Last Thursday, the Mass.
Institute for Career and College Readiness (MICCR) hosted a webinar entitled
”Starting a National Conversation on Career Literacy.” Career literacy is
defined as “preparing students with the
knowledge, skills, and experiences to thrive in a post-secondary setting” and
the reason it’s relevant, according MICCR, is that “as the “skill gap” between
students’ abilities and the expectations of colleges and employers continues to
widen, the education system is being asked to respond. Career literacy offers a
framework for supporting college and career readiness by ensuring that all
youth establish and implement personal career and education plans.” Here are
some notes from the webinar and comments on what Melrose is doing to address
this issue:
The pathways challenge
·
Students need to pursue their goals to achieve the American
Dream (i.e. a middle class job) and that pathway is not always college; college
doesn’t work well for all, so there need to be multiple pathways to the
American Dream.
·
40% of high school grads who start college don’t graduate and
50% who graduate will end up un- or under-employed.
·
The majority of US schoolchildren lives in poverty or
low-income families and often cannot afford to attend college.
·
What we believe as a society: 4 year college is the only
true pathway for success; high school is traditionally about prepping students
for 4 year college so there is a narrowed view in that setting;
community/technical colleges are a less prestigious option, and only
appropriate for students who aren’t capable of 4 year college work.
·
We are failing many students because our high school
approach is too narrow and reinforces elitism, and we can’t prepare students
for the middle class if we steer them away from many middle class jobs.
·
One myth is that career literacy is just for special
education students, but it is a pathway for all students.
Genesis
of the idea of career literacy
·
Students and adults need to be equipped with the knowledge,
tools, and support they need to make career decisions now and in the future;
and K-12 school counselor departments are understaffed.
·
Disengagement: 76% of elementary students consider
themselves disengaged, and 44% of high school students say the same thing.
How
will career literacy be employed and what will the outcomes be?
·
Make career guidance a central focus of education by
starting early in a K-12 system and make post-secondary completion purposeful.
·
Embed collaborative approaches, like work-based learning
that is proven to promote engagement.
·
Students will develop key employable skills and it’s the
gold standard of career experience. Employers say it’s the ideal method for
identifying future employees.
Examples
of student engagement and career literacy in Melrose
·
Differentiating instruction and continually grouping and
re-grouping students based on their master of subject matter at the elementary
level.
·
Development of new courses, pathways (Global Education,
STEM, etc.), and sequences for content areas at the middle and high school to
support and encourage student interests.
·
Online learning (including online courses), high school
courses, project based learning, or outside activities approved for credit
waiver engage students in alternative academic opportunities.
·
Senior internships in a wide variety of work arenas.
·
Clubs and activities that inspire students.
·
Some students attend the regional vocational technical high
school, after family review of the student’s interests and in collaboration
with the school counselor near the end of 8th grade.
Proposed
immediate next steps for Melrose
·
Implementation of Personalized Learning Plans, “[a]
student-directed, multi-year process that engages students in mapping their
interests, academic plans, personal growth, and preparation for postsecondary
goals.”
·
Competency-based learning: “when students work at their
academic level, understanding what they are learning and what they need to do
next.”
·
Recommended by Supt. Taymore at 9/15 School Committee meeting
and for community discussion beginning at the 10/6 Committee meeting. For more
on this initiative, read the introductory document at
and
scroll down to 6.B.1.a.: MPS Education Opportunities.
