Race to the Top

 
  Students at High Tech High engage in a math physics project- where the building and testing of their pool table brings to life the word of physics and probability- while also creatng a fun competition. integrating CTE and Core academics offers great potetial for a winning Race to the Top.TIntegratng CTE ansd coire academicsw he goal of Pool Hall Junkies is to hel

Now that January 2010 is upon us, states are scrambling to finalize applications for the federal Race to the Top funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. States are asked to focus on four specific areas: 
  

• Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy;
• Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;
• Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
• Turning around our lowest-achieving schools.

As I read these I can’t help to wonder about the disconnect between these very important goals and the decline of Career Technical Education (CTE) in CA and many states across the nation. (the graph above presents a rather sobering picutre of where CTE has been headng).  Having started my career as what was then called a “Voc-Ed” teacher in the 70’s I am quite convinced that the traditional “stand alone” CTE classes should be relegated to the past...what CTE has to offer is far too important to be isolated from the core academic areas. After spending considerable time conducting research at a Multiple Pathways, project based learning ( PBL) High School (High Tech High, San Diego), I am convinced that the key to addressing all four areas listed above is through the dynamic integration of CTE with core academics. I’ve seen it first hand that when math and science is woven into experiential learning opportunities, students are more engaged- they can see the relevance of theories and what may formally appear as abstract concepts. This in my opinion is how we prepare students to become productive citizens in a global economy.

 Achieving these four critically important goals, means re-thinking how we “do school”. Here’s my two cents: The 20th century model no longer fits our 21st century economy. From my perspective a critical determinant in all of this involves the steps we take to prepare the next generation of teachers. To win the Race to the Top we need teachers who embrace collaboration to create learning environments where head and hand, theory and practice are an integral aspect of every student’s learning experience- not just students taking isolated CTE classes. To win the Race to the Top, we need teachers who understand how to leverage emerging technology to empower students to become creative problem solvers and critical thinkers. To win the race to the top we need to think of “school” as extending far beyond the confines of a physical campus and think in terms of learning environments where the absurdity of learning in 55 minute chunks segregated by the ringing of bells becomes a quaint memory.