Program Title – Interdisciplinary Integration - 21st Century Skills

Goals/Objectives:

• Examine literacy, mathematics,and science concepts as shared with the CTE curricula.
• Identify shared teaching, language,and timing between CTE curriculum and core curriculum subjects.
• Integrate the shared concepts and language into both the core curriculum and the CTE curriculum.
• Document and publish the inclusive topics/lessons/resources into the existing curricula.
• Integrate technology-based interventions to increase student achievement in literacy and math.
• Arrange teacher-in-the-workplace activities to provide industry-based experiences to engage teachers (academic) in gaining experience in career areas, common language used in the career areas, and make connections between academic instruction and industry/business experiences.
• Arrange teacher-in-the-workplace opportunities to enhance and advance career and technology teachers’ industry knowledge and updating of industry skills. Several professional development sessions were held to promote and engage discussion between academic and career and technology teachers. Emphasis was placed in identifying specific common topics and concepts that are shared between academic and technical curricula.

Based upon these explorations and working with the consultants provided through the grant funding in literacy, math, and science, signature inter-disciplinary projects based on academic topics are being designed to drive the integration activities. The first pilot signature project will be introduced to teachers and the teachers will participate in a modeling exercise at an upcoming professional development session. The goal is to develop four to five projects for each grade level.

Using the Teen-Biz curricular resource, all students enrolled in Swenson will use this Web site-based resource to develop and strengthen reading and math skills. Using this resource primarily in the English and mathematics classes, students will access this resource on a regular basis. In addition, the non-fiction articles will be used as a linkage to be used in CTE classes to increase student skills in the career and technical classes as well as reinforce reading and math skills.

Representatives from Teen-Biz 3000 to teachers and the educational team have conducted professional development sessions. Additional sessions are planned to train all teachers on this resource.

Career Pathway Investigations for Ninth Grade Students

A teacher/staff team is working to develop a successful working model of an introductory course for Career Exploration/Career Pathways/21st Century Skills for beginning high school students. The team is working to identify core beliefs and activities linking them to resources that will enable students to begin planning and tracking their individual career plans. Currently in the existing Introduction to technology classes, we are piloting different activities and resources.

Topics/curricula currently being investigated are:

• Seven Habits for Effective Teens
• The Grow Program
• Study Skills
• Electronic Portfolios

Successful Transition to High School

A team is planning the design and implementation of a pre-ninth grade experience to provide meaningful preparation for student entry into Grade 9. This program will be structured into three significant events.

Family Orientation: First Sunday in June. This will provide the incoming ninth grade students and their parents an opportunity to be introduced to Swenson Arts and Technology High School through a series of activities and sessions. These sessions are planned to be interactive with parents and students grouped in collaborative teams.

Summer Orientation: A one-week long series of activities in August which will introduce the students to the programs and activities of Swenson. In addition, one day will involve industry site visits by students to introduce them to their chosen career pathways.

Freshman Orientation: One-day activity in September, prior to the start of school. During this activity, students will meet with mentors (both adult and peer), receive their rosters, and then meet their teachers prior to the first day of school.

Mentoring Program

A team is designing a fully inclusive adult/peer mentor program to support Swenson Arts and Technology High School students from their high school entry and continuing through graduation. Based upon investigations of current practices, the tentative plans call for the following:

• A dedicated mentoring time occurring approximately every three weeks,
• Ten ninth grade students meeting with one adult member and five peer mentors (11th grade),
• Tenth grade students meeting in large group sessions involving programs on goal setting, personal health and safety, career planning, college and postsecondary opportunities, etc.
• Their CTE teachers regarding their graduation projects will mentor senior students.

Career Preparation

Integral in all activities would be activities and programs to develop students for career pathway selection which includes:

• Preparation and completion of an individualized career plan and portfolio for each student
• Industry site visits
• College, postsecondary program orientation and visits
• Preparation for industry accepted professional certifications
• Internships and career explorations in summer programs
• Senior year featuring students in internships, work-study programs, dual enrollment programs, apprenticeship programs, pre-apprenticeship programs. All of the activities are to be based at industry/business/postsecondary partner (non-school) sites.
• Evaluation Tools & Procedures: A team has been developing a self-scored rubric that will be used to measure student acquisition of 21st century skills. This rubric will be self-scored by the student, reviewed by the teacher, and then conferenced by both to review. All teachers in each of the student’s classes will use this assessment. This assessment will be a component of the standardized grading policy that will be adopted.

Resources and Other Related Information:

www.swenson.phila.k12.pa.us

www.teenbiz3000.com

Contact Information
Swenson Arts and Technology HS
2750 Red Lion Road
Philadelphia, PA 19114
215-961-2009

David Kipput
Principal
dkipput@phila.k12.pa.us

Lynn Nai
Special Needs Coordinator
lsnai@phila.k12.pa.us