ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Curriculum & Lesson Packages

ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Curriculum

The ChoiceMaker Curriculum is Designed to Teach Students the Self-Determination Skills Needed to be Successful in Adult Life.

The ChoiceMaker Curriculum consists of three strands: (1) Choosing Goals, (2) Expressing Goals, and (3) Taking Action. Each strand addresses teaching objectives in three transition areas: Education, Employment, and Personal. Click here to download the ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Curriculum Transition Maxtrix (pdf). The matrix can assist in guiding the use of the ChoiceMaker Curriculum for transition planning.

ChoiceMaker lessons are designed to be infused into existing school coursework programs. Because the Choosing Goals and Taking Action modules can be used with a variety of content, they can be used in either general education or special education classrooms. The Self-Directed IEP module is designed for use with students receiving special education services.

The different ChoiceMaker lesson modules may be used together or separately in whatever order best matches your educational needs. Again, the Self-Directed IEP is the only module designed for use only by students receiving special education services; all the other modules are designed for use by all students.

Many educators choose to start with the Self-Directed IEP module, then continue with the other modules. For example, once the student begins to participate in IEP meetings, the various Choosing Goals modules provide content and assessment information for the student to use at future meetings. The Choosing Employment Goals package may also be used with students to help develop their vocational plan as part of the school's school-to-work effort. The Taking Action lessons are used to teach students a process to facilitate attainment of their IEP goals as well as other educational, employment, personal, and community participation goals and objectives.

Each of the lesson modules includes the teacher's manual and student workbook. Choosing Employment Goals and Choosing Education Goals also include reproducibles that align with the lessons. There are free of charge videos depicting students utilizing methods taught in the ChoiceMaker Curriculum embedded in each specific module. Click the links in the menu on the left to access the ChoiceMaker Curriculum modules.

ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Curriculum Strands, Goals, and Modules

Strand	Teaching Goals	Modules
1. Choosing Goals	A. Student Interests B. Student Skills & Limits C. Student Goals	Choosing Education Goals Choosing Employment Goals Choosing Personal Goals
2. Expressing Goals	D. Student Leading Meeting E. Student Reporting	Self-Directed IEP
3. Taking Action	F. Student Plan G. Student Action H. Student Evaluation I. Student Adjustment	Take Action

Choosing Goals Strand

These lessons and materials provide students with school- and community-based experiences to help them choose goals in each of the three transition areas by identifying their interests, skills, and limits. A student video entitled Choosing Goals to Plan Your Life introduces the concepts by showing high school students using the Choosing Goals process. Click any of the Choosing Goals modules in the left side menu to access the video.

Expressing Goals Strand

Self-Directed IEP is the lesson package that addresses the Expressing Goals strand of the curriculum. Self-Directed IEP is a multimedia package that teaches students how to manage their own IEP meetings. It includes two videos, a Teacher's Manual, and a Student Workbook. The first video, entitled Self-Directed IEP in Action, introduces the Self-Directed IEP process to students, parents, teachers, and administrators. It shows students with different disabilities in classes working on the Self-Directed IEP lessons and describing their experiences using the steps. The second video, entitled Self-Directed IEP, introduces the 11 steps to leading an IEP meeting. Students see an experienced high school student explain to a hesitant friend how he led his own IEP meeting.

After watching the Self-Directed IEP video, students complete 11 lessons in the Student Workbook that match the steps explained in the video. In these lessons students learn to apply the steps to their own lives. In fact, a teacher in one class pointed out to students that these skills could help them conduct business meetings in the future. Click on the Self-Directed IEP module in the left side menu to access the videos.

Taking Action Strand

This strand has one module entitled Take Action. The module consists of a student video (also entitled Take Action), teacher lesson plans, and student worksheets. Lessons teach students to plan how they will attain their goals by making decisions about performance standards, receiving feedback, motivation, strategies, needed supports, and schedules.