Teacher Externships: Connecting Education to the Workplace (1/25/06)

© 2006 Houston A+ Challenge

Teacher Externships: Connecting Education to the

Workplace


Teacher Externship Workshop Learning Outcomes

• Develop understanding and importance of bridging the gap between education and work

• Learn how to build a successful extern program


Teacher Externship Workshop Overview

• History of Houston A+ Challenge• Landscape Change = Need for education

and business collaboration• How to build a successful extern program• Documentation and Measurement


Who We Are


Mission

The mission of The Houston A+ Challenge is to promote an academically rich and purposeful education for more of our children and to demonstrate how such an education could become possible for all our children.


• Largest non-profit, public-private partnership dedicated to public school improvement in the Houston area

• Develops and funds programs in schools, leadership and higher education to promote higher academic achievement by all students

• Invested $102 million to date in Houston area schools

Facts


Imperatives• Increase student achievement through:

– Quality professional development

– Bringing communities into the schools

– Making classrooms/schools more personal for students


What We Do

• Restructuring high schools• Revamping teacher preparation programs• Creating integrated fine arts models• Placing math specialists in elementary schools• Building leadership capacity through


Texas Landscape


Is Changing…

14.2

44.737.7

0.3 3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Per

cent

African-American

Hispanic White NativeAmerican

Asian/PacificIslander

Ethnic Distribution in Texas Public Schools

Source: TEA, Department of Performance Reporting, Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) 2004-2005


but not as rapidly in the post-secondary world

Annual post-secondary enrollment among three largest ethnic/racial groups

Hispanic29%White

58%

-AfricanAmerican

13%

Source: “Closing the Gaps” by The Texas Higher Education Plan, 2004


while 2004 -2014 occupation forecasts require higher education levels

Professional and Related Occupations Growth

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200

400

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800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

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Source: “The Monthly Labor Review” November 2005, by Daniel E. Hecker


in a world that is flat…

• Flatteners– Political upheaval and social reform– Technological change: Internet, Digital Age– Collaboration and organization

• Open sourcing• Out sourcing• Off shoring• Global corporations (Wal-mart, Google, Microsoft)

Source: “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century” by Thomas Friedman


Best Practices

High Schools That Work (2002) analysis recommends the following for higher student achievement within career oriented high schools:

• Rigorous academic core and career focus that includes the honing of skills to complete real world

assignments and

• Teachers who provide good learning experiences that involve numeracy, engaging, hands on experiences that include solving real world problems

• Higher expectations culture that motivates students to do their best in more demanding classes and actively participating in their classes


Alignment/Common Vision

• The Three R’s: Rigor Relevance Relationships


Teacher Externships are..

designed to connect classroom teachers with business professionals in their field of study in order to make students’ learning experiences more relevant to the workplace.


Teacher Extern OutcomesTeachers will:

• be introduced to modern workplace equipment and actual challenges in the workplace

• have the chance to work together with employers to understand what students need for success in the workplace

• learn ways to connect the classroom to the modern workplace

• help employers understand the importance of classroom instruction

• have a real world experience in a career field related to their teaching field

• build alliances with local employers and gain personal mentors from the workforce


Teacher Externship Areas• Arts, Community Service

– Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, DiverseWorks • Communications, Media

– SBC, Houston Chronicle• Energy

– Duke, El Paso, Enbridge, Zilka• Financial Services

– JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo• Health Services

– Baylor, UTHSC• Hospitality

– Houstonian


Steps to building a successful extern program

• Select a Coordinator• Build SMART Goals• Develop marketing collateral (Message)• Recruit Teachers, Sponsors• Build and nurture relationships


Steps to building a successful extern program (continued)

• Build process for externship– Prepare– Execute – Review and debrief – Adapt and incorporate


Maintain accountability

Review existing relationships

Review alignment of mission and values

Find stakeholders that

will support & push

Sponsor & TeacherRecruitment


Tracking

Data

Communicate

Relationship

Monitor


Documentation & Measurement

• Qualitative– Artifacts (reflections, pictures, conversations)

• Quantitative– Benchmarks (surveys, people, resources)


EmailMessage From: Mimms, Jacquelyn BSent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 10:30 AMTo: Alejandro MoruaSubject: RE: Teacher Externships

1. Students have shown special interest in working on their projects, caring more for others . 2. My partnership with Wells Fargo Bank has truly been a blessed one. Since we all last met the bank has since then given my school a check for the sum of $2,289.60 for us to purchase 460 yards of fabric for our school wide project. Our school adopted Brairwood Nursing home as our grandparents, so we are making 180 lap blankets for the residents at the home. At this point my classes are in the process of cutting the fabric and stat making the blankets. I am very excited about being in the externship for the coming summer, please let me know what I need to do to get started.

Jacquelyn


Reports


Articles

Source: Houston Chronicle, June 11, 2005


Benchmarks

2005 Extern Feedback:How would you rate this program?

0102030405060708090

100

Excellent Above Average Average Below Average

Rating

Perc

ent


2005 Sponsor Feedback: Was this an appropriate match?

0102030405060708090

100

Yes No

Perc

entBenchmarks


Teacher Extern Growth

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2003 2004 2005 2006*

Tea

cher

s Benchmarks

* Projected number of teachers for summer 2006.

Documents

Teacher Externships: Connecting Education to the Workplace (1/25/06)