stwCareers

School To Work/Careers:
Connections/Transitions
(May 2000 Draft)

CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION

The High School 9th-10th [11th-12th] School to Work/Careers: Connections/Transitions course will require all students to further build on and improve the foundation of Positive and Productive Behaviors established during elementary, middle, and/or junior high school. Class activities will continue to require all students to: (1) improve basic academic skills (listening, observing, reading, writing, thinking, mathemathics); (2) further practice and better understand the importance of essential personal behaviors (honesty, respect, responsibility, punctuality, persistence, self-initiative, self-assessment); (3) more effectively communicate, manage time, work in teams, practice leadership, think creatively, and make reasoned decisions; and (4) use technology to conduct systematic research, access and manage information, solve problems, and complete quality products related to setting and achieving realistic educational and career goals. Learning and using such universal, transferable skills will empower students to obtain more specialized knowledge and skills in all subject areas and better understand connections between what they already know and are now learning, their personal choices, and what they will need to learn in the future.

STW/Careers: Connections/Transitions will provide a variety of opportunities for all students to: (1) consistently apply, assess, and improve the quality of their new skills as measured by predetermined; (2) comprehend that changes in personal interests and/or the work place will require them to learn even more and higher level skills;
(3) conduct systematic research about employment opportunities in ones chosen area of interest; (4) complete a comprehensive Personal Development and Career Plan, including samples of student work in both print and electronic formats; (5) examine entry level jobs for a variety of potential careers in order to develop a more realistic view of job expectations and career advancement procedures; (6) satisfy the criteria for a high quality, structured Job Shadowing and Work Experiences program (e.g., the proposed Bristol Bay House and/or Chugach District’s Anchorage House); (7) complete all requirements of structured visits to college campuses, Job Corps, and other available technical or vocational training schools. By satisfying specific requirements of this class, all students will become more informed and independent life long learners, more skilled and productive workers, more employable and socially responsible citizens.

CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT

Like all other approved courses in the ERS Model, this School-to-Work/Careers class is aligned with both the Southwest Region School District’s Student Outcomes, and the Alaska State Content and Performance Standards for Students. While all teachers should systematically pre-determine the prior knowledge and skills of all students, review, and/or reteach what students most need to continue learning and doing, This class should emphasize the Items Highlighted in BOLD Face and/or Preceded by Checkboxes. Non-highlighed items and/or those without checkboxes will be stressed in Elementary and Junior High School. Regardless of the level where first introduced and, so all students will have maximum opportunities to apply and master them, the universal, transferable processes and skills identified for this course should be integrated into other class lessons, school activities, and community projects throughout the District.

SWRSD OUTCOMES

Outcome 5: Students demonstrate honesty, respect, concern and caring for themselves, others, and the environment.
Outcome 6: Students exhibit a positive attitude and self-initiative.
Outcome 7: Students use a variety of ways to think and to reason when solving problems, and making thoughtful decisions.
Outcome 8: Students demonstrate awareness of their own strengths and skills and have self confidence to take risks that will realize their potential as lifelong learners.
Outcome 9: Students use technology for adapting to and initiating productive change.
Outcome 10: Students demonstrate leisure, vocational and life skills.
Outcome 11: Students demonstrate skills and attitudes that will enable them to achieve post high school education.

MAJOR COURSE COMPONENTS

A. Positive and Productive Employability Skills

Alaska Content Standard(s): Standard A: Employability
(A student should be able to develop and be able to use employability skills in order to effectively make the transition from school to work and life long learning).

Key Elements: All students will know about, understand, and demonstrate the ability to:

1. Model Productive Personal Behaviors (self-control, honesty, ethics, common sense, initiative,
assertiveness, resiliency) needed to solve everyday problems that occur in a variety of settings.

2. Exhibit Productive Workplace Behaviors that contribute to the successful completion of daily tasks and quality products.

positive work ethic;
respect for authority;
responsibility
teamwork.

3. Implement Productive Self-Management Skills:

organize and maintain a safe and healthy work environment;
keep daily and long-term calendars;
prioritize;
complete tasks on time and to expectations;
compete appropriately and fairly.

4. Display Productive Communication Skills (listen, observe, read a variety of sources; gather, organize, and
use information; write, speak, present, discuss, debate, persuade) to solve a variety of everyday problems, and complete quality products .

5. Use Productive Established Methods to solve a variety of everyday problems and complete a variety of quality products.

a draft-analyze-revise quality control process;
structured decision-making skills;
higher order thinking skills;
systematic problem solving skills;
a structured research process; and
a systematic goal-setting process.

6. Apply Productive Technology Skills (basic word processing, database, spreadsheet, graphic applications, telephone, fax, e-mail, Internet, audio, video) to access, organize, and effectively manage information to solve a variety of everyday problems and complete quality products.

7. Develop a Productive Plan for Succeeding in Life:

know personal needs, interests, and aptitudes;

possess self-evaluation skills;

recognize opportunities and risks;

possess self marketing skills;

know what it takes to be self-employed.

create a Personal Plan for Success;

B. Careers Connections and Transitions

Alaska Content Standard(s): Standard B: Employability
(A student should be able to identify career interests and plan for career options)

Key Elements: All students will know about, understand, and demonstrate the ability to:

1. Improve ones general and “employability” vocabulary by correctly spelling, defining, and using in proper context a variety of terms and/or concepts related to the global economy, work place, careers, or jobs (e.g., economics, business, supply and demand, resources, income, expenses, profits, capital, savings, investment, careers, resume, portfolio, internship, entrepreneurship).

2. Develop a Personal Plan for Success

maintain a comprehensive, well-organized Careers Preparation Folder of work in progress, including individual student:

interest surveys and aptitude tests;

educational and career goals;

list of career options;

Careers Resource File.

identify high school graduation requirements and electives needed to create a 4-Year Schedule of Courses that best satisfies individual needs and interests;

create an alternative schedule of classes in event of possible changes in elective course offerings, changes in personal interests, changes in the job market, or other unforeseen developments.

3. Explain how the process of change, technology, and life long learning skills are related to individual jobs or careers and the modern world economy:

explain the concept of change and provide examples of major changes now occurring in our society;
- create a timeline that illustrates major changes that have occurred during the lifetimes of students, parents, and grandparents;
- compare/contrast the positive and negative aspects of several specific changes related to civil rights, gender roles, genetics, medicine, computers, business cycle, transportation, nuclear energy;
- research changes in a particular career interest over the past 10-20 years; then predict how that career might need to change again in the near future.

4. Investigate a variety of general Career Pathways (Arts & Communication; Business, Management, & Technology; Health Services; Human Services; Natural Resources; Industrial & Engineering Technology):

compare/contrast the nature and variety of careers or jobs related to particular Careers Pathways;
acquire and present career knowledge and skills related to employment opportunities in each high school subject area (Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Health/PE, Fine Arts, Business Ed., Technology, and Industrial Arts);
compile a List of Career Options matching personal interests, aptitudes, and goals;
create a Careers Resource File of up-to-date resources (e.g., Networking, Internet, software, videos, newspapers, guest speakers, job shadowing, job placement services, actual work experiences) that are directly related to personal career interests and options.

5. Research a variety of specific careers/jobs, including entrepreneurial possibilities that most interest and best match individual student needs, interests, aptitudes, and goals:

understand employer/employee rights and responsibilities, including state and federal laws related to safe and healthy workplaces;
conduct interviews with a variety of employers to determine the importance of sound work ethics, including honesty, punctuality, dependability, and team work;
compare/contrast salaries and other benefits of careers/jobs requiring no high school diploma, a high school diploma, a college degree, or other post secondary training;
determine the educational and/or training requirements for specific careers, including details about the most likely entry level jobs in any paricular field;
list the benefits, risks, drawbacks, prerequisites, & procedures of self employment.

6. Present a quality Careers Portfolio and the Self-Marketing Skills needed to communicate effectively with prospective employers:

a quality letter of inquiry about job opportunities;

a quality letter of application and/or a completed sample job application form;

a quality resume;

a quality follow up or “Thank You” letter;

effective interviewing techniques and strategies

appropriate dress,

presentation of a quality portfolio,

marketing self in a positive, assertive manner,

asking and answering questions intelligently and appropriately.

C. School/Community Service Projects (Required)

Alaska Content Standard(s): Standard E: Government & Citizenship
(A student should have the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively as an informed and responsible citizen.)

Key Elements: All students will know about, understand, and demonstrate the ability to:

1. Apply specific “employability” skills and knowledge by participating -without pay- in a variety of School and/or Community Service Projects designed to solve common problems and/or improve the quality of life for the community at large and/or individual village members;

2. Complete the specific requirements for any given School and/or Community Service Projects;

3. Satisfy the specific criteria required for at least “proficient” or “acceptable” quality work as listed on appropriate, readily available, systematically taught and learned, “Student Performance Checklists and/or Rubrics.”

Suggestions: Specific examples of School/Community Service Projects might include any of the following -or others- that creative students, concerned community members, teachers, or other school staff might suggest:

home school and/or village clean up projects;
tutoring younger students
recycling projects;
school and/or community beautification projects;
remodeling or repair projects;
helping with subsistence activities,
assisting elders,
PLEASE ADD SPECIFIC IDEAS

ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES AND GRADING
To-be-completed

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS
To-be-completed

A. District Office Curriculum Resources
Alaska State Content Standards for Employability (also other discipline areas and related resources)
TEN SIGMA: Tools for Teaching Productivity
TEN SIGMA: Teaching and Enforcing Positive and Productive Behavior
TEN SIGMA: Rubrics and Other Tools for Teaching Quality
B. District Media Center:
To-be-completed (see Media Center Catalog; Roz has purchased and filed lots of materials)
C. Major Internet Web sites Related to School-to-work/Careers curriculum programs
To-be-completed (Darlene Triplett and Mike Meador have lots of sources bookmarked)
D. Site School-To-Work/Career Resource Tubs
To-be-completed (Darelene will tubs of resources for teacher/site use).
E. Local Community Resources
To-be-completed (Staff, students, parents and other community members should help compile and periodically update a list of village “experts” willing to share their wealth of traditional and contemporary knowledge, experiences, and skills)

Bibliography: This STW/Careers curriculum description is adapted primarily from the Employability Standards for Alaska Students (1999); 10 SIGMA: Tools for Teaching Productivity (1998); Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Connections, High School (1998); and, the Six Proposed Careers Pathways in Alaska (1999).