BRIGHT SPOTS

Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration

Dear Educator,

A key aspect of making learning in school more personal and authentic is connecting students with one another and sharing ideas to build and leverage their network. This means that as educators, our job goes beyond simply teaching students the content. As the world evolves, our roles have transformed to focus on exposing students and connecting them with experts, mentors, and others who can inspire them beyond what we know and can do.

For this week's Bright Spot, I'm excited to share how educators in one school district are implementing new learning models to help expand students' networks by aligning careers with education.

With Gratitude,
Katie

BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK

The World of Work Program

Cajon Valley Union School District has made exposure a central part of their modern curriculum. Their World of Work program (#CVWoW) is based on four experiences: 

• Exploration
• Simulation
• Meet a pro
• Practice

Starting in kindergarten, students learn about their strengths, interests, and values and connect with professionals to learn about their jobs and how they align with their own skills and interests. 

In one instance, students at Greenfield Middle School left school during the day for fieldwork (not to be confused with a field trip!) to explore a local dam. They then explored resources and completed a learning playlist at their own pace to deepen their expertise, constructed a 3D model, and recorded a video to share their evidence. Once they had completed these projects, they connected with engineers to learn more about water systems and documented the entire process.

The four levels of integration learners experience in Cajon Valley's World of Work program.

Through their modern curriculum, Cajon Valley Union School District is intentional about teaching students that they matter. By connecting them to people and ideas, building their network to include professionals and mentors, and ensuring that other people know who they are and what they know, teachers are essentially exposing students to the world around them and instilling a sense of belief in their own capabilities.

As Ed Hidalgo, a dear friend and educational pioneer who has spearheaded this program after spending his career counseling adults in the corporate world at Qualcomm, says, “Students can’t aspire to jobs that they don’t know exist.”

Interested in discussing how you might create intentional learning experiences for students in and out of the classroom? Let's connect!

RESOURCE ROUNDUP

Below are some resources to support educators in fostering meaningful connections in their learning communities.

LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!

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