Many people have said that teaching our young people is one of the most important jobs in our country today. Teaching is a rewarding career because of the tremendous influence you have on your students. Some of the ways in which you play an important role in your students' lives include:    Helping students to become efficient learners    Encouraging students to develop goals and work to    meet them    Demonstrating to students an excitement for lifelong    learning    Providing opportunities for students to experience    the rewards of hard work While there are many other important lessons you will teach your students throughout the school year, the ones listed here all depend on planning and implementing effective curriculum. If you want to achieve success as a teacher, then developing the skills relevant to curriculum planning should be at the top of your list of goals. This segment of the Start With Success website features several areas for you to explore to learn how to hone your curriculum planning skills. Check out the information and questions in the section titled Overview of Curriculum to help you jumpstart your efforts to enhance the role you can play in your students' learning.