The following courses, programs, academies, and pathways were nominated for recognition in our 15-state survey. Although in varying stages of development, all of the Honorable Mentions demonstrate interesting and meaningful ways to connect humanities coursework with community resources, career exploration, and work-based learning. While some schools have adopted an academy model and infused humanities content throughout career pathways, others have engaged in schoolwide projects that bring together the school and the community. These examples show the continuum of ongoing efforts to establish a strong link between humanities subject matter and career concerns.
Academy X
Sir Francis Drake High School
San Anselmo, CaliforniaOne of several academies at Sir Francis Drake High School, Academy X focuses on preparing 11th- and 12th-grade students for leadership in community, business, and government organizations. This academy combines academic preparation with a meaningful opportunity for work and learning outside of school.
Students take a core curriculum of U.S. History, American Literature, Government, Economics, Oral Rhetoric, Writing Workshop, and workplace learning classes over a period of two years. Academy X students are expected to master the content of classes, develop expertise in the professional skills associated with the world of work, and demonstrate a commitment to personal and ethical qualities necessary to meet the challenges of 21st-century life.
Academy X seeks to blur the lines between the classroom and the community. Classroom work is guided by an essential question such as "How is the American experience relevant to a young Californian in the 21st century?"
Students are intensively involved in project-based learning. Student-devised projects must be authentic and academically rigorous; they must also involve adults in the community, encourage active learning, and require application of critical-thinking skills. For example, in one project, students created a mosaic that reflects the experience of the various immigrant/migrant groups who settled in the San Francisco Bay area. Study in the field required reading primary documents and archived material as well as interviewing community members. Students then met with a professional artist to make the connection between historical facts and public art. Literature, here The Grapes of Wrath, was used as a means of comparing the experiences of immigrants.
In order to create an integrated experience, students also investigate an essential question at their internship. This year, students researched the role of learning in the workplace and the role of work in the American experience, focusing specifically on their internship site. Upon completion, students present their findings to their co-workers at the site.
CONTACT: Tom Markham and Bob Lenz, Academy X, Sir Francis Drake High School, 1327 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo, California 94960; (415) 458-3487.
Welcome to Academy X
Good-bye, Summer.
Hello, Office . . .Office? Yes, look around you. You will notice that the room feels more like an office than a classroom. That’s by design. Think of yourself as a student who is learning skills and information useful to your future as an employee, entrepreneur, and contributor to a healthy society and positive world. How will you accomplish this?
First, you will be involved in projects that integrate the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in school or at work. Second, you will spend 10 weeks in an off-campus internship learning experience—an on-the-job experience that will show what successful adults do all day long. Third, you will be challenged.
Be prepared to work independently, to take total responsibility for your learning, and to stretch yourself as a learner.
The faculty this year is composed of Bob Lenz (U.S. History), Tom Markham (Workplace Learning), and Chizzie Griffith (American Literature). You will receive credit for these three classes, although you will not know
Adapting Literature for
South Salem High School
the Stage and Screen
Salem, OregonAt South Salem High School in Salem, Oregon, students can take a class that will help them get to Hollywood…or anywhere else people write, produce plays, and make movies.
Adapting Literature for the Stage and Screen teaches students complex reading skills and the technological know-how that theater, video, and film professionals need. The course and activities were developed by teachers Tim Jaskoski, Brian Putnam, and Mike McDonald; Rob Patton recently joined the team.
Students learn about the uses of art, English, and technology in film and video making, and then apply those concepts to their own projects. Activities and skills that might seem far removed from the world of work (identifying events, themes, and genre; analyzing and interpreting) are essential to the occupations the students may pursue.
In groups students arrange schedules and plan equipment needs, and cast, perform, direct, film, and edit a movie based on a literary story. Their work, written or filmed, must show an understanding of the genre and its development over time while communicating and interpreting meaning in the literature. Through choices of medium, lighting, and camera angles, students learn to use and understand technology as a tool for communication. Before filming, students work together to create a storyboard/script. They learn both the technical and aesthetic aspects of writing, directing, filming, and editing, of turning raw footage into a piece that communicates through content and presentation. Student-produced adaptations of texts range from the works of Shakespeare to Ray Bradbury to Tom Robbins.
CONTACT: Tim Jaskoski, South Salem High School, 1910 Church Street S.E., Salem, Oregon 97302; (503) 399-3252.
Applied Communications
Entiat Senior High School
Entiat, WashingtonThe Applied Communications courses at Entiat Senior High School in Entiat, Washington, are offered to students in grades nine through 12, and integrate a traditional English course with school-to-work/life issues and activities.
All courses address five competencies: reading, writing, conventions, literature, and career focus.
Ninth-graders concentrate on word processing and gaining the necessary technical skills for different kinds and levels of communication. Students practice the modes of writing, study literature, and develop communications skills and writing style. Class time is also used to set personal and career goals and to begin a career portfolio. Tenth-graders read To Kill a Mockingbird, West Side Story, Romeo and Juliet, and a wide selection of poetry. As part of the textual discussion and analysis, students learn the principles of conflict management and resolution.
In the junior year, students begin to define post-graduation plans. Each participates in a job shadow with a local professional to learn more about on-the-job application of English and communication skills. Students add to their career portfolios by researching and creating a plan of action for achieving career goals.
Seniors complete a senior project and portfolio comprising a career plan, resume, sample letter of application, and an exit interview.
As the course continues to develop, parents will participate in the exit interview and become actively involved in their children's education and career planning.
In and out of class, students perform advanced research and acquire the necessary skills to complete large projects. Students work on citizenship and leadership issues so that when they enter college or the workforce they have both technical skills and a sense of responsibility.
CONTACT: Lee Gibbs, Entiat Senior High School, 2650 Entiat Way, Entiat, Washington 98822-9710; (509) 784-1911.
"Until all the academic disciplines are connected in some way to career preparation or exploration programs, we cannot consider our schools successful. Every discipline contributes to the life- long skills and knowledge of students."
—Lynn Simons, Secretary’s Regional Representative, U.S. Department of Education, Region VIII
Arts and Communications Pathway
Eugene School District 4J Eugene, OregonAt Willamette High School in Eugene, Oregon, juniors study the fine arts alongside U.S. history in the two-semester course Humanities I. In the first semester, students survey the development of graphic and performing arts from the pre-Colonial era through the Civil War, and in the second semester from the late 19th century to the late 20th century.
Job shadows and career exploration are integral to the entire course. The main texts consist of films, multimedia resources, paintings, photographs, and other resources that are used in conjunction with the textbook The Americans, A History. Films include those in the Art in America series, which profiles art genres and highlights career opportunities in the fields of painting, photography, and writing. Students deliver a presentation on their job shadow experiences and complete a portfolio at the end of the second semester.
Humanities I is one of many classes in Eugene District 4J schools that help juniors and seniors complete the Certificate of Advanced Mastery (CAM) in Arts and Communications. Throughout Oregon, students will be able to pursue a CAM in one of six career pathways after completing the Certificate of Initial Mastery in the 10th grade. The CAM program ensures that students learn professional technical education and have career-related learning experiences. In Eugene District 4J the program is entitled Eugene Arts-Comm and combines school-to-work activities with the state CAM standards.
Eugene Arts-Comm encompasses classes in visual arts, language arts and forensics, foreign languages, journalism, music, and drama, and engages students in job shadows, internships, or apprenticeships in areas such as dance, music, graphic arts, photography, broadcasting, and writing.
As juniors and seniors, students work on projects or at jobs provided by the district, Lane Community College, the University of Oregon, and local businesses. Combining the study of math, science, English, and history with the practical application of the arts, students concentrate in one of five areas: Music and Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Communications Technology, Foreign Languages, or Literature.
All students have an individualized plan and work in conjunction with a teacher mentor, worksite mentor, the school's school-to-work coordinator, and the district's curriculum coordinator. Students apply for admission to the program, which includes Saturday career seminars, job shadows, internships, a portfolio of work, and a final project or exhibition.
Other schools' projects include 19th Street Productions, run by South Eugene High School students who coordinate projects such as renting the school auditorium, selling tickets, and marketing.
North Eugene High School operates a student art gallery, and Arts-Comm students also write and publish the school's newspaper and literary magazine.
At Churchill High School, students are involved with several school-based enterprises, including a radio station, video production and duplication, graphic design, and community service.
Sheldon High School operates KRVM, the district radio station, and houses a TV studio and communications center.
CONTACT: Tim Volem (Humanities I), Willamette High School, 1801 Echo Hollow Road, Eugene, Oregon 97402; (541) 689-0731; Denise Gudger (Arts-Comm), Curriculum Coordinator, Eugene District 4J; 200 N. Monroe Street, Eugene, Oregon 97402; (541) 687-3351.
"Every career path has great literature associated with it. Students interested in the study of law could read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird; students wanting to explore careers in environmental science could read the work of Wendell Berry. The Grapes of Wrath, for instance, reveals as much about the economy of California during the Depression as it does about human suffering."—Loni Hancock, Secretary’s Regional Representative, U.S. Department of Education, Region IX
Black Hills
Careers Academy
Sturgis, South Dakota
The Black Hills Careers Academy, part of the Special Services Co-op in Sturgis, South Dakota, is a high school for at-risk youth. Students throughout the state are referred to the academy by schools or state agencies. Many of the academy's courses integrate students' artwork and writing with work- and project-based learning. Instructors work with students to identify career interests and educational opportunities.
Students spend half of the school day in a classroom setting working in science, math, communications, social studies, health, and character counseling. The other half is spent at businesses that provide work-based learning experiences for the students. Students create their own artwork and designs that are used for products they make and market through school-based enterprises. While drawing or painting pictures for a calendar or designing and building furniture, students learn important job and life skills.
Periodically, artists-in-residence work with students on character components such as honesty, responsibility, and citizenship, which are core components of the academy's curriculum.
Through each artist's medium, students explore what those ideas mean to them. These experiences help many students discover the role of arts and artists in society, both past and present. For some, it becomes a way of exploring their Native American heritage.
The entire program has proved a positive experience for students, who have previously seen few options beyond high school and often have had neither the means nor encouragement to express themselves creatively.
CONTACT: Ernie Bantam, Director, Black Hills Careers Academy, Black Hills Special Services Co-op, 2885 Dixon Drive, Sturgis, South Dakota 57785; (605) 642-8286.
Bosnian War
Research Project
Eisenhower High School
Yakima, Washington
This project is the result of a collaboration between an English teacher, who designed the project, and a technology teacher, who offered technical support.
Following their reading of Elie Weisel's Night, which deals with the author's experience in a concentration camp during the Holocaust, students discussed the atrocities of war. Events in Bosnia served as a contemporary example.
Working in pairs, students then used computer technology to research an aspect of the Bosnian war. They created multimedia presentations by researching primary documents and interviewing professionals involved with the International War Crimes Tribunal. An assistant prosecutor for the Bosnian War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague served as an Internet guide for the class, recommending appropriate sites and helping them locate relevant resources.
Through contact with professionals, students looked at how the quest for justice defines specific careers. In addition, they examined real-world issues: ethnic conflict, gender discrimination, violence, and peacekeeping.
In order to provide an authentic audience for their research, student presentations were scheduled with the local school board and outside service organizations. In the process, students' academic knowledge was transformed into a series of multimedia presentations. Students considered the aesthetics involved in creating an informative and interesting electronic presentation.
Students also designed an evaluation process to help refine their presentations. Connecting with professionals and speaking to an outside audience helped them develop such job-related skills as self-management, team work, and oral and written communication.
The project's reputation has grown locally, and students are in high demand as speakers.
CONTACT: Jan Case and Glenn Krieger, Eisenhower High School, 702 N. 40th Avenue, Yakima, Washington 98908; (509) 573-7021.
Ideas on IntegrationIntegrating humanities coursework with career exploration may be as simple as asking students to bring in examples of how a parent, neighbor, or friend encounters humanities-related issues and content (art, music, literature, economics, history) in their work life. Ask your students to observe people drawing from humanities subject matter in their daily lives. If you are past that stage, think about modifying an existing unit. Have your students, for example, look at the skills required of a supervisor, manager, or CEO and compare those to the skills exhibited by historical figures or political leaders. Or, you might want to share your ideas with a colleague interested in cross-subject activities. An English teacher could work with a civics teacher so that their common students reading The Crucible can discuss legal issues that affected the lives of the Puritans and examine similar present-day issues |
Career Planning
Elgin Public School, Elgin;
and Job Shadows
Flasher Public School, Flasher;
Carson Public School, Carson; North Dakota
At three high schools in southwestern North Dakota, career planning and job shadows are incorporated into English, family and consumer science, and other classes. The teachers at Elgin, Flasher, and Carson Public Schools have expanded the scope of their subjects to help better prepare their students for the workplace.
Throughout the three courses, students in grades nine through 12 research careers in which they are interested, write reports and give presentations on occupational outlooks, write resumes, and perform mock interviews with each other.
Students use the Internet and meet with local professionals in order to explore specific jobs within career fields. Eleventh- and 12th-graders enrolled in communication classes participate in a 40-hour workplace experience. Local businesses in the towns of Elgin, Flasher, and Carson host these students, and mentors work one-on-one to help students learn about the skills, training, and duties of that workplace. During the extended job shadow, students experience first-hand the writing, interacting, and decisionmaking that they have talked about in class.
Every student completes a portfolio that details his or her career exploration and future plans for education and work. The career exploration and planning component has been in effect for two years, and the job shadow program is in its fifth year of existence.
The schools plan to conduct a follow-up study of their graduates to understand how the program has helped students and how it might be improved.
CONTACT: Sharon Klein, Elgin Public School, 110 Northwest Street, Elgin, North Dakota 58533, (701) 584-2374; Gayla Lang, Flasher Public School, 206 3rd Avenue E., Flasher, North Dakota 58535, (701) 597-3355; Ann Hertz, Carson Public School, 2nd Avenue W., Carson, North Dakota 58529, (701) 622-3263.
"The importance of the humanities can’t be overstated. It’s a challenge to bring the rich study of literature and the world of work together in a way that does them both justice. Too often the study of English, when discussed in relation to career development, is reduced to resume writing and business letters, which, while important, do not encompass the full richness of the study of literature."
—Carla Nuxoll, Secretary’s Regional Representative, U.S. Department of Education, Region X
Career Portfolios
Polson School District
Districtwide
Polson, Montana
Gaining self knowledge, discussing core values, examining how stereotyping affects people's lives—these are some of the topics discussed in the Polson Career Development Program.
This program has three major components: career portfolios, career pathways, and job shadowing. Using the Get a Life portfolio developed by the American School Counselor Association, students are guided through a career development process. Polson School District was one of eight national demonstration sites successful in integrating the portfolio into the district's curriculum.
The district has also defined six pathways around major career fields: Arts and Communication; Engineering and Technology; Natural Resources; Health and Wellness; Business and Marketing; and Human Services. Through pathway selection, students are able to choose courses leading toward identified academic and personal goals.
In addition, all sophomores participate in a job shadowing program. According to school officials, the success of the program rests on three components: inservice programs, integration into academic courses, and interdisciplinary teaching teams.
Initially, a team of teachers reviewed the district's curriculum to determine where specific workplace competencies could be demonstrated by students. To ensure that each student engages in career development, the English curriculum was chosen as the primary delivery vehicle. This language arts program encompasses "all of the ways that human beings use language to symbolize and interpret their experiences to find meaning in their lives."
At each grade level, life skills such as cooperative learning and active listening are addressed. Students are taught and encouraged to express themselves in a variety of forms, from poetry to public speaking.
Literary works such as Othello, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Lord of the Flies, and Future Shock are examined both in terms of what they say about the human condition and what they say about the changes in life roles.
CONTACT: Sherry Jones, Project Director, Polson Career Development Team, Polson High School, 111 4th Avenue E., Polson, Montana 59860; (406) 883-6350.
Communicating
Campbell County High School Gillette, Wyoming
for TechnologyThe senior-level Communicating for Technology course at Camp bell County High School in Gillette, Wyoming, integrates a traditional English class with Business Education.
For four years Judy Cummings, Business Education, and Carol Bierbaum, English, have team taught the course, helping to develop their students' employability skills and broaden their occupational interests.
In class, students practice typical workplace writing while learning about the style and skills of professionals in the fields of journalism and technical writing. In addition to reading literature with workplace themes and implications, students read technical material and collaboratively develop standards for judging credible information. Later, in their work-based experiences, they have the chance to apply these standards to real situations.
Career exploration occurs both in and out of class. After identifying a general area of interest, students interview local professionals working in related occupations. Through e-mail and Internet research, class members link with professionals throughout the state and country to learn about their jobs, training, and areas of expertise.
All students participate in a job shadow with local businesses and offices. Each student also develops a career plan and a professional portfolio, which includes class writing projects completed individually and in groups. One such project resulted in employment policy handbooks that students researched and wrote for the various workplaces and occupations with which they were involved.
Through both library and Internet resources, students learn about many different careers grounded in the arts and humanities, and with local mentors they gain hands-on experience and individualized career exploration.
CONTACT: Judy Cummings and Carol Bierbaum, Campbell County High School, P.O. Box 3033, Gillette, Wyoming 82717; (307) 682-7247.
Exploration of Arts and Humanities Career Cluster
Hatton Public School Hatton, North DakotaThe high school grades at Hatton Public School are organized by career pathways, and teachers throughout the K-12 system are actively working to introduce students to careers not often seen in a small, agricultural community.
Located in northeastern North Dakota, Hatton High School has held Interdisciplinary Day for three years. This year the activities expanded to become an extended exploration of the Arts and Humanities career cluster.
Teachers in all subjects highlight occupations in the arts or humanities and write lessons that incorporate art, history, literature, and social studies into their own subjects.
Interdisciplinary Day 1997 focused on careers related to planning and producing a musical. Students spent the day with theater experts who talked to them about related careers and gave them the chance to do hands-on work with costume and set design, as well as photography.
The culminating project of the exploration was a dinner theater musical, for which students planned, designed, and produced a musical for an audience of 200. Students not only studied the work of make-up artists, set designers, and lighting technicians, they performed those jobs. Members of the local theater club served as student mentors and advised students on technical, direction, and production aspects. Art students designed and created the setting and props while the foods class planned, prepared, and served dinner for the entire audience.
In subsequent years, other career clusters will be similarly explored in order to expand rural students' career options. School, parent, and community involvement continues to grow, and schools throughout the state have inquired about the Hatton project. Much of the excitement, says coordinator Nancy Condit, lies in the "realization that almost anything you are interested in can become a career."
CONTACT: Nancy Condit and Karen Howson, Hatton Public School, P.O. Box 200, Hatton, North Dakota 58240; (701) 543-3455.
Much of the excitement, lies in the "realization that almost anything you are interested in can become a career."
—Nancy Condit, Counselor and Project Coordinator
Flathead High School
Kalispell, MontanaStudents at Flathead High School in Kalispell, Montana, may choose from a wide variety of courses that integrate arts and humanities courses with career education activities.
Several courses integrate other subjects as well, emphasizing the "crossover" nature of concepts and applications in workplaces. For example, Art/Creative Writing helps students explore the creative process through experiences in both visual and written expression. The Jewelry/Metals class gives students aesthetic perspective and technical experience, abilities needed to be a jewelry designer, jewelry shop owner, or a sales person. The integrated courses were developed three years ago and are offered on a block schedule.
The course Biomes and Barrios combines history, current events, geography, social studies, and language. Students investigate Central America from an ecological and cultural perspective, seeking to understand the relationships between the biomes and barrios, politics and ecology. The course is taught entirely in Spanish.
English and history teachers often collaborate to provide an integrated course of study, one that emphasizes the interrelationship of the subject areas and connects historical events to students' lives and the community.
All of the integrated classes help students develop writing, speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. Students use the Internet and the community to learn about their subjects, to broaden their understanding of available occupations, and to understand the application of academics in a variety of workplaces.
CONTACT: Shirley M. Spurgeon, Flathead High School, 644 Fourth Avenue W., Kalispell, Montana 59901; (406) 756-5075.
Future Prep
St. Francis High School
St. Francis, MinnesotaAt St. Francis High School in St. Francis, Minnesota, students in grades nine through 12 participate in Future Prep, a program that provides structured school- and work-based learning experiences. In the ninth grade, all students take the nine-week Future Prep class in which they inventory their interests, learn about the world of work, and choose a career pathway that best fits their interests and goals. In the 10th grade, students further explore their pathways by participating in job shadows and talking with professionals who visit the school.
Future Prep is two years old, and activities for 11th- and 12th-graders are still being developed. This academic year, juniors will voluntarily participate in internships with local businesses of their choice. Eventually, these defined internship experiences will be a requirement for all juniors.
The 12th-grade year will also involve more hands-on, work-based learning through which students will develop specific skills and clarify their postgraduation plans; these activities will also encompass state graduation standards in the area of understanding "Systems of Work."
The Applied Arts pathway consists of the visual, performing, written, and spoken arts. Students take core courses and choose from electives that fit their specific occupational interests. Core courses for English include Creative Writing, Advanced English, and Yearbook, and humanities topics are infused throughout other subjects. The Applied Arts occupational titles, shadows, and internships encompass a broad range of entry-level, technical, and professional occupations, including actress, art teacher, editor, graphic designer, and publisher.
Internships for 1997 will place students with a sign maker, a stage technician, a floral arranger, a music and voice instructor, and a dancer.
CONTACT: Lila M. Ronn, Principal, St. Francis High School, 3325 Bridge Street, St. Francis, Minnesota 55070; (612) 753-7000.
High School Registration with Career Pathways
Nampa and Skyview High Schools
Nampa, IdahoAt Nampa and Skyview High Schools in Nampa, Idaho, the integration of career education and the arts and humanities extends to the course registration guide. This guide is an essential component of the integration process.
The registration guide is both a schedule of offerings and a counseling tool that helps students in grades nine through 12 plan their high school classes, postgraduation choices, and career paths. Because the guide is organized by pathway students choose both core and elective courses with career plans in mind. Students may switch pathways in order to explore other careers or integrate the coursework and skills of one with another. The guide also encourages participation in extracurricular activities such as band, FFA, sports, and student government. These activities develop students' sense of individual, school, and community responsibility.
Arts and humanities courses help students explore career options and develop specific skills for postsecondary education and the workplace. From World Crafts to Marketing to Spanish, students learn about a wide variety of occupations and the transferable skills developed in each course. Since introducing these concepts, both schools have experienced significant increases in music, art, and language course enrollment.
The registration guide gives sample educational and career plans for specific occupations. These aid students in writing their own plans, which they must do each year of high school.
In the Arts and Humanities pathway, students refer to plans for advertising, architecture, broadcasting, film, and graphic design, among others. These plans serve as starting points for students to chart their own coursework, exam and application deadlines, and postgraduation plans.
CONTACT: Harmon Hurren, Nampa School District, 619 S. Canyon, Nampa, Idaho 83686; (208) 465-2700.
Humanitas
Los Angeles School District
Los Angeles, CaliforniaStarted in 1986 by the Los Angeles Educational Partnership and piloted at the L.A. District's Cleve land Humanities Magnet School, Humanitas has grown into a network of 400 secondary teachers. They are united in a commitment to creating access to the humanities —both as academic study and career fields—for the racially and ethnically diverse students in 38 Los Angeles high schools. The program was designed in response to a 1985 Rockefeller Foundation report that stated urban youth were losing ground in humanities subjects.
The Humanitas curriculum provides students with a vision of how the various parts of the high school fit together and how those parts connect to future careers. Literature, the arts, philosophy, history, science, and life skills are integrated and taught by teams of teachers. Writing assignments are based on the philosophy that all students need to understand their world and will excel when they believe that what they think, learn, and write matters.
Teachers collaborate across departmental lines. They work together to design courses that are rich in content and relevant to the lives of their students. Students and teachers regularly take in the cultural offerings of the city, exploring various careers in the arts.
Themes of exploration include national unity, fables and myths, conflict resolution, media and the individual, environment and industrialization, and civil rights. Students use multiple learning modalities to process information, including photography lab work, mock debates, and writing for the public.
Coordinator Neil Anstead, English teacher Sharon Sisson, and art teacher Renen Shufelt recently received a grant to develop a thematic curriculum centered around the topic "learning to think by looking at art."
Team training for teachers takes place at various centers throughout the city. At the Cleveland High Human ities Magnet School teachers explore a conceptual approach to all areas of study. Instruction in critical thinking and experiential learning is also provided. Offerings at Jefferson High School focus on the needs of inner-city students. Areas of study include media literacy, community-service learning, and drop-out prevention. The Roosevelt High School training center offers teachers a chance to learn about the integration of science into a humanities curriculum, film studies, and on-line communications.
CONTACT: Barbara Golding, Humanitas Director, Los Angeles Educational Partnership, 315 W. Ninth Street, Suite 1110, Los Angeles, California 90015; (213) 622-5237; or Neil Anstead, Coordinator, (818) 701-6481.
Arts to Careers
For the last two and a half years, the Arts to Careers project has spearheaded efforts to link artists, businesses, and K-12 schools in and around Denver, Colorado. Through a variety of activities, the program has taught thousands of children about the arts, art-based careers, and the relationships between art and business.
As a coordinating agent, Arts to Careers links schools, school-to-work coordinators, and art teachers with area businesses and professional artists. In elementary school, students visit businesses and artists’ studios. In middle school, they perform job shadows with art professionals, and in high school participate in internships. With artists and businesses, students have created murals and Web sites and helped produce television and video presentations.
Arts to Careers aims to give young people the chance to creatively express themselves, to develop self-confidence and general skills, and to show youth the broad career opportunities in the arts. Stella Yu is director of Arts to Careers, which is run out of the Denver Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture, and Film. The program continues to grow with the support of education partners, volunteers, businesses, and arts organizations. In the coming years they plan to take Arts to Careers services and projects statewide to serve as a model for schools and organizations throughout the country.
CONTACT: Stella Yu, Associate Director, Arts to Careers, Mayor’s Office of Art, Culture, and Film, 280 14th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202; (303) 640-2758.
Humanities, Arts, and Communication Academy
San Marcos High School San Marcos, CaliforniaPiloted during the 1996-97 school year, this academy allows students to explore music, art, and communications through the study of literature, composition, and history. Like all academies offered at San Marcos High School, the humanities model offers students a chance to prepare for the future.
Students and teachers are paired with members of the community who function as mentors for students and guest speakers in classrooms. Job shadowing takes place in the junior year, followed by internships in the senior year.
While continuing to take a traditional curriculum of English, history, science, and math, students explore careers in visual and performing arts and human services. As part of a "virtual" exploration of related careers, 11th- and 12th-grade students correspond via e-mail with professionals working in humanities career areas such as journalism, fine arts, law, politics and government, and public service.
Students choose one occupational area and establish an academy specialization. Specializations range from multimedia programming and floriculture to peer counseling and drama.
CONTACT: Marcia Kern, Humanities Academy, San Marcos High School, 1615 San Marcos Boulevard, San Marcos, California 92069; (619) 744-5944 ext. 286.
Interactive Media
Marshfield High School
Coos Bay, OregonStudents in grades 10, 11, and 12 gain practical and advanced technical experience through projects undertaken in the mass communications classes offered at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Oregon.
In Interactive Multimedia, students plan and carry out video, graphics, and fine art projects on literary, community, or historical topics. Students work with local professionals in various fields to produce a project such as a Web site, video, or showcase that is useful to the school or community. Through consultations, students gain unique insight into available careers, training and education, and professional conduct.
Marshfield has a total of 12 mass communications courses that teach students necessary workplace skills for careers in journalism, graphic arts, and broadcasting. Courses include Writing for Publications, Video Production, and Television Broadcast/News Journalism.
Students in Writing for Publication provide interviews, opinions, articles, and creative pieces for the school newspaper and Pirate Pride, a newsletter used as a tool to build stronger relationships with parents and the community.
Students in Television Broadcast/News Journalism write, edit, and produce a weekly television cable show. The students act as writers, producers, directors, and editors, meeting real deadlines and working by professional standards.
"The Arts are work. To get from the blank page, the empty screen, or the dark auditorium to the creative form, one tackles and sustains a complex level of work of the mind, hand, and will." —David O’Fallon, Executive Director, Arts High School, Golden Valley, MN
All of the mass communications courses teach students specific skills in the arts and humanities and use technology as a tool for communicating information and artistic vision. The students become active members of the community, working with local business people and carrying out projects in and for the benefit of the whole town. Through their projects students not only learn about career options but also discover the importance of active citizenship.
CONTACT: Eleanor Dinkins, Marshfield High School, 10th and Ingersoll, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420; (541) 267-1428.
Job Shadow Day
Coupeville Middle School
Coupeville, WashingtonEighth-graders at Coupeville Middle School in Coupeville, Washington, participate in a job shadow, spending a day at work with a member of the community working in a field in which the student is interested. But the Job Shadow Day program involves more than just one day. Students spend 15 days over three weeks exploring careers, performing interest inventories, and preparing for their day in the workplace.
Modeled after a similar program coordinated by humanities teachers at the Issaquah (Washington) Middle School, Coupeville vocational director Sandy Heaman and language arts teacher Karen Frances have made Job Shadow Day a full-fledged career exploration and experience for students.
Job Shadow Day is now in its second year, and organizers are working to involve teachers of other disciplines. Currently, the majority of the activities occur in the language arts class. Prior to Job Shadow Day, students use the library and the Internet to understand how their interests can translate into occupations and to explore career options. Those interested in arts and humanities careers investigate jobs such as newspaper reporter, writer, animator, and television anchor. All students practice general workplace writing and create their own resumes based on their interests and activities.
On Job Shadow Day nearly every eighth-grader spends at least four hours at the mentor's job site. There they learn how classroom subjects apply at work, which skills are necessary to the job, and what education and training are needed. Afterward, students write a report and give a class presentation. Those unable to do the shadow spend the day with library staff researching three occupations, about which they also write and present a report. The work from the exploration, shadow, and reflection combine in a portfolio for which the student receives a grade.
Job Shadow Day organizers continue to develop classroom and workplace resources to prepare parents, mentors, and students.
CONTACT: Sandy Heaman and Karen Frances, 501 S. Main Street, Coupeville, Washington 98239; (360) 678-4409.
Media Arts
Arts High School
Golden Valley, MinnesotaThe Arts High School in Golden Valley, Minnesota, offers a media arts program for 11th- and 12th-grade students. The goal of this four-semester course of study is to guide students in becoming self-directed, lifelong learners in the media arts. To that end, students learn about academic and aesthetic aspects of video, film, digital imagery, and photography, and engage each other, community members, and professional artists in their learning experiences.
Three projects comprise the core work of the Media Arts program. Students must plan and carry out an exhibition for the community consisting of their own and other students' work that explores a theme or topic. The student performs all of the duties of curator: deciding what work will be shown, locating an appropriate venue, and staging the show. Thus, students gain important skills in the business and management side of the arts.
The second component is a portfolio and includes an interview with a visiting artist. Students present and discuss their work, which must demonstrate experience in several media, such as film, computer animation, and photography. The discussion of the student's creative process in planning and producing the work grounds itself in the dynamics of a master/apprentice relationship.
Finally, students in the Media Arts program create an exit portfolio showcasing their work and featuring a career and education plan.
The Arts High School is a tuition-free, public, residential high school for 11th- and 12th-graders. It is housed at the Lola and Rudy Perpich Minnesota Center for Arts Education. Students throughout the state compete for admission. Most graduates go on to college or art school to further develop their artistic and technical skills before becoming professional artists.
CONTACT: Nancy Norwood, Arts High School, 6125 Olson Memorial Highway, Golden Valley, Minnesota 55422; (612) 591-4700.
"We give them the time, the trust, the creative latitude, and the resources to carry out projects to their comple- tion. We enable them to immerse themselves in complex experience rather than confining them to classroom lec- tures…. Everyone here teaches, including cleri- cal and administrative workers, as well as stu- dents themselves, so that we can keep the classes small and student-cen- tered."
—Stuart Grauer, Director, The Grauer School
Multimedia Arts
The Grauer School
Encinitas, CaliforniaMultimedia Arts I and II at the Grauer School help students understand and use video, audio, and digital media as a means of communication while preparing them for postsecondary education and employment in cutting-edge fields combining art and technology. The Grauer School, formerly the Independent High School, is a sixth- to 12th-grade college preparatory school in Encinitas, California. Multimedia Arts students in grades nine through 12 study video theory, history, and design, and compile a portfolio of their own work. Multimedia Arts I students study literature and literary analysis alongside film and video, and Multimedia Arts II students refine their portfolios as they consider art school and career options. The films studied include Citizen Kane, Macbeth, All's Quiet on the Western Front, and Apocalypse Now.
"Everyone here teaches," says school director Stuart Grauer, "including clerical and administrative workers, as well as the students themselves." The community is also an active participant, with guest speakers visiting students, and business people and alumni consulting with students on projects.
Final projects from the Multimedia Arts students result in the Grauer School's yearbook on CD and video—all student designed and produced. The 1997 yearbook is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe; viewers wander through a mysterious house encountering movies, photos, text, and trap doors.
Other humanities classes also link students with their own and surrounding communities and give them the opportunity to learn essential technical and interpersonal skills. History students developed a computer-based tour of Europe, working as a team of programmers, historians, and designers. A humanities class developed an analysis "toolkit" to be used for movie reviews. Music, French, and art students collaborated to produce the opera Carmen, with the help of students in France with whom the Grauer French class consulted.
The school's slogan is "Learn by Discovery," which is at the core of another project. Students study the geography, economics, and culture of natural ecosystems, and then go on location to learn about the topics first hand. The project culminates with students identifying a community service need and carrying it out. This year students spent a week in the Mojave Desert, studying with local artists, naturalists, and government officials. Of course, the multimedia students were on hand to capture the experience on video and film.
CONTACT: Stuart Grauer or Jonathan Wagner, The Grauer School, 2210 Encinitas Boulevard, Suite E, Encinitas, California 92024; (619) 944-6777.
"The addition of immersion in the arts to tradi- tional academic study develops broader human potential. That this is important education is reinforced by higher edu- cation’s and industry’s demand for creative individuals with flexi- bility, problem-solving skills, and new solutions for old problems."—Northwest Academy founding philosophy statement
Northwest Academy
Portland, OregonThe Northwest Academy is an independent secondary school committed to education through the integration of the arts, academics, and contemporary technology. Central to the school is an incentive-based curricular structure. All courses in the school's program are sequential and developmental. Students know what proficiencies they will be expected to master and can proceed through the curricula at their own rate. In the fall of 1996, the school opened its doors to part-time students. Full-time students were admitted in the fall of 1997.
The school day is broken into 90-minute blocks and runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Full-time students start their day with instruction in Spanish, Japanese, or American Sign Language. Language classes are followed by English/humanities and math/science blocks.
The lunch event is a daily occurrence, and offerings range from guest speakers and field trips to student performances and project work.
Afternoon arts samplers give all students the opportunity to explore different media. Extensive elective courses focus on the visual, performing, and media arts. All subjects are taught with an interweaving of film, video, computers, audio, and multimedia technologies.
Practicing professionals are involved at every level, with most of them serving on the school's board of directors and many of them teaching in the classroom. Local leaders in film, art, and multimedia industries say they became involved with the school because they see the need for more creative workers. Working with students and teachers, architects are currently transforming warehouse space into a series of high-tech studio and performance spaces soon to be the school's permanent home.
CONTACT: Mary Folberg, Northwest Academy, 921 S.W. Morrison, Suite 407A, Portland, Oregon 97205; (503) 223-3367.
Biography from
Another CultureThe following assignment was given to Deborah Krum’s English students at Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon. Deborah is a member of the Manufacturing and Engineering Technology pathway. In writing assignments, she regularly draws from students’ job shadow and internship experiences.
Book Report: Biography from another culture. This work is to be done independently; manage your time well. If you experience difficulties in preparing this project, you can arrange for individual help outside of class time. Final product should include the following components: Biography Preview Worksheet, Timeline Worksheets.
Summary: One page (or more) retelling of the book in your own words. Remember to include important people and happenings explained in an orderly fashion. Focus on telling who the person is and why he/she is worth learning about. Use good writing techniques and practices.
Advice List: While reading the book, find and describe five examples of advice being given to the person you are reading about. Tell who gave the advice, when, and why that advice was given. Was the advice followed? How? Explain whether or not you consider it to be good advice.
Characteristics: Identify five strengths about this person. Tell how she/he seemed to develop these positive traits. Describe influences such as family, environment (time of history and location), upbringing, schooling, individual talents/ability, helpful individuals, significant experiences.
Challenges: Everyone faces problems, obstacles, and difficulties in life. Identify the challenges your biography person faced. Tell about the circumstances of those challenges. (Challenges could include poverty, illness, discrimination, failing at first attempt, self-doubt.)
Dialogue: Pretend that you get a chance to meet this person. Ask five significant questions (about his/her life, your life, world events, beliefs). Make up answers that person may give to your questions. Use your knowledge of their life and work experiences and beliefs to create authentic, appropriate, and believable answers.
Peer Court and
Placer County Schools Newcastle, California Based on a national model, the Placer County Peer Court is uniquely supported by a two-week curriculum unit taught twice yearly to incoming freshmen at all county high schools. Peer Court involves high school students sitting as a court to determine the appropriate disposition of cases referred to it from the Placer Country Probation Department. Participation for first-time juvenile offenders is voluntary.
Career ExplorationStudents in the program act as jury members, prosecuting and defense attorneys, clerks, and bailiffs and appear before an adult judge. Local attorneys, judges, probation and police officers donate time as mentors to advise participating students. These community members also lead classroom discussions on issues related to juvenile justice.
In addition to trial preparation and classroom discussions, students interview professionals in fields related to the criminal justice system for a final career paper. Government, English, and history classes all draw from the court room challenge, integrating the experience into discussions of constitutional rights, explorations of American history, and critical analyses of literature.
Now in its sixth year of operation, the program has steadily gained in popularity: Weekly court evenings are standing-room-only events. More than 5,000 students in 15 Placer County schools participate in the project each school year. To date, 350 defendants in 300 cases received a Peer Court trial. The recidivism rate remains steady at 2 to 3 percent.
In 1996 the U.S. Congress recognized Placer Peer Court as an exemplary service learning project.
CONTACT: Karen Green, Coordinator, and Shari Crow, Program Assistant, 671 Newcastle Road, Suite 7, Newcastle, California 95658; (916) 663-9227 or (916) 663-2965.
Roosevelt
Roosevelt High School
Renaissance 2000
Portland, Oregon First implemented in the fall of 1992, the Roosevelt Renaissance 2000 program seeks to provide students with the necessary education and skills to become successful members of society. Serving all students and connecting work-based learning to classroom activities are two key principles that have guided this program.Students can explore any of six career pathways: Communications; Business and Management; Health Services; Human Services; Manufacturing and Engineering Technology; and Natural Resource Systems. All teachers are members of pathway teams and use an interdisciplinary approach to their subject matter.
The staff believes that all students need to be shown what options exist when planning their postsecondary experiences, regardless of the route a student may choose. Whatever pathway they select, students take a standard academic load with pathway elements infused across the curriculum. During their freshman year, students participate in a pathway survey course, which has been published for use nationwide. In this year of exploration, they are introduced to what the six pathways can offer them as well as skills deemed important by the staff for life success. Guest speakers from the community help students set goals and identify careers of interest. These activities are accomplished through the Freshman Forum program and the job shadow program.
As sophomores, students explore the pathway of their choice in a yearlong course and participate in two job shadows. Structured work-based learning experiences are integrated into junior and senior career pathway classes. These experiences range from clinical rotations to semesterlong internships. Student job shadows and internships are coordinated through the Work-Based Learning Office. Members of the business community serve on an advisory committee and act as volunteer consultants.
Roosevelt 2000 has seen a dramatic rise in enrollment as well as a threefold increase in the number of students in upper-level math and physics courses. According to one student, the program "helps you see what is possible and shows you a way to get there."
CONTACT: Janet Warrington and Dan Malone, Coordinators, Roosevelt Renaissance 2000, Roosevelt High School, 691 N. Central, Portland, Oregon 97203; (503) 916-5138.
Scooper Pride
Sturgis Brown High School
Courtyard Project
Sturgis, South Dakota"I had never been made to feel that I am part of this school until this project," one senior at Sturgis Brown remarked. Begun as a community beautification proposal in 1996, the Courtyard Project expanded into a multidisciplinary, communitywide effort involving community members, business leaders, teachers, and students.
The challenge for this district, comprising 3,200 students and 3,200 square miles, was to involve all students. The project accomplished this goal. All high school students in this rural district participated in a variety of activities related to the design and construction of an outdoor area at the local high school.
In the planning stages, teachers and community members brainstormed ways each member could contribute to the overall project. During the implementation stage, occupational skills were learned in a context that involved contact with professionals and authentic work materials.
The following examples illustrate the scope of student work:
Art students designed the original scale model sketch of the courtyard plan, which was used in student presentations to various civic and business groups.
Students interacted with community members on a number of levels. They heard guest speakers discuss fund-raising and public-relation techniques. They worked on designs with the arts chair of the public library, and they learned to write press releases with the guidance of the editor of the local paper.
Phase 1 of the project is now finished, and Phase 2 is just beginning. The school district plans to build on this model for future schoolwide projects.
CONTACT: Kathie Flagstad and Myrna Hill, Project Co-Chairs, Sturgis Brown High School, 12901 Highway 34, Sturgis, South Dakota 57785; (605) 347-2086.
This Is Why I Teach Music
Not because I expect you to
major in music
Not because I expect you to
sing all your life
Not so you can relax
Not so you can have fun
But, so you will be human
So you will recognize beauty
So you will be sensitive
So you will be closer to an
infinite beyond this world
So you will have something
to cling to
So you will have more love, compassion, gentleness, goodness
—in short, more life
Of what value will it be to make
a prosperous living unless
you know how to live?This is why I teach music appears in a profile of Karen Fulmer, the 1997 Washington State Teacher of the Year, published by Washington Education Association Communications, December 1996.
Senior Connections
Shorecrest High School
Seattle, WashingtonSenior Connections classes at Shorecrest High School in Seattle, Washington, link school-to-work concepts with history, literature, art, music, and family and consumer science. Through senior projects, 12th-graders develop the critical-thinking and interpersonal skills they will need for college and work.
Students explore the connections between academic subjects and modes of expression, learning about careers in architecture, music, and writing. Throughout the courses, students use both written and visual expression to respond to the subject matter of the different classes, thus developing both analytical and practical skills. Six teachers participate and meet weekly to discuss what is happening in each class, coordinate their work, and ensure achievement of course objectives.
The coursework culminates in a senior project modeled after the kinds of projects students will encounter in postsecondary education and the workplace. Using the community as a resource for information and research, students focus learning skills on a topic of personal interest. They meet with community members and learn about the many occupations within local organizations.
Working in teams, students have created visual displays, brochures, videos, a comic book, artwork, and a children's book. The final projects are displayed for the school, parents, and community.
CONTACT: Karen Mikolasy, Shorecrest High School, 15343 25th Avenue N.E., Seattle, Washington 98155; (206) 361-4284.
Linking Academic Discussion and
Career ApplicationProject THINK makes critical thinking an essential component of elementary, middle, and high school curricula, and has developed a strategy of teaching critical thinking as an academic skill.
Teachers use their own subject curriculum to develop ways to teach problem solving, decisionmaking, and other critical-thinking skills. In one high school, members of a social studies class examined labor issues that affected 19th-century textile workers and outlined the grievances those workers might have against a capitalist system. In another, English literature students studying Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World created their own utopian societies and selected one in which they would most like to live.
In these scenarios, students learn vital skills they will use in any career endeavor, the same skills identified by the SCANS "What Work Requires of Schools" report. (See page 33 for more information on SCANS.) Project THINK activities make the link between academic discussions and career application an explicit one. In-class assignments and out-of-school service projects give students the chance to apply what they’ve learned: how to facilitate discussions, work in teams, and become active participants in the decisionmaking processes in their personal lives, school, and community.
Originally, Project THINK activities were implemented in English classes but have now spread to social studies, economics, physical education, and some math and science classes. Parents, community members, and school administrators all play significant roles in the project, working alongside students, teachers, and each other to teach and practice themselves these critical-thinking skills.
Project THINK and the Tregoe Educational Foundation grew out of the relationship between the Laguna Beach (California) Unified School District and Kepner-Tregoe, Inc., a consulting firm.
For more information on the Foundation’s Project THINK and how to implement it in your school, call (609) 252-2581 or write: P.O. Box 289, Research Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08542.
Just What Are SCANS Skills?
The popular 1991 report "What Work Requires of School" was based on a national survey of job supervisors by the Secretary of Labor’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). The commission was made up of employers, labor leaders, and educators. SCANS identifies competencies and skills critical for success in the workforce: interpersonal skills; allocating resources; finding and applying information; understanding the big picture; using technology; and of course, reading, writing, listening, speaking, and problem solving. Also essential is being a responsible person with self-esteem, initiative, and integrity.
Social Studies and
Grossmont Union
Careers in Government
High School District
La Mesa, CaliforniaOffered to all seniors in the Grossmont Union High School District, the American Government curriculum is the culmination of a civic literacy strand that prepares students to vote, reflect on the responsibilities of citizenship, and participate in community affairs.
Using readings such as the Federalist Papers and Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, students explore the origins and principles of democracy. Students also use primary documents to examine the role of the courts, the governmental process, the principles of federalism, and the workings of the legislative and executive branches of government.
With this grounding, students then compare and contrast other forms of government. Connections to contemporary issues are made throughout the course, and students are expected to examine these issues from a number of perspectives.
Classroom modes of discourse include debate, role plays, and presentations. All students incorporate into multimedia presentations information from sources such as electronic newsbanks or Internet resources. Those presentations range from analyzing public opinion polls to predicting election results. Working in groups, students also trace the origins of a public policy issue, analyze the various perspectives people bring to the issue, and evaluate possible ways to resolve it.
To connect social science learning activities and the world outside the classroom, students attend guest lectures and analyze how speakers' knowledge and experience represent an application of course content.
Student explorations of careers in government take many forms, from shadowing professionals in the field to examining opportunities for advancement within a specific career path. In addition, citizen involvement is stressed—students volunteer in community service projects and participate in voter registration drives.
CONTACT: Shelby Herrmann, Director, School-to-Work Transition, Grossmont Union High School District, P.O. Box 1043, La Mesa, California 91944; (619) 465-3131.
Student Opportunities at Colleges of Art
This work of art was produced by Alex Lowe, a past student of the Anna B. Crocker Children and Young Adult Program at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. His work, completed in 1994, was selected from the Crocker program archives.
Anna Belle Crocker was a woman of extraordinary vision who, at the turn of the last century, was one of the founding members of the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon. She was committed to the belief that art contributes to the development of creative, tolerant, educated individuals.
Today, the Pacific Northwest College of Art—an off-shoot of the museum—has an extensive year-round program for young people. Taught by professional artists, children age four and older engage in a curriculum designed to coincide with the stages of their physical, intellectual, and emotional growth.
Summer opportunities also exist at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. The High School Summer Institute program draws students from throughout the region. The curriculum comprises three sequential areas of study: composition, figure work, and interpretive work. The intent of the program is to develop the student’s observational and interpretive skills, conceptual ability, sense of craft, and understanding of the profession.
While exposing students to the rigors of a professional art school, the program helps them develop a personal portfolio. Students also acquire the tools to make an informed decision about pursuing an education and career in art.
CONTACT: PNCA High School Summer Institute at Continuing Education, P.O. Box 2725, Portland, Oregon 97208-2725; (503) 226-4391.
Washington History, World Geography, English, and Keyboarding
Southridge High School
Kennewick, WashingtonIn the fall of 1995, the Kennewick School District in Washington State was awarded a five-year federal grant to focus on integration of academic and vocational curricula. Entitled Dream Team III, the program supports the development of career es at Southridge High School.
The founding principles of the school are use of technology, integrated curricula, and career awareness. Ninety freshmen at South ridge High School who enrolled in social studies, language arts, and keyboarding in the fall of 1996 were grouped in a block schedule. Students explored themes of culture, economics, and immigration, and career options in the two-semester courses that were team-taught by three teachers, one from each subject.
Southridge is a new high school designed to accom- modate integrated, interdisciplinary instruction. Teachers from various subject areas share common office spaces, and each floor and wing are linked by common lab spaces that enable stu- dents to apply theory with practice.
The two major, joint projects of the program, Cultural Exploration and Immigration, linked the three classes. In the cultural exploration unit, students learned research, writing, and keyboarding skills while preparing a paper on the relationship between Pacific Northwest Native American nations and Native American cultures in other regions. Assigned novels and area field trips all related to this general theme. The immigration unit required teams of three to five students to prepare projects that included three components: oral, written, and visual presentations. Students gathered information from various resources on countries of their ethnic origin to create their projects. Team processes and team evaluation were emphasized in this project.
An economics unit involved an indepth investigation of local, regional, and state businesses. Explorations of history were related to the economic growth and development of the state. Each student interviewed a local business person and presented observations to classmates.
Whatever the activity, classroom writing goals reflect workplace skills. Activities follow the steps needed to compose and create letters, bibliographies, outlines, PowerPoint slide shows, and newsletters in specific formats. This integrated curriculum will soon form part of the Business and Marketing Academy at Southridge High.
CONTACT: Tracy Money, Ken Muhlbeier, and Karen Speakes, Southridge High School, 320 S. Union Loop Road, Kennewick, Washington 99337; (509) 734-3800.
If You’re Trying to Teach Kids to Write, You Gotta Have This Book
The title says it all. This book by Marjorie Frank is full of creative ideas for class lessons and writing activities adaptable to any grade level. Occupations today require many different forms of writing, many of which are not taught in school. Simple ideas serve as a reminder of the various forms writing can take. Instead of, "Write a Story," try these creative alternatives:
Frank, M. (1979). If You’re Trying to Teach Kids to Write, You Gotta Have This Book. Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications.
Windows to the Future
Mendocino Unified School District Mendocino, CaliforniaInitiated in 1991, the Windows to the Future program integrates computer, video, and audio technologies with the study of history and language arts. The goal of integration is to improve students' reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills as well as to provide immediate and long-range employment skills.
Designed by educators, students, parents, colleges, and businesses, Windows to the Future draws on a broad base of community and school resources. The program is taught by teams of language arts, social science, audio, video and computer teachers.
Windows I is an introductory class taken by all high school freshman in the district. Students begin by examining issues of personal heritage and go on to study changes in family structure and society. The course culminates in a unit on civic responsibility. Each unit emphasizes a specific technology and incorporates career-related issues. All students complete a final multimedia portfolio that showcases their work.
Windows II is a required sophomore class centered around four world history concepts. Students examine historical concepts and literary works and produce a multimedia portfolio demonstrating knowledge gained.
Windows III examines the influence of technology on 20th-century culture, thereby integrating U. S. history and American literature. At this level, students may choose to participate in collaborative projects or specialize in advanced technology courses. Recent completed projects include producing a short animated film on recycling to be used as a public service announcement, and engineering and producing a professional-quality cassette recording of the school's jazz ensemble.
Seniors also participate in actual or virtual apprenticeships conducted via e-mail. Participating companies include Apple Computers, Auto disk, the Annenberg Rural Challenge, and NASA.
CONTACTS: Bronwyn Rhoades, Director, Windows to the Future, Mendocino High School, 10700 Ford Street, Mendocino, California 95460; (707) 937-5871.
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