Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the personal curriculum trend. Videos like the one below have been trending for the last few months. Essentially, one’s ‘personal curriculum’ is devising a list of interests one wishes to delve further into, and then carving out a faux-curriculum for oneself. But this time you are both the student and the teacher! It’s all about catering to you and what you care about whilst fighting brainrot.
Not sure where to get started? Here’s something I’ve thought of for myself.
the legacy of colonialism
- Black Girl by Ousmane Sembène
This film follows a Sengalese woman, Diouana, hired to be a governess for a French family. She is treated more like a maid and faces extreme racism. The film echoes colonial exploitation throughout much of its scenes, and underlines a fetishisation of Africa and the erasure of Diouana’s identity. It is powerful on its own, but when watched in tandem with reading Cape Fever, the specific scene wherein the French family read Diouana’s letters becomes ever more harrowing.
- Cape Fever by Nadia Davids
What an incredible book. I read it earlier this year and absolutely loved it; an easy 5 stars. This book is more psychological thriller than outright commentary, so it is a good lead into Our Sister Killjoy. The novel follows a young maid, Soraya, working for a woman who does not fully respect her. The two enter an agreement where Soraya’s employer will write her letters for her, which pulls the differences between them into a much harsher light.
- Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo
This novel is a critique of Western society and the legacy of colonialism that the countries she visits exhibits. It is the perfect pairing with the other two to explore these themes.
how do i make my own personal curriculum?
The main thing, though, is that you explore what you are interested in. Ways to work out what you might want to base your curriculum around:
- Make a mind map of your hobbies and delve deeper into one or the history of one
- Write a list of skills you want to learn (ex. yoga)
It’s up to you how far you go – will you write essays on what you learn, or tell a friend? Enjoy the process of making your curriculum as well as learning it!
Read more articles by me here.