New 8 to Great Curriculum Ingrained in 7th Grade
By Cambree Schmaltz
7th grade Life Skills class has seen powerful changes to its curriculum, 8 to Great. In the past years the program has been mostly text and conversation based, opposed to the newer video and interactive lessons. The program was created by M.K. Mueller.
High-Way 1: Getting the Picture (determining your dreams and goals)
High-Way 2: Risk (facing your fears and running to, not from to move forward)
High-Way 3: Full Responsibility (responsibility is a freedom and not a burden, you are the only problem and therefore the only solution)
High-Way 4: Feel All Your Feelings (you have to accept your emotions to empower yourself)
High-Way 5: Honest Communication (speaking to people about problems directly and not behind their backs)
High-Ways 6, 7, & 8: FGH (Forgiveness, Gratitude, and Hope)
M.K. Mueller discovered these steps while going through a very rough patch in her life. Mueller created and used these highways to move past her struggles and set her on the right track through life. The program is used to show all audiences the eight steps to lead their “Best Life Adventure”. Many known people have used the eight steps to lead their own successful and happy lives. These people can be seen in many of the videos, which causes a larger impact on how the students view the program. Many of the students featured in the video programs talk about how they use these strategies in their life or at a younger age, so this is why the program is targeted towards middle school students.
Bayard was a pilot school among just a few dozen others. When 8 to Great was in its developmental stages, Bayard volunteered to test out the curriculum and help to improve it. A few Bayard students gave input to the author M.K. Mueller through Skype. Candace Wolfe was one of these members. When Wolfe participated in the 8 to Great program she thought, “It had very good intentions to help people’s lives and it did help people.” To Wolfe the program seemed “staged” and it was hard for the students to stay involved. “I gave feedback on how she could make it more relatable to a younger audience and I helped her give examples that people would understand,” said Wolfe on how she helped to improve the program. After seeing some of the new changes Candace Wolfe believes 8 to Great has changed for the better. M.K Mueller is very engaged in the process of making the program better. She has Skyped with the current class for their input or any questions they might have about the program. Kiana Tavenner was one of the students who spoke with Mueller. Tavenner was extremely eager to meet the author after she began learning her material. “I asked her where she lived and if she did any sports and if she went to college,” said Tavenner. The class was able to get to know Mueller better and talk with her about the program. This goes to show that these students are eager to improve their program and make each other’s lives better.