I'd like to think that I teach my students real world skills. I'd also like to think that I relate canonical texts to my students' lives. My philosophy on teaching is that it needs to be relevant and meaningful. However, never have I ever experienced completely grasping each and every students' attention like I have this week. Students were interested, invested, and inspired.
As part of our districts move to make learning more authentic, we have revamped our students' graduation project. Instead of students completing a project during their senior year, students now start it as a freshman. Each year, students gradually prepare themselves to either attend college or acquire a job upon graduation from high school. That means students participate in career surveys, create a resume and cover letter, fill out applications (job and college), go on interviews, visit colleges, etc. I love this idea. And I love that it is truly authentic and meaningful for our students.
Because I am a sophomore English teacher, my role in the graduation project is to teach my students how to create a basic resume, write a focused cover letter, and fill out a job application suitably. My students were hooked. They have never been taught such skills, and they genuinely wanted to learn how to write those materials. The reason why they were so engaged is because they found their learning to be meaningful; they saw what they were doing in class as actually benefiting their future. Students finally saw that a state test is not ruling their education.
Folks, don't underestimate the value of teaching students the basics; writing a cover letter may open your students eyes and genuinely prepare them for their future.
Wow, to learn that as sophomores must be so eye-opening to them! I teach a resume for seniors and it is as if they have never written one before (and I don't think they have..for school, anyway). I agree--it's so wonderful to see them light up and really find meaning in an assignment, and sometimes this stems from the fact that it's something (in their words) "useful" rather than the everyday (also their words) "busywork."
ReplyDeleteWhat a great (and useful) graduation project. I teach resumes and cover letters to my juniors during the 3rd quarter and I always feel like it's late. Sophomore year is a great time to get them to see what they still need to do in their remaining two years.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it so exciting when you have an aha moment and realize everyone "gets it"?! Congrats on such a great teaching moment this week! Students appreciate and value basic skills that they know will be useful in the future!
ReplyDeleteYes, I love that my school has modified our school's graduation project to start freshman year. It is super applicable to have sophomores write a resume and cover letter because most of them are at the age of finding their first job! It's also cool because just this morning I was speaking to two of my students about how they were asked to give a presentation about a can food drive to the freshman students. I said that is an honor and something they could even add to their resume! I could see the light go on in their heads as they exclaimed, "YEAH WE CAN!" Such a cool experience.
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