Katrina McDowell

I learned that curriculum review should be an ongoing process rather than something done only when major changes are required.  I plan to regularly review standards, student outcomes, employer feedback, technology changes and industry needs so I can update lessons and projects and keep my program relevant, current and useful for students.  

I learned that making standards transparent helps students, parents, administrators, and industry partners understand what students are expected to learn and why those skills matter.  I plan to continue clearly connecting lessons and projects to course standards and making those expectations available through course materials and online resources.  

I learned that students understand and remember skills better when they have opportunities to apply them in authentic, real-world situations.  I plan to continue using business projects, customer interactions, team activities, DECA and BPA competitions and problem-solving scenarios that require students to make decisions and use the same skills they will need in the workplace.

I learned that employers play an important role in keeping CTE programs current and relevant.  Their feedback helps identify the technical and employability skills students need to be successful after graduation.  I plan to continue using input from advisory committees and local business partners to review my curriculum, update projects and make sure students are learning skills that match real workplace expectations.

I learned that employability skills need to be intentionally taught along with technical skills because employers expect students to be able to communicate, work with others, solve problems, manage their time, and act professionally.  I plan to continue building these skills into projects, presentations, team activities and real-world business experiences so students are better prepared for the workplace.  

I learned that aligning CTE instruction with academic core standards helps students strengthen skills such as reading, writing, math, communication and problem solving while also learning career-specific skills.  I plan to be more intentional about identifying these connections in my lessons and projects so students can see how their academic skills are used in real workplace situations.

I learned that industry validated technical standards are important because they help make sure what we teach matches the skills employers actually expect in the workplace.  These standards give teachers a clearer way to connect classroom instruction, projects and assessments to real-world career expectations.  I plan to use them when developing lessons and student projects so students can better understand not only what they are learning, but why those skills will matter in their future careers.