This past semester I completed the first pilot implementation of my Kenan curriculum, Manufacturing an Engaged Mind. This was a very exciting experience that had many successes but also many glitches. With each lesson, I was able to collaborate with my students, discussing areas of the lesson that they believed went well, areas they felt were unclear, and areas that needed additional guidance and improvement. Their input was greatly valued and appreciated and I truly believe that their involvement in the evolution of my lessons created a heightened level of commitment on their part as an actively participating student.
The lesson that my students seemed to most enjoy was the Cost Analysis lesson. This lesson created a challenge for the students as they worked to maximize quality and production while minimizing cost. During the short video clip attached, you can see one of the discussions between myself and the group about how they are minimizing apple waste (to reduce cost) in order to add some additional flavor ingredients that add cost. Within this lesson, students recognized the importance of production and cost and more importantly recognized that this is a process that is conducted in every field in order to have a successful business!
I look forward to the future and the continued implementation of this curriculum. With each lesson, I expect to see improvement as I become more comfortable and familiar with how I want to present the material to the students. Yet, I also fully expect to continue to get developmental feedback for years to come with each new class that completes the curriculum. I am pleased with Round 1 and I am excited to see the results of Round 2 and on!
