Small Learning Communities, Small Learning Communities, Career Development, and Career Development, and

YouYou

Ingredients: Ingredients: Small Learning Communities Small Learning Communities Career Development Career Development You You

Directions: Directions: Mix well to create rigorous and Mix well to create rigorous and coherent instructional programs that coherent instructional programs that prepare students for 21prepare students for 21stst century century post-secondary education and jobspost-secondary education and jobs

My Premise:My Premise:

Traditional high schools are not organized Traditional high schools are not organized to help students gain 21st century to help students gain 21st century knowledge and skills; knowledge and skills;

The work of teaching and learning must be The work of teaching and learning must be re-organized to accomplish adequate re-organized to accomplish adequate preparationpreparation

The new form of schooling must be one The new form of schooling must be one that provides program coherencethat provides program coherence

and . . .and . . .

Career technology education can be Career technology education can be the glue –the vehicle for program the glue –the vehicle for program coherencecoherence

High schools are not organized to High schools are not organized to help students gain 21help students gain 21stst century century

knowledge and skillsknowledge and skills

Add-on programs and services have not Add-on programs and services have not affected graduation rates and affected graduation rates and achievement levelsachievement levels

Research indicates structural changes as Research indicates structural changes as well as instructional improvements are well as instructional improvements are needed to address the problemneeded to address the problem

The work of teaching and learning The work of teaching and learning must be re-organizedmust be re-organized

We must re-think:We must re-think:Smorgasbord course offerings Smorgasbord course offerings Separate programs to meet special Separate programs to meet special learning needslearning needsDepartment-based curriculum Department-based curriculum organizationorganizationIndividual teacher preparationIndividual teacher preparation

The new form of schooling must The new form of schooling must provide program coherenceprovide program coherence

Coherence in terms of teachers organized Coherence in terms of teachers organized into interdisciplinary teams; into interdisciplinary teams;

Coherence in terms of teams working with Coherence in terms of teams working with students over years; students over years;

Coherence in curriculum and instruction so Coherence in curriculum and instruction so that they reinforce key knowledge and that they reinforce key knowledge and skills across disciplines and build skills across disciplines and build seamlessly on students’ learning from one seamlessly on students’ learning from one year to the nextyear to the next

Career preparation can be the glue Career preparation can be the glue –the vehicle of program coherence–the vehicle of program coherence

Draws on academic skills and Draws on academic skills and knowledgeknowledge

Provides the real world context and Provides the real world context and meaning for academic learningmeaning for academic learning

If well designed, erases differences in If well designed, erases differences in rigor often found across academic rigor often found across academic and vocational programsand vocational programs

Creating Career-Themed Learning Creating Career-Themed Learning GoalsGoals

Table activity:Table activity:

Identify a career theme, such as Identify a career theme, such as health & fitnesshealth & fitness

Brainstorm and record student Brainstorm and record student ‘knows’ and ‘dos’‘knows’ and ‘dos’

Cluster like ‘knows’ and ‘dos’ by Cluster like ‘knows’ and ‘dos’ by assigning them the same numberassigning them the same number

Name the proficiency areasName the proficiency areas

Knows & Dos Proficiency AreasKnows & Dos Proficiency Areas__________________ __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________ __________________ __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Insurance that the proficiencies Insurance that the proficiencies provide a strong framework for provide a strong framework for instructioninstructionTeachers:Teachers:

Map proficiencies onto standardsMap proficiencies onto standards

Test proficiencies for goodness Test proficiencies for goodness

Create benchmarks for each grade Create benchmarks for each grade level to provide guidance in level to provide guidance in unit/project/lesson development unit/project/lesson development

Develop public demonstrations of Develop public demonstrations of proficiencyproficiency

Students’ Learning Experience in Students’ Learning Experience in Career-Themed Learning Career-Themed Learning CommunitiesCommunitiesStudents:Students:

Understand where they are headed –what they Understand where they are headed –what they will eventually know and be able to dowill eventually know and be able to doAnticipate and participate in older students’ Anticipate and participate in older students’ culminating demonstrationsculminating demonstrationsHave a clear idea of how school relates to the Have a clear idea of how school relates to the real worldreal worldGet to know students they ordinarily would not Get to know students they ordinarily would not because they share the same general career because they share the same general career interestinterest

Contact informationContact informationDiana OxleyDiana OxleyRecreating Secondary SchoolsRecreating Secondary SchoolsNorthwest Regional Education LabNorthwest Regional Education Lab101 SW Main St., Suite 500101 SW Main St., Suite 500Portland, OR 97204Portland, OR 97204oxleyd@nwrel.orgoxleyd@nwrel.org800.547.6339800.547.6339503.275.9613503.275.9613