A. PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
Students will be knowledgeable about the world of work, explore career options, and relate personal skills, aptitudes, and abilities to future career decisions. To interact successfully with people and organizations, students need to adapt to the changing nature of the workplace. Strong interpersonal, teamwork, leadership, and negotiation skills are essential for this success. Students will be able to:
MIDDLE GRADES 5-8
1. Determine effective workplace behaviors and skills.
2. Use teamwork strategies and apply communication and negotiation skills to decision making.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of a successful business.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship among personal interests, skills and abilities, and career research.
EXAMPLES
Create a collage using advertisements from successful businesses, and identify common elements.
Given a variety of case studies showing an individual's problems on the job, create possible solutions (e.g., a worker, who is often late, has conflicts with a supervisor).
B. EDUCATION/CAREER PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Guided by self-assessment and personal career interests, students will integrate school- and work-based experiences to develop their career goals. Once career goals have been determined, students will evaluate continuously their progress and make necessary modifications. Students' success in the competitive world will depend on their ability to manage their own careers using job seeking, retention, and advancement skills. Students will be able to:
MIDDLE GRADES 5-8
1. Develop a personal portfolio that contains critical personal, educational, and career information.
2. Compare workplace environments and the education required for different occupations.
3. Integrate school- and work-based experience to identify possible initial career goals.
EXAMPLES
Develop a personal learning plan with a portfolio that contains a career information survey and its findings, results of interviews, and evidence of other career research.
Use the World Wide Web to research a career and identify its skill standards, based upon a personal career interest.
C. INTEGRATED AND APPLIED LEARNING
Students will demonstrate how academic knowledge and skills are applied in the workplace and other settings. Students will select and apply appropriate technological resources and problem-solving strategies to real life situations using problem-solving strategies in purposeful ways. Students will be able to:
MIDDLE GRADES 5-8
1. Research the need for ethical and legal standards concerning the application of technology (including communication systems, product liability, copyright/patent, and safety).
2. Research recent technological developments and predict their possible spin-offs.
3. Use academic knowledge and skills to solve career-related problems.
EXAMPLES
Use online sources to collect information about water quality in nearby areas and make recommendations to your local water company.
Design and create a next generation product and research the steps needed for a patent.
D. BALANCING RESPONSIBILITIES
Students will acquire and apply skills/concepts required to balance personal, family, community, and work responsibilities. The skills to manage work, family, and community responsibilities for the well-being of themselves and others are critical for personal success. Students will be able to:
MIDDLE GRADES 5-8
1. Identify how critical factors such as history, the environment, the economy, or personal characteristics may affect individual and family choices.
2. Understand and apply theories of child development and human behavior.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of budgeting and the use of financial tools and services.
4. Develop strategies to balance multiple responsibilities and conflicting priorities.
5. Assume personal responsibility during their time in school.
EXAMPLES
Create a database to log progress in meeting three key personal responsibilities.
Design a day care environment that promotes the growth and development of children.
Create a budget for a class field trip.