Lessons with engagement appear to be one of the most effective ways to succeed in students' learning and applying what they've learned.  Depth of knowledge and productive failure seem to be ways that are novel and unique to success in retention and mastery of both the material and the technical expertise given by the teacher.  Active questioning provides support in the students' confidence and participation, more than merely calling on students one-by-one when the teacher's goal is to get the students to give an answer.  The notion of having the students take the lead on discussions, research, interpersonal communication with… >>>

Stay focused and determined.

Coming into CTE as a Special Instructor, I am fascinated by the concept of productive talk.  Learning how active talk stimulates neural pathways in a student's brain, this concept helps to reinforce our methods of allowing our students to ask questions during each class period, WHILE WE TEACHERS ARE DISSEMINATING THE MATERIAL.  My approach in previous teaching opportunities was to have students ask questions as I was presenting, rather than have them wait until the end of me speaking, or the end of the entire lesson.  That way, asking questions and getting answers in the moment provides for better retention. … >>>

Leadership in career readiness is about more than just teaching students how to become "the boss." It is more about teaching resilience, critical thinking, and problem-solving

There are a lot of things to consider when thinking about financial literacy.  It is important to discuss some of the less obvious hurdles, like insurance or professional memberships, that may not be discussed elsewhere.  These are also important considerations that need to be included in a budget.

I loved reading about including interactive activities in my classes for students to experience.  It is so important for students to be exposed to these concepts, like in Shady Sam, but gamifying it makes it more interesting and less threatening.

I love the idea of using real-world scenarios to help students think through what they may face one day.  AI is really great for generating scenarios to have students work through.  I also love guest speakers wh can answer questions about what really happens as opposed to what is written in a book.

My husband works in the trades.  He always says he wishes that he knew what options were available to him.  He learned his trade through working for various other people who were willing to teach him.  Knowing that there is actual training available to young people could have saved him a lot of time and money in the long run.  Making sure students know about opportunities is really important.

Where the future is going and how AI will change how we get there!

Teaching in CTE programs provides innovative ways to connect with students and helps them to obtain valuable skills for the workplace while still in school.  Since employability skills are a tantamount element in the whole CTE concept, activities such as work-based learning, simulated workplaces and field trips/visits to businesses and organizations help to "connect the dots" for students.  One element noted in the "Simulated Workplace" module captured the notion I've heard for years, even when I was in school:  "How often do teachers hear, 'Why do I need to know this?'"  CTE makes this question ever the more relevant to… >>>