Tamara Sundberg

I enjoyed the abundance of resources available.  I will review our agreements and guides to ensure they continue to be relevant and robust. 

It is important to continually focus on relationships and connections with businesses as the nature of local business changes. 

I gained a better understanding of what I need to do to begin to design programs to bridge the gap between academic requirements and practical learning.  I thought about all the opportunities we have to educate students in all grades. 

I think that the ideas we have been establishing and the strategies we are working on are moving in the right direction. Certainly, addressing strategic gaps in the education of our younger students will be important. 

I have learned that work-based learning functions as a developmental continuum that evolves alongside a student's growth. I learned that introducing career awareness in elementary school through activities like career days and field trips supports future aspirations at an early age. As students transition into middle school, I learned it is important to expose them to career exploration, utilizing strategies like job shadowing and research to deepen their understanding of different industries. Finally, I learned that as educators, we can guide and support high schoolers in career preparation by providing direct, hands-on, real-world experiences through immersive internships and apprenticeships

The resources and information provided a well-rounded introduction to WBL. The resources proved valuable in both affirming areas of effective practice and identifying opportunities for continued growth. The information underscored the importance of ongoing professional development in WBL techniques to expand and enhance our opportunities for students.