Quick Notes: IPP's/IEP's: The Transitions Section || Writing Difficulties: A Computer Peripheral May Be the Answer? || Career Competencies From Kindergarten to Grade Twelve || Communicative Competence: Far More than Language Arts! Career Competencies From Kindergarten to Grade Twelve There are a multitude of knowledge items, personal habits, interpersonal skills, ethics and attitudes that are generic to success in a one’s personal life and in the work world. We are not talking about the job-specific “hard-core” competencies such as reading a blueprint, operating a wheel wrench or pruning a fruit tree. We’re talking about the “soft-core”, common expectations, such as being on time, knowing when to keep your mouth shut, actively listening, being pleasant to others, knowing when and how to ask questions, and when responsibilities are more important than rights. Many individuals do not know about, understand or practise crucial, basic competencies that are considered to be “common knowledge” in the workplace. These inter-related core career competencies are not found in company manuals, policy handbooks or job descriptions; they form “the invisible protocol, customs and conventions of the workplace”. Although the goals of school acts, educational mission statements and various curricula frequently include enabling students to become caring, self-reliant, contributing, responsible members of their communities—characteristics that embody “soft core” skills—we do not directly and purposefully address them in school, particularly after the primary grades. Somehow, we assume life/workplace expectations are “common knowledge”. Wrong! In school, it is essential that we purposefully and directly target, teach and reinforce critical career competencies that will allow our students to be successful in their personal lives and in their future occupations. Great idea! —but...who will do this? with whom? where? when? how? Ah hah! We’ll create another curriculum! More committees and drafts! More pilot curricula! More calls for resources! Yes, textbook creators, get on board! More opportunities to purchase resources with our vast budgets! Not likely. · Who could do this? Every teacher, every assistant, every staff member kindergarten to Grade Twelve. Is it worth a school commitment? You bet. Inform the parents of the emphasis in your school. Meet with your feeder or funnel schools and let them know. Let students know the why’s and how’s, and inform student employers that this is an emphasis. · With whom? where? when? Every student, everywhere: in the building, on the grounds, for every activity, when guests are present, on off-campus trips. Everyone, everywhere, all the time. · How? · As a staff, target knowledge items, personal habits, interpersonal skills, ethics and attitudes that you believe are absolutely essential to success in life and on the job. A couple of dozen will do. · Directly TEACH these items, skills and attitudes (Sure you teach physics or phonics or fitness! But more important, you teach kids!). At every grade level, we can model, exemplify and phrase items in an age-appropriate manner. Show them, point out and model examples and nonexamples—ensure they can clearly identify the items you are targeting. Give them feedback and reinforcement: make eye contact and thank them, notice the good things and take the few seconds to reinforce! Encourage them to reinforce others—peers and adults. · Remember that learning occurs in context. Spare the trees! No worksheets, drill and kill! Contexts run from simple to complex, from structured to unstructured. Students need teaching, and plenty of opportunities for directed practise and feedback before application and generalization will occur! |
