Much has been posted in education circles on the innovative AI tool ChatGPT. Is it a way for students to cheat? Is it a teaching tool? Should educators ignore it? In five decades of experience, I have seen educators embrace many forms of technology, and some were always reluctant. I took ChatGPT for a spin to try it out. After using ChatGPT, I believe this is an easy-to-use tool to improve writing and save time. Teachers are likely to use this more than students doing tasks such as writing teaching scenarios, content for online courses, and student feedback. ChatGPT and… >>>

Reading is essential for continual learning and career readiness. Dedicated reading instruction occurs in the elementary grades, but there is little formal instruction at the secondary level. Subject teachers must be aware of student reading levels when assigning student work. Students with low reading comprehension often struggle in secondary subjects; this is particularly a challenge for CTE teachers. Teaching reading in the content area improves students’ reading proficiency, and CTE teachers must incorporate reading and vocabulary strategies into their instruction. Reading achievement data can help teachers determine when it is critical to use these strategies. In addition, teachers should use… >>>

Academic integration strategies play an important part in student success, so teaching strategies related to academic integration are shared, discussed, and modeled through a program for alternate route CTE teachers in Mississippi. Training teachers to enforce academic integration in the CTE classroom improves the student's use of critical thinking in a contextual setting which in turn better prepares them for their future.

Strategies such as guided notes, mind mapping, word walls, exit slips, and Venn Diagrams, are modeled to incorporate literacy. Math integration concepts such as a classroom economy system, current events, alphabet math, chunking, and think-solve-pair-share are also enforced… >>>

The Academic Integration committee is exploring ways to expand the integration of academic standards and instruction with Career and Technical instruction. Academic subjects of Math, Science, English, and Social Studies are separate subjects with separately certified teachers. CTE as well exists as separate subjects with unique teacher certifications. In state regulation, these are separate parts of secondary schools possessing their own curriculum. In practice, there is often instructional overlap. For example, as math teachers seek context for using geometry, they assign students technical problems or when Automotive teachers stress measuring with precision. Yet, states set graduation requirements based on earning… >>>