Suppose your grandma makes the best spaghetti marinara in the world (maybe she does!)
The whole neighborhood knows about it, and everyone has been begging her to reveal the recipe.
Because you are her favorite grandchild, she at least told you the ingredients: tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper...and, well, spaghetti.
Sounds simple! But when you tried to replicate the dish, it didn't taste nearly as good as your grandma's.
Back in her kitchen, you vow to learn exactly how she makes it. And you notice all the little details that make her recipe so special.
She uses San Marzano tomatoes, artisanal greek olive oil, and fresh oregano from her herb garden for the sauce that has to cook for exactly 1.5 hours. She also makes the spaghetti from scratch instead of relying on the pre-packaged kind.
With the exact instructions, you can pull it off and get the same tasty results.
Your course curriculum is like your grandma's recipe.
You have all the ingredients and steps in your head that help you get to the outcome.
Now you have to write them down and package them in a way your students will understand them, be able to follow them, and get similar results.
But, just like grandma, you've been "cooking" for so long that you aren't even aware of all the little things you do.
That's why it's crucial to test your curriculum and document every single question your students ask and when they ask it.
Over time, you'll improve your recipe...uh curriculum...to make it almost impossible to fail.
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