By: Jennifer Gordon
Isn't it
amazing when we talk about making students college and career ready but
how do we really start the career readiness? One school district in
Kansas City, Kansas has taken the initiative to start a program where students
in their junior and senior year spend at least 2 1/2 hours of their day in a
building that mimics an office park. Students work with teachers and
business people on projects in six different "strands" where they
learn all the professional skills to succeed in the business world.
The district is developing partnership with businesses in the area to extend their program to include its own Center for Advanced Professional Studies. The district started the career readiness program with three strands: health science, STEM, and emerging technologies. The program is deemed to benefit students if they decide to seek employment or careers right out of high school or if they are college bound.
When I saw this article, it reminded me of my class last semester where we looked at education in Finland. I liked the system in Finland because it gave students the option to not only study academics but to seek careers in non-traditional fields of study. Students worked collaboratively with others and spend a part of their day outside the general classroom. This would be a program that could certainly give students a chance to see what the actual workforce is all about. There are just some things that students cannot learn from a book as most of us who are teachers have found out when we entered the classroom. What are your thoughts? Would this be a beneficial program for high school students? Do you see any challenges? If there are, how could any school district overcome them?
Let me hear your thoughts.
To learn more:
The district is developing partnership with businesses in the area to extend their program to include its own Center for Advanced Professional Studies. The district started the career readiness program with three strands: health science, STEM, and emerging technologies. The program is deemed to benefit students if they decide to seek employment or careers right out of high school or if they are college bound.
When I saw this article, it reminded me of my class last semester where we looked at education in Finland. I liked the system in Finland because it gave students the option to not only study academics but to seek careers in non-traditional fields of study. Students worked collaboratively with others and spend a part of their day outside the general classroom. This would be a program that could certainly give students a chance to see what the actual workforce is all about. There are just some things that students cannot learn from a book as most of us who are teachers have found out when we entered the classroom. What are your thoughts? Would this be a beneficial program for high school students? Do you see any challenges? If there are, how could any school district overcome them?
Let me hear your thoughts.
To learn more:
I think this is a great idea. Give students some exposure to the work world, so they can see where they want to go.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great idea. We know not all students are going to go off to college after high school, why not provide students with the opportunity to better themselves and start their life in the 'real world' the best they can.
ReplyDeleteThis program sounds like it would benefit students in lower socioeconomic areas, because this is where we find less of the student population going off to college and more students dropping out or not finishin high school. By preparing students to be career ready, they may find more of a purpose in going to school and getting an education.
The school that I work in offers Juniors and Seniors a chance to join a career program called CTEC which is provided by BOCES. Students can work in a nursing program, criminal law, automotive, cosmetology, and many others.
I think BOCES has provided career opportunities for students who would possibly be a better fit for a trade school because it allows them to explore their interests or potential careers so that they can be successful without necessarily going to college.
DeleteCollege and Career ready are words that we hear so frequently as teachers. We are expected to get our students ready for the future. I think it is sometimes a little difficult because the work ethic and the moral that are being presented in today's society are not what they used to be. I feel as a teacher today we have to work extra hard to get our students motivated. Technology is a big key component in doing this because it is something that they can relate to.
ReplyDeleteThe program sounds like one that all students can really benefit from. It gives the students a chance to see what they might want to do or what is out there in the real world. As Bennett mentions that BOCES CTEC provides wonderful programs for students who know what they want to do in the future and helps them to better prepare. I think if we have something that you are describing will help those students who have absolutely no clue with making decisions for their future.
Adding on... I know in our district we are looking at all the programs we offer and are trying to implement more into what we do already to get our students college and career ready. One of the new ideas that we will be implementing this year is a two day interview and application day. The first day the students will learn and go over their interview skills, how to dress for success, write a resume, appropriate conduct online and a few other skills that are specific to their area that they would like to try to interview for. The second day they will take all that they learned from the first day and apply it. The students will go on numerous interviews and will be put to the test of what they learned. Usually on these two days where teachers would be grading state tests students would not have school. But those of us that are not grading will be conducting these workshops and interviews.
ReplyDeleteFrancesca, what a fantastic idea! These skills are important to have as soon as a student decides to get a job, even if it is for summer work. Something else also: if a student qualifies for federal work-study as a part of their financial aid package in college, they will have to apply for jobs. They will need a resume and will have an interview!
DeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteThe system in Finland is fabulous! Unfortunately, many things about their country are substantially different from ours and their system wouldn't work here. But that doesn't mean we can't take ideas from their system and try to find ways to incorporate them here. Certainly the program you describe would be a great option to expose our students to.
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteTotally agree that we have a very narrow mind when it comes to the term "college and career ready". It is more like "test ready" in our current state. As much as I hate to say it, driving all students to go to college is simply not the answer. We need skilled tradespeople to have a productive society.