Techniques October 2012 - 21

Today’s Students—Part 2

succEssful carEEr and tEchnical Education cEntEr
By John Fala, Kathryn Strouse, Christopher Tully and Thomas Viviano

Career and technical schools are strong advocates for 21st-century readiness in a digital age of learning. Developing rigorous academic skills, along with innovation and technology skills, will help the students keep up with the global economy. The ability to acquire these skills will essentially determine if a student is prepared to learn, live, and work in a global society. The key as educators is to ensure that every student possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to perform successfully.

Thomas Viviano, Assistant Director
An important key in cultivating a climate that is progressive and supports 21stcentury education is strong leadership. According to Kouzes and Posner, the top four characteristics of admired leaders are that they are honest, forward-looking, inspiring and competent.4 These are the values and personal traits that have been selected by over 75,000 people from business and industry all over the world. In today’s world of CTE, teachers, staff, parents, students and all other stakeholders expect these traits from their CTE leaders. Trust is earned through the development of the character and leadership skills of supervisors and their ability to be honest, regardless of consequences; to always be looking at current initiatives and trends in education; to coach, inspire and instill enthusiasm; and of course, demonstrate proficiency and skill in leadership. CTE principals and supervisors of today need to be leaders more than managers. A manager controls people and initiatives, but a leader inspires and encourages a collaborative approach. A leader empowers teachers and fosters self-governance. Teachers should be able to express confidence in independent thought, have opportunities to implement their ideas, and leaders should encourage the sharing, discussion and debate of all of their input.5
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s a career and technical high school, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology1 in Jamison, Pennsylvania, has risen to the challenge of preparing students with 21stcentury skills through rigorous academics, technical knowledge and professional development. Everyone, from the administrative director to the classroom teacher, needs to understand their role in providing students with the skills to compete in a global economy. This article describes the guiding principles of educating 21stcentury students from the perspective of the administrative director, the assistant director, the public safety teacher and the multimedia technology teacher.

Kathryn Strouse, Administrative Director
Career and technical education (CTE) programs contribute significantly to 21stcentury readiness by promoting academic skills, employability, technical knowledge and a foundation in lifelong learning. These principles are the basis of the educational program at Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, where the technical programs and pedagogy are integrated to ensure students are college- or career-ready.
www.acteonline.org

Innovative learning skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration, are also an intrinsic part of the education program. The report by the Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisers, titled “Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow,” says, “Employers value workers who can think critically and solve problems. Many highly paid occupations require workers with good analytic and interactive skills.”2 The access to state-of-the-art technology is another component for ensuring that students possess the pertinent skills. The Pennsylvania Department of Education supports this by sponsoring equipment grants to provide funding to purchase equipment that meets industry standards and is used to offer handson training. Another component that provides students with those skills is professional growth. “Professional and industry organizations in every CTE cluster support educators with professional development and professional learning communities targeted for their career clusters and pathways, making them highly connected to educators’ everyday pedagogical practices.”3

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Techniques October 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Techniques October 2012
