Every generation of school aged students has confronted real life issues. The term “real life issues” describes pressing life problems and concerns affecting students’ daily lives. Examples of real life issues include substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, tobacco, vaping), bullying, immigration and the COVID virus which has significantly increased student anxiety and depression. The impact of life issues on students is often profound and enduring. The Curriculum Infusion of Real Life Issues (CIRLI—www.cirli.org) model developed by faculty at Northeastern Illinois University provides a method for teachers to integrate study of life issues and evidence-based prevention strategies into classes across the k-12 curriculum.
CIRLI makes classes more relevant to students by addressing their real-world concerns and connects teachers more closely to their students and the communities where they work. CIRLI strengthens student abilities to cope with problems they confront in a positive manner.
The Curriculum Infusion of Real Life Issues model is designed to positively impact students from all backgrounds and engages at risk-students. It is an especially important educational strategy for reaching students from communities where many are not succeeding in school. Research indicates that the top reason drop-outs give for their disaffection from school is the uninteresting curriculum (Bridgeland et. al. 2006).*
The CIRLI model aligns with the Common Core State Standards. It provides context for developing student skills in research, analysis, writing and oral presentations. CIRLI’s emphasis on social emotional learning can build resilience and prevention in response to life issues that often stifle educational and personal development. Our website (www.cirli.org) includes detail on integrating real life issues into classes across subject areas and grade levels, readily incorporating evidence-based prevention strategies into life issues lessons and effectively meeting Common Core State Standards through CIRLI assignments.
Teachers can receive 5 free CPDUS from Northeastern Illinois University’s College of Education by completing an online workshop (click here) that familiarizes them with each component of the CIRLI model and takes them stop by step through development of a life issues lesson plan for a class that they teach.
Additional information on the Curriculum Infusion of Real Life Issues educational strategy is available from Dr. Ron Glick, Director of the Network for Dissemination of Curriculum Infusion at Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago (r-glick@neiu.edu).
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