2011 National Career Pathways Network Annual Conference Transforming Lives for a Strong America

2011 National Career Pathways Network Annual Conference

Transforming Lives

for a Strong America

Session Presenter:Cynthia Brennan-Jones

Welcome!

Session Objectives

You will feel this session has been a worthwhile expenditure of your time.

You will leave with something you can use.

Who am I?

• High School English instructor and curriculum developer

• B.A.: English• M.S.: Elementary Education• “ABD:” Anticipated completion of

doctoral program in Instructional Leadership, Curriculum Development: 2012

FL DOE Certifications

• Educational Media Specialist (prekindergarten to grade 12)

• Elementary Education (grades 1 – 6)

• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), (grades K – 12)

• English (grades 6 – 12)

NCPN

Career Pathways Leadership Certification

Adult Career Pathways Emphasis

September 12, 2011U. S. Customs and Immigration Services Building,

West Palm Beach, FL

Transforming Livesfor a Strong America

Session Premise

We know research provides evidence that "education with a purpose" will result in more student engagement. Happily, implementing Career Pathways (CP) activities into existing curriculum provides students “education with a purpose.”

The problem: How do we find the time to design and plan new activities and lesson plans?

We are all busy, busy people!

Session Agenda

1. Share ideas on incorporating CP into existing language arts activities

2. Share CP-related activities and lesson plans

3. Brainstorm with session participants

Let’s dive in!

One Easy Way

• If it is a writing prompt, put a CP spin on it. If you can relate a writing assignment to real life, and CP is real life, then writing will become more engaging to students!

• Bonus: No more, “Why do we have to do this? This is stupid!”

• Why? If it’s about them, their future, our frequently ego-centric students will be more engaged.

• Does that mean we are giving up core academics? Absolutely not! We are incorporating CP components into our already existing language arts curriculum.

Situation I

Creative Writing Old curriculum

Question: How can I quickly incorporate Career Pathways

activities?

CP Activities for Creative Writing

• Narrative Essay: 5 Years Down the Road Handout

• One Act Play: 10 Years Down the RoadHandout

Note: I used modified grading rubrics that I had created for an English II course.

CP Activities for English IV

• Diagnostic Essay: CP PromptsHandout

• Research Paper Topic: CP ChoicesHandout

CP Activities for Business English

• “So You Want to be an Entrepreneur”http://www.lcc.edu/ed/wiredinitiative/about/

• “Careers in Transportation”http://transportationcareers.org/

• “Resumes and Cover Letters”Templates Available in Microsoft Word

“Basics”

Oftentimes, both instructors and students need to learn “the basics.” Our tech-savvy students may know all about

downloading music; however, they may have no idea how to double space or paginate a document.

• Word 2007 MasteryHandout

• PowerPoint MasteryHandout

Strategy / Group Activity

Activity Steps1. Choose a session participant’s suggested

course.2. Find the course description / standards online.3. Use Word 2007 comment function. 4. Brainstorm and insert CP ideas via comments.5. Send to participant(s).

DiscussionQuestions? Answers?

Contact info:Cynthia Brennan-Jonescbrennan@irsc.edu or

brennan_c@bellsouth.net772-462-7895