Our Curriculum

The core of the “A Backpack Journalist” curriculum  helps youth and adult learners to  develop their writing skills, while underneath the youth find their “voice” and a means to express themselves.  Writing is at the foundation of our curricula.

A recent report from NAGB states that 75% of 8-12th graders lack writing proficiency.  For access to a full report follow this link:

http://www.nagb.org/newsroom/naep-releases/2011-writing.html

Our Curriculum is offered in an open classroom with a mobile lab-based learning environment.  Our curriculum combines experienced teachers and professionals, with distinctive lecture styles and techniques, including hands-on and one-on-one conferencing with each youth.  We use  point and shoot cameras, flip video and pocket recorders, cam recorders and cameras that shoot film and still,  multimedia software, and PC’s and MAC’s — the latest, greatest tech tools!  We travel with a digital lab and have the ability to teach with just “an electrical outlet”!  Often the youth refer to their experience with our team – as “guerilla teaching that leaves a lot behind!”

Building resiliency through creative expression.

Encouraging creative expression through a variety of media applications has shown to be successful in the trainings to date, and is one of the goals of A Backpack Journalist, along with providing “real world” experiences for the youth participating.

Curriculum Guide:

 A Backpack Journalist ™ Curriculum Guide designed for youth 12-18 and adult learners is available for license.  It contains each subject track and operational how-to’s to establish your own program.  Guide includes a syllabus for each of the following and for staff and youth in two separate sections.  To aide staff in presenting the curriculum, the content is edited into a PowerPoint for easy teaching applications.

All chapters are available in a digital form and in print.

New 2013:  Social Media 101