Our curriculum is too expensive
Your Question:
“How do I find a less expensive curriculum?”
The Issues:
What factors go into deciding that you are spending too much for the curriculum? If it is a budget issue, you might be able to reduce the curriculum “options” that you are purchasing. If you feel the money you’re spending on the curriculum is justified, yet your ministry supervisor doesn’t, you might need to communicate how you are using the money more effectively. There is always a cheaper curriculum, but make sure you are not sacrificing your support of the CM vision, or the CM team, for the sake of money.
Scripture Foundation:
“Then Moses answered, ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ’And the LORD asked him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied. ‘Throw it on the ground,’ said the LORD. So, Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a snake…” Exodus 4: 1-3
Short Answer:
Your question is a “loaded” question. If you are being told to reduce the amount you’re spending on the CM curriculum, you must do so. If you, yourself, are wanting to reduce the amount of money you spend on curriculum, you must consider what, if anything, you will be “losing” when you spend less. Sometimes, you can reduce the cost of the curriculum by not purchasing some of the “options” that you are not using. As you consider reducing the amount you spend, you must be careful not to expect your CM team to create more things for the lesson, or to go without something to which they have grown accustomed. Reducing your expenditures for any item in your budget is not “worth it” if you add more stress to the CM team. Finding a cheaper curriculum is not impossible. Like Moses, you might find something already “in your hand” that you can add to the curriculum if you decide not to purchase some of the “options.” It would be good for you to create a curriculum review team from within the CM team. “Commission” them to search for options. Challenge them to create a set of criteria upon which they would base their curriculum options. For more help, click on the links below.
View other articles in the “Developing The Curriculum APPENDIX”
