Things that we experience are the things that we remember most. Anyone familiar with child development will know that this is one of the resounding themes within many theories. If you think back through your own experiences, you will probably agree. Career and Technical Education courses offer student’s real world experience in the workplace and relevance to other coursework. Students do not have to ask why they need to know this, because the answer to the question is within the curriculum.
Carson High School offers students a variety of Career and Technical Education courses with many offering internship opportunities. Students enrolled in these courses gain valuable work experience within their chosen field and can earn industry certifications such as Certified Nurse Assistant, Servesafe, and Daycare Worker credentials. Not only do students have the opportunity to earn credentials, students also gain valuable work experience to make informed decisions about career goals.
Students enrolled in Early Childhood Education work in a variety of environments including elementary schools, Head Start, and daycare. This class would not be possible without the support of principals, teachers, and community leaders. Although each student has a different experience, the knowledge that they gain is not taught in textbooks, but is learned in the classrooms that they are assigned. Students are taught the basic theory of observation, education, and child development. They are able to see and experience the curriculum at their internship sites.
Internships also help students eliminate possible career choices. There are many students who decide that they may not want to teach after experiencing the other side of education. This does not mean that the class is a failure. Internships provide a valuable experience for students to develop intrapersonal awareness and determine what they want in a career. Students can identify what they liked and didn’t like about their experience. Graduates of this program often attend college in majors such as Education, Social Work, and Nursing. Each of these fields are related to child development and welfare, and the skills and knowledge that they learn in this course prepares them for their future.
As the Early Childhood Education teacher, I begin the semester with the poem, Little Eyes are Watching. I want students to understand that they have to show maturity while they are working with children. I want them to know that children see and understand more than they think. The children that they work with look up to them, and they must act as a role model. Students may see them outside of school, and they may still be watching. I am often amazed at the growth that I see within my students from the beginning of the semester. Students develop self-confidence, leadership, and job skills. They learn what it means to be counted on, and that there are people who miss them when they are not there. By the end of the semester, my students learn the significance of little eyes watching.
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