Chart Your Course! is the creation of Jeff Betz, a veteran teacher, who wrote the book in collaboration with his wife, Carla, a talented writer, after observing self-esteem issues in his classrooms. He has witnessed the challenges students face after going through the loss of a parent, the breaking up of a household, or the struggles of living with families who are working hard just to get by. There are countless reasons a child can use additional life skills not taught in the mainstream school setting, and it became clearer and clearer to Jeff as he became more experienced and skilled with hundreds of students who crossed his path that offering this type of program was essential.
Jeff set off to first create a book that would get teens’ and preteen’s attention and give them skills and tools to direct their lives. It naturally followed that Jeff’s keen interest in philosophy and personal growth would seep into the message of the book. With strong supportive feedback from other educators and kids who were hearing the story, and using the three symbols to enrich their lives, Jeff has begun to expand into creating workbooks to use in the classroom and designing an instructional DVD so that even more students and adults can have access to the tried and true skills that will help them achieve what they want in life. “We want to help as many people as possible with the three symbols that are the foundation for Chart Your Course!”
