Personal Curriculums: How People Out of School Are Staying In School

Though it may seem odd to some people, ever since I left school I have been craving what I now lack - the structure school provided me. Exercise in gym class, creative stimulation through theater, learning history through literature, and most of all? Having someone qualified to tell me what I should be doing. My adult life has mostly been a meandering path to re-implement all the things school gave me back into my life, only now directed by myself.

I practice martial arts with a teacher to fulfill my physical exercise needs. To get my creativity needs met, I audition for choirs and local theater programs. As a staff member at a library, I read all the time; fantasy, history, archaeology, and more! So, when I heard about a trend known as a “Personal Curriculum,” I was surprised to find that many other people had the exact same idea as me. No original ideas in the world, right?

For those of you who haven’t heard about this concept, many people now out of school are, like me, craving the structure which school offered and which also enabled them to learn things much easier. Now, through a personal curriculum, people around the world are giving themselves assignments and even quizzing themselves on their knowledge. The biggest difference from a school environment is that you decide what to study. You then explore what resources you have available to you - articles, books, movies, podcasts, even field trips! Here is where the library can step in to help you.

When one thinks of a library, they tend to think only of books - but a library can offer so much more. Movies and documentaries are the obvious next thought, but many libraries also offer online resources. At the Berthoud Library you can, with your library card, access EBSCO research databases, Britannica online encyclopedia, and one of our new resources; Mometrix eLibrary, which offers test preparation materials for various certifications and standardized tests. Our podcast, put on by Amie Pilla (our CEO), focuses on topics and education opportunities relevant to Berthoud. We have a ‘Deep Dive’ page on our website as well where you can obtain a bibliography of resources to study on a given topic. All of these are easily accessible with our Online Resources page on our website using your library card.

As for me, I am diving deep into the topic of birds! I found popular books on crows, ravens, and owls, backyard observations, and I have even downloaded apps for identifying birds and learning their calls. (A few eyebrows were raised when I asked for an ornithology textbook for Christmas.) While I haven’t yet given myself an ‘exam,’ I do repeat neverending lists of fun facts about birds to my long-suffering wife, which I myself consider to be a kind of test. Studying a new topic and diving in headfirst, looking for valid sources, and memorizing my favorite bits of knowledge has enriched my life. (If you are interested like I am, check out the 'Corvids' section under the Deep Dives page on our website or by clicking the image below!)

If you plan on creating a personal curriculum of your own, remember to keep in mind all the resources you have available to you. Use your library card, visit museums, and don’t be afraid to shoot an email to the occasional professor. There are an unlimited amount of things to learn on this planet of ours, and so many others who, like you, have gotten curious. So get to learning!