The following is excerpted from the National Journal, which recently published an article about an innovative Career and Technical Education (CTE) model that the state of West Virginia is implementing to make its CTE programs operate as student-run enterprises.
From The Classrooms Where Students Are In Charge
Doug Sands no longer greets visitors to his machine tool technology class in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Instead, one of his students will turn off whatever machine she's working on, introduce herself, and escort the visitor safely past the rows of lathes, milling machines, and drill presses on the shop floor. "That used to be the teacher's job," Sands said. "That's now the students' job."
Employers in West Virginia don't just want workers with technical skills. They want workers who'll show up on time, work in teams, and pass a drug test. So to teach both technical and so-called 'soft' skills, the state has redesigned career and technical education classes. By the 2016-2017 academic year, every CTE class in the state will operate, like Sands' course, as a student-run, simulated business.
Questions: Do you know of other examples of CTE programs where students are working and learning under a similar model? If so, what has been their experience? What do you think other CTE programs need to operate in a way that expects students to think and act like employees? How successful do you think this type of preparation will be for students as they transition to actual employment?
Best,
Mike
michaelcruse74@gmail.com