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CAREER
PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING COURSE
Danville High School
Danville, Vermont
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF PRACTICE
Danville High School’s "Career Planning and Decision Making Course"
is an elective, one semester course offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors. It
was developed with the assistance of a regional School To Work grant in 1998, which
subsidized the personnel necessary to teach the initial offering of course. That
personnel cost has since been picked up in the local school budget.
This course was developed by a part-time vocational consultant who worked with special
needs students but also found herself assisting mainstream students find jobs. It
became apparent to her and to the school administration that students did not have
general knowledge about jobs, an understanding of strategies and requirements for
job-hunting, nor of employer expectations in the workplace. Many students possessed
no understanding of methods for deciding which careers to consider and how to move
from high school into the workplace. They believed that getting a job simply happens,
without particular intent or organized effort on their part, and that further education
and training are not desirable or necessary.
Facilitating development of the course was a recent move by the school to block scheduling.
Unlike the prior scheduling requirements, block scheduling would permit development
of a course that included worksite experience, and allowed for the addition of new
courses into the school’s program of studies.
Several STW practices are incorporated into the program:
- Using the
Choices software and other resources, students explore their occupational
interests, assess their own skills and learn about occupational and training requirements
for jobs. They also explore financial aid opportunities for additional training and
education.
- Students maintain
a Student Development Portfolio.
- Students learn
about financial planning and decision-making by participating in a simulation dealing
with paychecks, bank accounts, credit cards, investments, payroll paperwork, taxes,
insurance and retirement planning. Course work and class participation are rewarded
with weekly "paychecks." Deductions for work hours (and thus gross pay)
are made for failure to meet various course requirements. (See Course Syllabus for details.)
- Using the
Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce competencies for Service Excellence, students
learn what employers are looking for from their employees. They have the opportunity
to earn a Service Excellence Certificate issued by the Chamber, which also may provide
them with an advantage when applying for a job in the Northeast Kingdom. As part
of the certification program, student must participate in both a job shadow experience
and a longer community and/or work-based learning experience.
The class is
held five days a week for 85 minutes; three of the class meetings each week are held
in the computer lab. Students keep a daily log of their activities, and are expected
to actively participate in classes.
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
The desired outcomes for students were set for the program before implementation:
- Students will
gain maximum benefit from employment experience during their high school years if
the jobs they seek are carefully considered in light of current and future aspirations
and needs
- Students will
be better prepared to achieve success in the workplace and in higher education settings
with some background and practice in various basic employment skills
- Students will
be presented with a means for examining choices available setting goals, and planning
for self sufficiency
- Practice with
decision making processes will allow students to feel a measure of control over their
futures
- Research and
exploration of career options will enable students to formulate goals which can guide
high school studies and help with post high school education and training decisions
- Danville’s
investment in "Choices" software will result in greater benefits than could
be obtained without structured setting for students using the program
With outcomes
established and a course outline developed (See Syllabus), the teacher took
advantage of the local School-to-Work mini-grant process for initial funding. The
mini-grant process required that all funded projects be aligned to the Vermont Framework
of Standards and Learning Opportunities, include the Essential Elements of Career
Development, and also that the project address local STW goals. The award of funding
also required an evaluation component, and the end of term student exam provided
this information. (See Final Exam and Final Course Requirements.)
The coordinating teacher also took advantage of professional development opportunities
specific to STW and community/workbased learning when designing this program. This
assistance included learning how to use the Vermont Work Based Learning
Manual
and participating in local STW school liaison training. This facilitated teaching
the course and raised the comfort level of the local school board that the course
would be based on proven practices.
SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
The course, which was offered to students who spanned a wide range of academic
abilities, proved to be a success. Armed with anecdotes of student success and results
of the student exams (See Evaluation and Assessment of First
Semester),
the vocational consultant made a presentation to the board of education for continued
local funding of the course. The board adopted the course, and it continues to evolve.
There are hopes of expanding the offering to two semesters, and as direct result
of the course, the school is considering the development of student internships as
an additional elective.
CONNECTION TO VITAL RESULTS AND FRAMEWORK OF STANDARDS
Each component of this course has been completely aligned with the Vital Results,
Fields of Knowledge and the Learning Opportunities of the Vermont Framework of Standards
and Learning Opportunities.
CONTACT
Cristal Brown
Danville High School
PO Box 167
Danville, VT 05828
Phone: (802) 684-2292
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RESOURCES
NOTE: The following items can be downloaded as part of the complete packet
(see "Other Related Links" below).
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