This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Theorem 3
Theorem 3 stipulates that vocational education should provide students with thinking habits- technical knowledge and scientific and manipulative skills required in the occupation itself. I tend to agree with that definition. As an educator in the CTE classroom, it is my desire to prepare students for the workforce in my field of expertise. If I want to produce students that will be successful in the beauty industry, it is my job to engage students in learning activities that require them to think for themselves and cultivate a skill set that is marketable. My purpose is to take the state standards for my course, digest them and create activities that foster critical thinking skills that relate to on the job training scenarios while advancing hands on skills needed in cosmetology. An example would be the unit I am teaching now...Color Theory. In order for my students to be successful in the salon, they have to identify the natural level of haircolr, the desired level of haircolor, the percentage of gray hair a client may have,and underlying pigments involved. That is serious critical thinking. It is also what seperates the bathroom beauty disasters from the color expert at the salon. In addition to head knowledge, students must be confident in their application skills as well. This is where the manipulative skills comes into play. I tell my kids all of the time that practice makes perfect. I do not allow "I can't" in my classroom. Instead, I offer, "while this may be hard or fustrating, I WILL eventually master it". I think that sums up what Theorem 3 means to me. It is definitely applicaple in vocational education today.
Courtney you make a good point. I agree with you totally. Piggy-backing on what I mentioned earlier the basic premise of success on any level is repetition and knowledge/skill sets. The students that we teach, for the most part, have no embedded skills or pre-knowledge sets so it is up to us to give them the basic knowledge and facts and then take them from there through repetition and learning, to become better at whatever craft they decide to embrace.
ReplyDeleteI know in my field of study I have several students who are already masters of technology so in a sense they are already masters of their ship so to speak before they ever get to me. My goal is to hone their skills, help them focus on a specific area of computers or business whether it be Entrepreneurship or computers. I always tell my students that if I can focus their vision from broad areas of study to a specific area whether it be business OR computers, then I have done my job. Again, the ideas you have put forth in your class are some I hope to mirror in my own.
Mr. H.
I cannot imagine a student attempting to do any aspect of what you teach without possessing scientific problem solving skills! In this case you and Prosser are spot on in regards to students must be provided with these habits. Imagine a world where untrained individuals attempt to accomplish very important tasks and how unsuccessful they will be. Actually, that sound a lot like most politicians, but I digress. Introducing a foundation for these students to build upon will set them up for success. Keep doing that!
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