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I am looking forward to having your child in my class. I would like to take this opportunity to let you know what we will be doing in class. Several years ago, the name of this class was changed from Home Economics to Teen Living. This was done to reflect the change in emphasis of the class. Teen Living curriculum covers all areas of a teenager’s life. While cooking and sewing are two of the most popular activities in Teen Living, this class offers many more opportunities for our middle school students. Other areas of study covered in this class include Interior Design, Child Care, Personal Development, Family Relationships, Nutrition, Home Management, Consumer Education and Career Exploration.

The curriculum areas of Teen Living help students to see how concepts they are learning in other subject areas at school can be applied to their everyday lives. For example, I show how things learned in science class can be observed in the kitchen during cooking. Or, how lessons learned in Math are used during the sewing projects when students use measurement and math skills to design their projects. Many times, students have a hard time understanding why they must study certain things in school, but Teen Living helps to point out the practical applications of things learned in other subject areas.

We all want to feel loved and accepted. It is the most basic of human needs. Being able to make and keep friends and getting along with family members is one of the most important skills that must be learned in order to achieve this. The Personal Relationships unit gives students a chance to learn and discuss ways to improve their interpersonal skills. Learning how to deal with divorce, blended families and step families are also important topics covered here.

Child Care and Development is an important subject area for middle school students because many of them are responsible for the care of younger brothers and sisters. Also, many of our students baby-sit as a way of making extra spending money. It is important that the teenage sitter knows how to keep children safe and understands what to expect from different aged children.

I teach a unit on Career Exploration so that 8th grade students can seriously consider what they would like to do to earn a living in the future. Students discover ways to choose a career and the educational requirements necessary for that job. Until this unit of study, many students have not realized just how close they are to having to make this very serious decision about their futures. Students use a computer program that helps them match their interests and hobbies with job opportunities as well as class discussion, brain storming and writing exercises. After this unit students are better able to plan for their high school years and their futures.

As all parents know, teenagers spend a great deal of money. In Teen Living, this is covered in a unit called Consumer Education. Students learn ways to make wise choices by comparing different products, reading warranties and contracts, and learning how to handle credit and bank accounts. Living within a budget is a skill that will make their futures more financially secure. A computer program called “On Your Own” is used that gives students a “real life” simulation where they must choose a job, rent an apartment, set up utilities, buy a car, plan a budget and live within a budget for three months. In this simulation, students must deal with unexpected situations such as a car wreck or a fire. They learn that they cannot control the future and that they must be prepared as best they can for the unexpected. Once again, they can see for themselves the need for a good education and a good job.

Middle school students are old enough to help their parents with many Home Management tasks such as keeping their rooms and closets organized and helping with the laundry. I show students how to help their parents with these tasks and explain how helping their parents will make a difference in the home. Teenagers want to feel helpful and needed and this is one way they can. It also helps parents to have more free time to spend with their children rather than spending the time on routine house work.

Teenagers enjoy being creative and making their rooms at home a special place all their own. It is a way of expressing their personalities and creativity. I teach a unit on Interior Design in which they learn basic concepts such as furniture arrangement and the use of color, texture and design principles to create a “dream room” project. Some lucky students are able to convince their parents to let their dream room become a reality.

Good nutrition is important because the choices a person makes about food can affect their quality of life and future health. Students learn how to plan menus, choose healthy foods when away from home and how to prepare meals.

I look forward to this school year and hope your child is as well. All students will have this class for one nine week period and some students may be assigned for a second nine weeks. Students who will repeat the class will be given more advanced instruction in the subject areas or they will be given the option of choosing different projects and assignments. I hope we have a great year!

If you need to contact me, you can call during my planning time (7:50-8:05 or 2:45-3:15) or you can leave a message at the office and I will return you call. (Office phone 423-581-3041)