LA4 Curriculum

Prepare students for the marketplace with 15-minute lessons easily integrated into any course: https://www.la4marketplace.com

"Not only was it (LA4 Curriculum) the perfect beginning for the foundation of this curriculum, it helped my students and I get through a difficult time at school and make a teachable moment for a lifetime.” - Fountain Lake School District

https://www.la4marketplace.com/

Check out what we’re all about: https://vimeo.com/471724023/66ae5ac9b4

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Bullying is on the rise. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, a recent study showed that one out of every five (20.2%) students report being bullied. Because of this, LA4 Curriculum has a specific section dedicated to the topic of bullying. It can help your students know how to respond and process bullying. This curriculum is also preventative and works at stopping the bullies from going down that path.

While being polite, showing honor, and staying positive through disappointments are considered “soft skills,” they are no less important than hard skills like technical knowledge or language training. Actually, these soft skills are often what determines someone’s employability. Having a mature toolbox of soft skills can not only earn your students a job, but ultimately help them have success in life. Help your students succeed by using LA4 Curriculum.

LA4 Example Exercise:

Character is doing the right thing at the right time. It’s “practicing what you preach.” All this ties into two other LA4 topics: truth and law and order… You have the opportunity now to begin living and loving truth. You can speak truth to the best of your understanding and begin to look for what’s right, and you’ll find it. If you do that, you are already becoming a person of strong character.

Discussion Question: What are some areas where you are strong in truth? What are you willing to give up to seek truth?

Ultimately, practical living skills, having a vision for the future and building a strong character are what enables students to find employment upon graduating. You may be teaching them the basics of math, science and language, but are you teaching them the most important lessons in life? Employability skills are needed and ultimately what leads to success. Start using LA4 Curriculum to see how important and impactful these skills are.

Check out this link for a sample lesson on building character!
http://www.la4curriculum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/think-unique.pdf

Oftentimes, showing honor, politeness, humility and positivity are considered “soft skills.” Soft seems to imply unimportant. However, these soft skills are so important that they are often what determines if someone is hirable or worthy of a promotion. Having honor, politeness, humility and positivity are what bring employability, and ultimately success. Help your students succeed by using LA4 Curriculum.

COVID-19 has surely changed our world. And with that, we are seeing a mental health pandemic of its own. Students need to be reminded that there is hope!

With LA4, one of LA4’s main categories of focus is “Establishing Hope and Vision.” Students are taught how to achieve goals, create vision and join their classmates in encouraging one another in their purpose and vision.

With rote memorization and the overuse of busywork, several students are simply not being challenged to think these days. However, real thinkers are the ones who go on to start their own business, challenge the norms and ultimately change the world. LA4 Marketplace encourages every student to think for themselves by igniting their creativity and imagination.

Read this story for a taste of newly released book, "The Soul of a Boy."

The Kiss of Spring:
It was the spring of ’74, and I was a fourth-grader in elementary school. I remember it well for a couple of reasons. First, I got a Sears & Roebuck 3-speed bicycle that was fluorescent green with a sissy bar that scraped the sky. It had a banana seat long enough to hold me and five friends. Whether I was cruising in first gear or second, or riding like the wind in power third, my green and silver streamers danced in the wind—boy, was I cool!
Second, it was around this time that I started to notice a little neighbor girl named Darlene. She was one of my childhood friends, but this time it was different: I was in love. Soon, I found out that she shared my affections, and we became inseparable at recess and after school. In fact, in just three weeks, we were engaged to be married.
At times, I did have some doubts. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was me she really liked, or was she just impressed with my incredibly cool bike (you know, the one with “power third”)? Who could blame her? But this fear was laid to rest when I was grounded from my bike for two whole weeks for ramming it into my big brother’s bike while he was still on it. Darlene proved faithful, and nothing changed.
I remember one recess in particular. We were playing atop the monkey bars when she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. It was spontaneous; it was spring, and I was inspired. An honest look back would have revealed a kiss as dry as an autumn leaf, but I didn’t care. I was in
love, or so I thought.
By the time spring flowed into summer and summer into fall, we were passing in the hallways with an ordinary “hello.” That’s all right. I would write several “do you like me, circle yes or no” letters before my elementary school days were done.
As I grew older and the pressures and temptations of dating relationships weighed heavily, I would think fondly of those days: days of bike rides in the sun, stomping through mud puddles in the rain, and stories and laughter under the clouds.
Sure, I was attracted to her. How could I not be? She was a vision of loveliness in her Girl Scout outfit. But it wasn’t the handholding, or even the occasional kiss that meant so much. It was the excitement of the simple. I just needed to know I was okay.

Several life skills are simply not taught in schools any more. Yet, without them, students are left unprepared and vulnerable. The LA4 Marketplace, on the other-hand, encourages students to build life skills and become proficient in qualities that employers are looking for. Additionally, this is all done with a foundation of honor.

"After working with hundreds and hundreds of schools, teachers and students, I've created a highly effective set of materials that will significantly boost your students' code of honor and their emotional intelligence..." https://vimeo.com/471724023/66ae5ac9b4

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New book release coming soon!

About the Author

Troy Kidder is president of Kidder Media—a public relations/marketing firm specializing in print publications and digital media for schools and communities with a readership of millions per year and growing rapidly around the country. He is a pioneer in the industry of communications, public relations and marketing for schools, serving them for 25 years. Kidder has also done training for schools, businesses and even some Fortune 500 companies in the areas of Teamwork, Character, Bullying/Harassment and Creative Thinking. In addition, he owns Kidder Crisis Communications which specializes in crisis prevention, crisis communications and crisis management.

A former high school English teacher, Kidder has written and published books including this book of stories, LA4 Curriculum of Honor for middle school students and the LA4 Marketplace for professional adults. He is an entrepreneur, recording artist and outstanding public speaker. Kidder’s family includes his wife, their married daughter, and two teenage girls. They make their home in Destin, FL, and Goshen, IN.

For more information about Troy’s companies and materials, please see links:

www.kiddermedia.com

www.kiddercrisiscommunications.com

www.la4curriculum.com

www.la4marketplace.com

LA4 Example Exercise:

Can you describe a triumphant, creative moment that stands out as significant to you boldly using your talents and creative abilities?

Can you advise high school students briefly on the importance of developing other life skills like discipline and honor? Perhaps you can share a personal story on how, at some point, you began to develop life skills and how it has helped you prosper in business and life in general.

This past year has brought on more fear and anxiety than ever before. Especially surprising, is the amount young people are experiencing. LA4 Life Applications Curriculum is thus more applicable than ever. One main section, Clearing the Clutter, focuses specifically on getting rid of fear. Help your students deal with the stress of a pandemic by taking them through LA4.

LA4’s 12–20-minute lessons are a perfect supplement to any high school course. The workbook/curriculum is well structured, easy to teach and ready to go. Save time, use LA4!

Use LA4 to equip your high school students for the marketplace with the same skills that small businesses and even Fortune 500 companies are looking for but have a difficult time finding.

LA4 Example Exercise:

Creativity is vulnerability. Was there ever a time in your life when you held back your creative ideas, abilities or even expression that you later regretted—since you couldn’t get the moment back? How would you handle it differently now? Would it or could it have changed your future?

Is there any advice you can offer to high school students to encourage them or advise them on how they should develop and use their creative abilities?

Equip your high school students for the marketplace with the same skills that small businesses and even Fortune 500 companies are looking for but have a difficult time finding. See more details here: https://www.la4marketplace.com/

LA4 Curriculum of Honor The LA4 Curriculum of Honor sets high standards for students and promotes vision and hope starting with a close look at how they treat others.