Making a monthly curriculum: physical media, reading & writing

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their unique approach to learning and self-growth by designing a personal curriculum for the month of August. Inspired by Elizabeth Jin Pararmmesan Princess, they explore topics like physical media, graphic design, writing, and personal development. The speaker discusses the joy of learning without the pressure of formal schooling, incorporating fun activities like journaling, playing video games, and even building Lego sets. The video is a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and low-spend hobbies, encouraging viewers to embrace self-directed learning at their own pace.

Takeaways

• 😀 The creator's channel focuses on books, hobbies, and low-spend living, with a personal mission to buy a house with her boyfriend.
• 😀 Each month, the creator creates a DIY 'curriculum' to learn new topics, inspired by Elizabeth Jin Pararmmesan Princess, a content creator on YouTube and TikTok.
• 😀 The curriculum is broken down into manageable modules based on current interests and is designed to be flexible, allowing for evolution throughout the month.
• 😀 The creator uses pen and paper for brainstorming ideas, finding it more effective than digital tools to combat writer's block and better process thoughts.
• 😀 For August, the creator's core modules include 'The Artist's Way' for creative writing and 'Physical Media & Culture' to study the resurgence of physical media like DVDs.
• 😀 The 'Artist's Way' curriculum involves daily morning pages, weekly artist dates, and creative exercises to foster personal growth and creative exploration.
• 😀 In the physical media module, the creator plans to watch documentaries like 'The Last Blockbuster' and 'All Things Must Pass' to understand the cultural shift back to physical media.
• 😀 Writing is another core focus, with the creator planning to engage in personal writing exercises, including the 'morning pages' from 'The Artist's Way' and reading writing books like 'Bird by Bird' and 'Writing Down the Bones.'
• 😀 The curriculum also includes reading classics such as 'Brave New World' and self-help books like 'The Mountain Is You' to explore mind, body, and spirit.
• 😀 A 'Magic and Delight' module is included for fun activities like scrapbooking, video games, Lego building, and coloring, with an emphasis on creative enjoyment and stress relief.
• 😀 The creator uses a mix of paper (for brainstorming) and digital tools (like Google Docs) to organize the curriculum and track learning materials, making it a living, adaptable system.

Q & A

What inspired the speaker to create a monthly curriculum?

The speaker was inspired by Elizabeth Jin Pararmmesan Princess, who shared how she creates her own 'fake school' each month. This sparked the idea to develop a personalized curriculum focused on hobbies, learning, and self-improvement.

How does the speaker approach creating their curriculum each month?

The speaker creates their curriculum by first identifying topics and activities they are interested in at the moment. They use a combination of mind maps, pen-and-paper planning, and digital tools (like a Google Doc) to organize their modules. The curriculum is flexible and can evolve over the month.

What are the core modules in the August curriculum?

The core modules for August include 'The Artist’s Way' (focusing on creative exercises), 'Physical Media' (exploring the resurgence of physical media like DVDs), 'Writing' (with a focus on creative writing), and 'Graphic Design and Typography' (through books and documentaries).

How does the speaker structure their curriculum to keep it manageable?

The speaker ensures their curriculum is manageable by breaking it down into core units and mini-modules. They focus on a few key activities each month and use transparent post-it notes to add flexibility, allowing modules to be moved to future months if needed.

What is the significance of 'The Artist’s Way' in the curriculum?

'The Artist’s Way' is a central part of the curriculum. It is used to encourage creative recovery, through practices like morning pages and weekly artist dates. The speaker believes that this book is helpful in rediscovering one's creativity and developing self-discipline in creative practices.

Why is the speaker interested in physical media, and what do they want to learn about it?

The speaker is interested in the resurgence of physical media, particularly DVDs, as they explore cultural studies and psychology around this trend. They want to understand why people, especially those in their 30s, are returning to physical media in the age of streaming and digital content.

What specific books and documentaries are part of the curriculum's focus on physical media?

The speaker plans to watch documentaries like 'The Last Blockbuster', 'Side by Side', 'Rewind This', and 'All Things Must Pass' as part of their physical media exploration. They also plan to read books on media and culture to further explore this topic.

What role do electives play in the curriculum, and what are some examples?

Electives provide a fun, non-pressured way to engage with additional topics. For August, electives include a 'Mind, Body, Spirit' section (reading 'The Mountain is You'), a 'Revisiting Classics' section (reading 'Brave New World'), and a 'Magic and Delight' module, which includes activities like coloring, building a Lego set, and playing video games.

How does the speaker combine analog and digital tools in their curriculum?

The speaker uses both analog and digital tools to keep their curriculum organized. They begin with pen-and-paper mind maps to generate ideas and structure their thoughts, then move to digital tools like Google Docs for tracking reading lists and syllabi, allowing for easy updates and access.

What is the purpose behind using transparent post-it notes in the curriculum?

The transparent post-it notes provide flexibility in the curriculum. They allow the speaker to move modules between months if needed, ensuring the curriculum can evolve and adapt based on what is realistically achievable.