How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

Paul Tough's "How Children Succeed" is pretty amazing. I'm early on in the book and Tough is talking about how early childhood trauma affects development of the frontal cortex. I keep thinking of how the career exploration process that can be so healing for students who have had trauma and find it difficult to control their impulses. Tough writes about a preschool that allows children to write their goals for play every morning. Career Guidance allows students an opportunity to create daily and long term goals, to explore, and consider who they are as learners.

Women in Technology

     After watching the 20 minutes of the Oscars I could actually stomach, I was so excited to see THIS.   It's an opportunity for women to share maker stories (much needed after Seth MacFarlane's misogyny, written about here by Amy Davidson, Senior Editor at the New Yorker). How wonderful for students to have an opportunity to see women in science and technology fields!!! A complete Documentary called "Makers: Women Who Make America" is also available to view. The maker movement provides so many opportunities for students to experience the how-to of contributing to our communities. Making and inventing is also what CTE teachers invite our students to DO!
     Next year, I am going to incorporate these videos into my teaching. If we can expose students to representations of women in tech industries and men in nurturing positions, we can really set the stage for all students to have greater opportunities. Also, I love the Tide and home product commercials recently that feature dads doing great work inside the home click here for the long version. It's actually funny!

Collaboration!

    A few weeks ago my second grader asked me how people learn about jobs. First, a jolt of inadequacy: the carpenter's house is never done, right?  I recuperated by saying, "Well, you should be learning about jobs in school." But of course I felt a little guilty for blaming school when I, like Shantelle Raper (October 2nd post), understand the time demands put on teachers for core content. We talked about jobs she knew about and where she'd heard of them. We looked up some jobs on O*Netonline that had to do with animals.  I love the ideas Raper presents. I know we can come up with even better ideas when we work with educators in our buildings.
    Children in primary and intermediate grades absolutely amaze me with the level of rigor they take on in school. Students in first and second grade are already writing nonfiction reports (sometimes, using pictures, modifications or copying). How wonderful would it be for very little ones to write reports on jobs? A counselor could come up with jobs categorized by Holland's codes and kids could research those jobs. Then, the teacher could support with writing and presenting. This really could work with any age group. It's an assignment with a lot of flexibility. The National Career Development Association has some great ideas, here, too. I think it's integral that we start talking about jobs at a young age so students are prepared for all of the wonderful career related opportunities available to them in middle and high school.
   When I worked in the elementary level, we used Positive Behavior Support Initiatives as a springboard for discussing how students contribute to the community. Some rewards included helping younger children or participation in the recycling program. Kids love to help and it's a good way to begin discussing contributing to our communities. Isn't that what this is all about... I mean education. It's all about getting our youth prepared to take over our communities. By integrating Career Guidance into core curriculum, students who need behavior support can begin to understand how they can positively impact the school community, as well.

From the mouth of a babe.

This Ted Talk is amazing: http://youtu.be/h11u3vtcpaY
Thirteen-year old Logan LaPlante talks about "hackschooling." He uses community resources to augment his home schooling.
Three ideas I hear from this Ted Talk:
1. Social Emotional Development is the foundation of occupational satisfaction. (La Plant talks a lot about how to be happy).
2. We  need to  broaden the meaning of education to include community based learning environments. (career guidance from industry professionals should not just be for CTE students).
3. Some students have resources to engage in these community resources (like, the resources exist in their communities... think about our urban areas). Teachers in blighted and urban areas already try to provide their students exposure to community resources as much as possible. Hear the Ted Talk for ideas we can use in our educational system.