if any)? Find their mission statement or “About Us” page on their website. You can learn a lot about their theological leanings from this.
3. Know who your leaders are and the time they have to prepare. The amount of time it will take to prepare for a lesson can vary quite a bit from curriculum to curriculum. Knowing the abilities of your leaders and the time they have to commit to being prepared can help you sort through the many options.
4. Know how important diversity is to you and your context. For my context, diversity and inclusiveness is very important. Curriculum that uses exclusive language or depicts people as only being of one ethnicity (ex. Jesus is always Caucasian) is another easy sorting tool for us. This may or may not be an issue for you and your context.
5. Know your budget. Curriculum can be quite expensive, or very reasonable. Do you really need all those bells and whistles – the workbooks and DVD’s and activity sheets? All those things can add up. Knowing your budget can help you sort through what is and what isn’t necessary and what is feasible or not for you and your context. It can also give you cause for asking for a bigger budget!
Now that you’ve sorted which curriculum has potential and which doesn’t, you can go deeper into that evaluation. This PC(USA) Youth Ministry Quick Sheet resource has an excellent, full featured curriculum evaluation tool and process to help you take the next step in choosing the right curriculum for you.
About the author:
Kris “Bubba” Brammer, a graduate of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education and Columbia Theological Seminary, has a passion for youth ministry. With over 25 years of experience in church education and youth ministry, Kris has taught workshops on youth ministry and Christian education at various conferences. Currently serving in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kris enjoys life with his wife and dogs, and pursues hobbies like golfing and fly-fishing.