SISI - Standards and Indicators

Standard 1 - Academic Performance - Curriculum
1.1e The school curriculum provides specific links to continuing education, life, and career options.
1.1g The curriculum provides access to a common academic core for all students.

Standard 5 - Learning Environment - Student, Family and Community Support
5.1c The school/district provides organizational structures and supports instructional practices to reduce barriers to learning.

Scenario

All the students in Ms. Berry’s fourth grade class were writing about their career choices. Susan was confused. She was not sure what a career in hospitality would be like; and yet, because her favorite aunt worked for a hotel, she was sure that was what she wanted for a career. Ms. Berry had said to include how the subjects of math, reading, science and social studies would help to achieve the career choice.

Aunt Donna, offered encouragement and tried to share interesting facts. But, talks with Aunt Donna were not often. Susan though interested, had very little knowledge or experience about the career that she was sure would be her life work someday.

All too often elementary students are confused, just as Susan, about a career choice. They are not given the opportunities to explore and experience hands-on situations in a vast area of careers. Elementary students dream of becoming doctors, lawyers, baseball, football, and basketball heroes. When elementary students are forced to make career choices and correlate subjects in school with careers, they become frustrated and confused. Looking for success, the student then returns to the familiar careers of sports, and other high profile careers rather than research and find facts on the numerous career choices available.

Introduction

The critical question then might be: What areas of the Kentucky Program of Studies and Core Curriculum will help elementary students gain information and experience about a variety of careers?

The best time for children to learn academics, responsibility, and work habits is during elementary school. Advocates for an elementary students’ career education is the home, school, and community.

• What training and information do educators need to begin to address career education at an early age?
• What necessary skills are needed so that at an early age a student will acquire the desire for life-long learning?

Students at an early age must learn by hands-on experiences and real-life opportunities that academics relate to having a successful career.

“Career Education is the total effort of the education system and the broader community to help all individuals become familiar with the values of a work oriented society, to integrate those values into their personal value system, and to implement them in their lives in such a way that work becomes possible, meaningful, and satisfying, for each individual"(Hoyt 1996,p. 1).

Helping students practice positive work values and experience productive work habits in school will give students the proper exposure and preparation at an early age for the world of work. Elementary career awareness programs often focus on values clarification, adoption of positive work habits, and behaviors.

However, a more productive approach is to integrate the career program into the existing school curriculum. By so doing, students gain a better understanding of why subject content is related to the career and successful work habits. (ERIC/CUE Digest, No.177, Brown, Bettina Lankard).

Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community. By so doing they will experience the different occupations and changing male/female roles.

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Strategies

Kentucky Program of Studies

Career education does not replace traditional academic learning. It expands it. Career education, helps prepare students for our future work force. It will prepare students for lasting, high-skills and a wealth of professions. However, waiting until students reach high school to begin this preparation will be too late! Career education must begin at an early age.

The Kentucky Program of Studies, http://www.kyschools.org  

 at the primary and intermediate levels, academic expectations and guided questions are linked with career education. This is especially true in the areas of Health and Physical Wellness and Social Studies (economics). Students learn to work cooperatively, make decisions, and increase awareness of how academics correlate with work (i.e. The reason to stay in school).

Career education strives to help teachers not only meet Kentucky’s academic expectations, but to incorporate cooperative learning, higher order thinking strategies, hands-on experience, and writing.

Team Responsibilities and Training (Administrators, Teachers, School Counselors)

Planning, motivation, and training are crucial in finding a focus and integrating career education into the curriculum. Through career awareness activities students become cognizant of a vast array of career possibilities. In turn they will be better able to address the Individual Graduation Plan at the end of grade 8. Administrators must assume the responsibility of providing appropriate instructional leadership training for teachers and school counselors, coordinate the involvement of community businesses, and provide a climate of support and encouragement. Classroom teachers must be come active in the business community and encourage investment in the school and students as well as, integrate academic and career teaching. School counselors must be trained in career development. The school counselor will be responsible for achieving a climate conducive for students to learn, grow, and experience career awareness.

The strength of the program depends not only on involvement of school counselors, but also on the participation of teaching staff and administrators. A good example of professional staff development was done in North Carolina. There the school staff, school counselors, administrative staff and community had a 2-week institute. A variety of activities including industrial tours, presentations, and lab demonstrations gave the participants understanding and skills to better advise students and parents on technical career opportunities. (PACE, P.O. Box 587, Highway, 76, Pendleton, SC 29760)

Planning the Program with Examples

A Comprehensive developmental program that integrates into the school curriculum and transitions with the Kentucky Program of Studies is the cornerstone of all elementary career education programs. The program needs to be actively involved with existing curriculum and delivered in a variety of ways by a wide range of individual career interests. There should be partnerships established with community-based businesses that will participate both in the classroom and at the work site. The school counselor is the one person in the school trained in communication skills that can best help with breaking the barriers between school and business and industry.

Worthington Elementary School
800 Center Street
Worthington, Kentucky 41183
1-859-836-8014
Jo Biehle –Contact

 ** See attached sample lesson plan.

Other strategies that are important to include in the elementary career education program are:

Career Day, Micro Society, and School-Based Enterprises.

Career Day Ideas:

Transportation Industry Agriculture Clerical Career Day needs to be fun, informative, and experimental. It is important for students to meet, talk with, and share with professionals. Career Day participants that wear the clothing of their profession and bring the equipment used in the profession, help elementary students to have exposure to the career.

Farely Elementary 1250 Husband Road Paducah, Kentucky 42002.  Shelia Nicholas-Contact

School-based enterprises are another excellent way for elementary students to have hands-on experiences in a variety of careers. The fifth grade students at one elementary school had a Christmas Mall. They named it the “The Fifth Dimension Mall”. Students researched, applied for a bank loan, ordered raw materials, produced products, interviewed for jobs, and ran a mall for the holidays. The class had a partnership with Wal-Mart Cooperation.

Ballard County Elementary
3343 Paducah Road
Barlow, Kentucky
1-270-665-8400 ex. 32
Nancy Harton- Contact

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Barriers

As with any program, there are always barriers whether it is fiscal or human. With the hands-on approach to career awareness, there is always the need for professional development. Without teachers understanding and willingness to be open and creative with the students, hands-on career awareness will not happen.

There must be administrative support and community involvement. These are not always possible. Expense in this type of program is not always a barrier.

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Resources

Kentucky Resources:

Position Paper Recommended Roles of Counselor for Implementing school-to-Work, Kentucky Department of Education, Frankfort, Kentucky
Resource Guide For Primary-Middle School (Kentucky School-to-Work), Kentucky Department of Education, (Division of Secondary Vocational Education) Frankfort, Kentucky Guide to Selecting Career Clusters and Career Majors in Kentucky, Kentucky Department of Education, Frankfort, Kentucky Transition Implementation Guide, Kentucky Department of Education, Frankfort, Kentucky
Kentucky Occupational Information Coordinating Guide, Workforce Development Cabinet, Frankfort, Kentucky

Ballard County Elementary
3343 Paducah Road
Barlow, Kentucky 42024
1-270-665-8400 ex. 32

Worthington Elementary School
800 Center Street
Worthington, Kentucky 41183
1-859-836-8014

Farley Elementary
1250 Husband Road
Paducah, Kentucky 42002
1-270-442-0770

Programs and Curriculum

 Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom, Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, P.O. Box 20700, Louisville, Kentucky 40200

 Economics America, Kentucky Council on Economic Education, 203 East Jefferson Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202 Careers in Actions, Education Associates Inc., 340 Crab Orchard Road, P.O. Box 4290 Frankfort, Kentucky 40604

Other Resources

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Research and Improvement, Studies of Educational Reform, http://www.edgov/pub/EdReformStudies/EdReforms/summ.html

Books

Children’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, CRKR Career Materials, Auburn, California, (1-800-525-5656)

Dream Catchers, Lindsay, Norene JIST Works Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana, ISBN 1-56370-086-7

Improving Career Counseling Services, Ettinger, Judithy Ph.,D.; Center on Education and Work, University of Wisconsin at Madison, (12-800-446-0399)

Job Jungle, Barrows, Laurie, CFKR career Materials, Auburn, California; ISBN 0-935783-48-9

Ready for School Ready for Work, National TeleLearning Network Inc. 120 Mallard Street, Suite 180, St Rose, Louisiana, 70087-9452 (1-800-432-3286)

You Can’t Sell Your Brother at the Garage Sale, Brainard, Beth, KID’S Rights Charlotte, North Carolina, (1-800-892-KIDS), ISBN 0-440-50438-4 Young Person’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, JIST Works Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana, 9317-264-3720) ISBN 1-56370) ISBN 156370-201-0

Videos

Career Video Tour, a 5 volume series

• Volume 1- Professional specialties
• Volume 2- Business Professions
• Volume 3- Health Related Careers
• Volume 4 – Careers in the Arts
• Volume 5 – Science and Environment

Careers At Work Video Series – a series of videos that brings relevance to school and stresses just how important each subject is to a future and successful career. Available through Education Associates Inc., 340 Crab Orchard Rd. P.O. Box 4290, Frankfort, Kentucky 40604

Software:

Career Area Interest Checklist, (Career Exploration and Planning Software, Meridian Education Corporation, 236 East Front Street Bloomington, Ill. 61701, (1-800-727-5507)

Career Ware, ISM Information Career Kids CD-ROM – Stories featuring a variety of careers Education Associates Inc., 430 Crab Orchard Rd., P.O. Box 4290, Frankfort, Kentucky 40604

Elementary Lesson Plan K-3

Time suggested: One class period

Resources: Household scale (pounds); kitchen scale (ounces/grams); the following classroom materials to be weighed: Pencils; erasers; chalk; crayons; books; shoes; toys; balls; paper clips; bottles of glue; and scissors

Activity:

1. Teacher introduces scales to students and explains how and why they are used.
2. Students are asked which scale would be used to weight them. Explain answer/choice
3. Students are shown different objects and asked what scale would be used to weigh each one. (explain) 4. Students are asked to predict the weight of each object and then weigh and check predictions.

Additional Activities and Discussion Questions:

• Weigh each student and record the data –make a chart
• Use two-arm scale and find objects that have the same weight, compare objects.
• Discuss occupations that require the use of scales.
• Encourage students to think of how scales are used in the following occupations: postal worker, doctor, store clerk, baker, chef, farmer etc.

Lesson Plan:

Objective:

 The students will gain knowledge of the hotel/motel industry. They will become aware of all of the different persons with specialized careers that are needed to make a hotel/motel function efficiently and creatively and make a profit in the world of business.

Resources:

A list of major hotel/motel chain 800 numbers and addresses

Community/ parent participation:

Conduct a school survey to see if any parents are employed by a hotel/motel. Also, check with the local senior citizen’s center to recruit retired hotel/motel workers to be partners with the class. Also, if the area has a major hotel/motel chain, request that they develop a partnership with the class for this particular activity.

Activity:

The students will learn from a guest speaker and research activities about the many careers that are a part of the hotel/motel industry. The guest speaker will share with the students the many different career persons that must be hired to run a hotel/motel.

Some questions that should be covered:

1. What is the average number of rooms that a hotel/motel will have?
2. What is the job of the reservations clerk?
3. When a guest arrives at the hotel what does the reservation clerk do?
4. Who does all the laundry? How many people does it take to clean rooms?
5. Does someone take care of the luggage?

Primary:

The class will choose a particular hotel or motel that they can write or e-mail. They will ask information concerning facilities and reservation information.

The teacher, as a guided activity, will write the actual letter.

 Intermediate:

Students will be directed to the school media center. With help from the media specialist, students will use telephone books, newspapers, computers and any other resources available to select a hotel/motel chain. Each student will write a letter asking for information concerning the operations of the hotel/motel chain.

 Enrichment Activities: Research the following Internet site: www.ahma.com/index.htm Ask students to bring old travel brochures or pictures form magazines that advertise hotels/motels. Use the pictures to make a collage or backdrop for a bulletin board. Students might exchange pictures and write creative stories about travel and motel stay.

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Key Words

career choices, career education, careers, elementary

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