By: Katrina Maccalous

What are specific ideas and examples of ways to extend student learning to make explicit connections to real-world relevancy or career/workforce readiness? 

“As learning facilitators, we have to illustrate those real-world connections, give pupils hands-on experience and examples, and then help them parlay their newfound knowledge into smart college and career choices” (Giebel, 2017, para. 1).

Sounds so easy, right? The problem is that many curriculum resources do not have this kind of learning embedded within them yet. As a result, the brainstorming, planning, and prep work falls on the teacher. Not every teacher is receptive to branching outside their teacher manuals and making extra work for themselves. It really does require a commitment from the teacher based off of current research. Semb and Ellis (1994), as cited by Goodwin and Hubbell (2013), acknowledge the importance of these real-world applications:  “if students never have opportunities to extend and apply what they’re learning, then their new knowledge tends to fade from memory” (p. 168). The authors go on to list several ways to support students in extending their knowledge including projects, persuasive essays, presentations and group assignments.

One of my new favorite ways of making explicit connections to real-world relevancy of career/workforce readiness is inquiry or project-based learning activities. Here’s a couple examples I’ve usedbe using in my class:

During our first grade unit, “People and the Jobs They Do,” students made connections through their “jobs” as children. Just like in a real job, they get paid (a photocopy of a penny each day) for doing their “job.” At the end of each week, they would get the opportunity to “shop” at my store for needs and wants, or they could choose to save their money for something better.

In addition to this on-going activity, we took recycled materials and produced goods to sell to our first-grade consumers. They were super engaged, and were able to apply their learning in a meaningful way. I would like to think that this will serve them in the future when they need to make financial decisions. (We did a similar project in 4th grade. However, our unit culminated in a “flea market” we set up in the school gym. Groups created their own advertisements and store signs.)

Another first grade example:  In our opinion writing unit, I always framed their first-ever book reviews as a way to persuade the kindergartners what books they should read when they entered in first grade. After students published their writing, we shared them with a kindergarten When students know their audience and have a purpose behind writing, you will be surprised what they are able to produce. 

One final example of making learning relevant, is actually from a resource I created and later uploaded to my Teachers Pay Teachers store During my years as a first grade teacher in Colorado, we studied insects and plants, so I created a project-based activity where students become entomologists who have just discovered a new insect. Their job is to study it and record/document all of their findings regarding its appearance, life cycle, food source, etc. However, this insect is just a made-up extension of their own understandings of insects. My demonstration was of a “Rainorsaur” (they helped me name it) insect that has a cloud head and a rainbow thorax and abdomen, and eats rain drops! UPDATE: I now also have a similar resource for inventing a plant! Check it out here!

Final Updated Thoughts for 2020:  The educational world will look quite different this 2020-21 school year, with instruction taking on a much more virtual form. However, we need to remember what makes learning stick and the skills we need to instill in our students in order to be successful in the 21st century. So while we may not be able to provide our students with experiences such as the “flea market,” we can find ways to incorporate the essence of the experience, such as a virtual store, with ads and products created virtually in a Google Slide show or Document. The use of polls in aps like Nearpod or Peardeck can allow students to select which products they would like to purchase. There are literally so many ways and resources out there to help us adapt during this uncertain time. We don’t have to sacrifice engagement and application. 

Hope this finds you well, and happy teaching!

References

Giebel, J. (2017, March 22). Building Real-World Connections and College and Career Readiness. Retrieved July 20, 2017, from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/education_futures/2017/03/creating_real-world_connections_and_fostering_college_and_career_readiness.html

Goodwin, B & Hubbell, E. (2013). The twelve touchstones of good teaching. Alexandria, VA:  ASCD