Donald Robinson II

Creating a space for student voice and choice is the result of what was covered in the previous module, "Fostering A Safe Space to Learn and Take Risks" for students.  Establishing a safe space is key to any learning environment as a starting point.  As students get more comfortable and confident, as a result of recognizing that they're in a safe space to learn and make mistakes or have failures, their voices, collectively and individually, get stronger. 

CTE is the perfect mechanism for developing students' voice and choice for their respective individual goals and career paths they decide to take. … >>>

Fostering a safe space for students to communicate and express themselves gives the students the courage to engage in daily classroom activities and discussions.  In our class, I've always encouraged students to participate in our classroom talks; in the beginning of my tenure, I would use the technique of encouraging questions during the lecture or instructor (me) speaking, instead of waiting until the end.  That way, they could get the answer in the moment, for better retention, instead of running the risk of losing train of thought by waiting until the instructor was done speaking.  Also, my colleague encourages participation… >>>

Creating safe and engaging learning means access to learning for everyone is the most important factor for success in creating an atmosphere where everyone can feel comfortable to learn the best way he/she can.  When the intent is to have everyone learn as effectively as they can, creating a safe environment is tantamount to students being able to learn and retain what they learn to the fullest.  Engagement includes involvement, that the instructor/teacher shows his/her level of involvement through the level of engagement he/she is willing to provide to get students motivated to learn the material. 

CTE provides the greatest… >>>

PLCs can be very effective when a system is established from teachers' buy-in and participation.  The notion that teachers can help teachers defines community building within a school, and that makes the difference with camaraderie, morale, cohesion and effectiveness of staff to provide the best types of instruction to the students.  Thereby creating an environment where learning is meaningful, impactful and fun for the students.

Teacher-driven growth can help foster camaraderie, collaboration, productivity, and teamwork within a school organization.  When teachers feel empowered, they are more likely to be proactive and engaged in developing their approaches to teaching...and connecting with the youth.  Also, the PLC can be an environment and framework for teachers to be inspired to be innovative, creative and willing to try new approaches to their teaching methods.  When teachers lead, teachers can feel like they're being heard by their administration.  Trust is then strengthened, and a unified vision can be nurtured and supported.

In this CTE world, Professional Learning Communities help teachers with proactive measures for dealing with barriers, both in the classroom and with the students personally.  The cohesion explained in this module, from a physics concept, makes sense from an energy perspective.  As one learns from others, it helps everyone; once shared experience from one or a few group members is brought forth, the entire group benefits as a result.

PLCs are a great way to have community learning from members with a shared experience take place.  Common ground always is a thread for people to have synergy, and obtain goal-reaching… >>>

Working in a PLC appears to be a very fruitful, professionally rewarding endeavor.  A PLC can help empower teachers and school staff other than administrators for each person's professional and even personal development:  if it is conducted in the way described in this module.  Theoretically, the PLC is the peer-to-peer group that teachers need, and similar efforts are conducted in other industries to help foster morale, cohesiveness, cooperation and teamwork in the staff.  Our school is structured in a way that is somewhat non-traditional, as we don't have a classic PLC structure in our environment, but we do encourage each… >>>

Career development is an ongoing activity.  No matter where someone is in their career journey, there is always the opportunity to learn, grow and increase one's knowledge, skill base and experience.  As seasoned veterans of the workforce begin to wind down their careers, a novel notion is the ability as an instructor to pass down this experience of the job search to students who are beginning their careers.  As I myself have gone through career changes, it is rewarding to be able to share those experiences with students, and to be able to witness their growth into successful pathways that… >>>

The retention and transition stages are prime examples of what lifelong learning looks like.  With a quotient emphasizing job-based learning and work-based skills, students can learn what it means to say, "you never stop learning."  Nor is it truly a failure to pivot and change careers.  At some point, I plan on sharing my worklife journey, as I have had experience in municipal government, transitioning into tech, then leading to teaching, which has helped me get to the point of where I am today.  Which I am grateful for sharing my expertise with the bright students of our school who… >>>

In career development, all of the stages are important in their respective significance.  However, the preparation and commitment stages are the most crucial of them.  These stages are like the final leg of a race.  The whole purpose is to get to the finish line, and one cannot finish the race without making it through that final stretch, let alone running the entire distance and seeing that through.  

Preparing for interviews, writing resumés, building networks and following up after the interview are all the steps for building interpersonal communication and relationships in the working world.  Whether a student is pursuing… >>>