Bright Spots: Connecting students to the world around them
Dear Educator,
A key aspect of making learning in school more personal and authentic is connecting students with one another and sharing ideas to build and leverage their network. This means that as educators, our job goes beyond simply teaching students the content. As the world evolves, our roles have transformed to focus on exposing students and connecting them with experts, mentors, and others who can inspire them beyond what we know and can do.
For this week's Bright Spot, I'm excited to share how educators in one school district are implementing new learning models to help expand students' networks by aligning careers with education.
With Gratitude,
Katie
BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK
The World of Work Program
Cajon Valley Union School District?has made exposure a central part of their modern curriculum. Their?World of Work?program (#CVWoW) is based on four experiences:?
Starting in kindergarten, students learn about their strengths, interests, and values and connect with professionals to learn about their jobs and how they align with their own skills and interests.??
In one instance, students at Greenfield Middle School left school during the day for fieldwork (not to be confused with a field trip!) to explore a local dam. They then explored resources and completed a learning playlist at their own pace to deepen their expertise, constructed a 3D model, and recorded a video to share their evidence. Once they had completed these projects, they connected with engineers to learn more about water systems and documented the entire process.
领英推荐
Through their modern curriculum, Cajon Valley Union School District is intentional about teaching students that?they matter. By connecting them to people and ideas, building their network to include professionals and mentors, and ensuring that other people know who they are and what they know, teachers are essentially exposing students to the world around them and instilling a sense of belief in their own capabilities.
As?Ed Hidalgo, a dear friend and educational pioneer who has spearheaded this program after spending his career counseling adults in the corporate world at Qualcomm, says, “Students can’t aspire to jobs that they don’t know exist.”?
Interested in discussing how you might create intentional learning experiences for students in and out of the classroom? Let's connect!
RESOURCE ROUNDUP
Below are some resources to support educators in fostering meaningful connections in their learning communities.???
1.?A Framework for the Future: Don’t Try Leading Without One.?Curious what a Framework for the Future is and how it can help your school or district move towards a more learner-centered future? Join our webinar on Tuesday 11/29 at 2pm PT to learn more!?Register now.
2. Do high schools prepare students for careers??What should career-preparedness look like in a rapidly-changing context??This article?from XQ explores challenges high schools face and what they can do to better prepare students for the working world.
3. The World of Work program.?Interested in learning more about how Cajon Valley School District helps students align careers with education? Uncover more about their innovative World of Work program?here.?
4. Hidden forces that help or hinder learner-centered education.?In partnership with Education Reimagined, this paper from The Christensen Institute offers insights to help learner-centered models take root.?Access now.
LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!
How do you foster meaningful connection in your context? Share your?#LCBrightSpots?on social media!