Preparing Our Teen Teachers The South Dakota Youth Foundation, Inc. provides Teen Teachers with the tools needed to be successful
Curriculum
Lesson Overview
All lesson materials provided by the SD Youth Foundation are designed with the Experiential Learning Model. Lessons feature a consistent format across the board. Each lesson includes:
Teen Teachers receive training in working with young students, lesson structure, and content at the required training summit.
Experiential Learning
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
-Confucius adaptation
This is the essence of Experiential Learning. Students 'experience' lesson content. and learn to apply it and then reflect on its role in their daily life. The SD Youth Foundation believes Experiential Learning is highly effective and utilizes it as an intricate part of the Teen Teacher program. All lesson resources for 'Character Counts!' and' Healthy YOUth' are designed with Experiential Learning.
Lesson Materials
Character Counts!
The SD Youth Foundation is a member of the Character Counts! Coalition. Character Counts! focuses on Six Pillars of Character. Lessons for each of the six pillars plus are included in the curriculum.
The Pillars of Character are:
Care for Me, Care For You
'Care for Me, Care for You' is a lesson that incorporates both character education, healthy lifestyle choices, and the science of infectious disease.
This lesson was created to help address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Care for Me, Care for You' highlights that positive actions for our own health translate to positive actions for other's health. Pillars of character such as Caring, Responsibility, Respect, and Citizenship all play a role in how we meet challenges.
Healthy YOUth
The Healthy YOUth curriculum was driven by priorities identified by the Healthy Youth Council. The Council was a statewide group of teens who identified top issues to address to foster a healthy lifestyle.
The curriculum continues to evolve and address areas of: