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Workforce development starts in our career and technical education (CTE) programs. As a global economy expands further, CTE must consider its role and responsibility to improve representation — among our role models, partners and in the classroom.

Representation matters.

This April issue of Techniques features articles from educators and CTE stakeholders designed to inspire reflection as well as action. We must confront vast systemic inequities in order to design more equitable learning opportunities in fields such as science, engineering, technology and math (STEM). Michael Owens wrote,

“A large amount of STEM course material does not include equitable representations of success. This lack of diversity leads students to perceive that they do not fit the mold, that they don’t have what it takes to be successful within the STEM field. When teachers present diverse recruitment material, students develop greater regard for the content area.”

The Center for Global Education at Asia Society, a group that partners with organizations and educators to craft professional development courses and resources, encourages readers to build deeper connections to diversity. Their research proves that a diverse workforce is more productive and happier overall.

Jennifer Manise, Kirsten Bullington and Heather Singmaster wrote, “How do you attract a more diverse set of students into your classes? How do you prepare them with both technical skills and the global mindset needed to succeed?

“To build a more inclusive classroom, you must begin to understand your own point of view.” Before connections may be made with students, CTE teachers and administrators must learn to recognize and dismantle their own implicit biases.

ACTE promotes high-quality CTE programs for diverse audiences.

We continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diversity of the CTE community. ACTE remains committed to equity, access, inclusion and diversity (IAED). ACTE’s IAED Advisory Group provides recommendations, expertise and outreach to support ACTE’s IAED initiatives. Members and stakeholders are encouraged to contribute:

• Offer resources and speaker suggestions to include on a dedicated IAED webpage
• Submit a proposal for the IAED in CTE column in Techniques
• Encourage your local CTE community to reference the Access and Equity element in ACTE’s Quality CTE Program of Study Framework
• Join the IAED Advisory Group

In addition, the IAED Mentorship Program is open to any ACTE member interested in educational equity. Participants review literature and engage in productive discussions about the issue of representation — and why it matters so deeply.

ACTE members can read the full April issue — in mailboxes this week >amp; in the archive now.

CareerTech Vision is the place to be for professional development, learning about and purchasing the newest software, equipment, supplies, and networking. This conference is the largest meeting of Career and Technical Education, which focuses on secondary and postsecondary CTE. Input from all of the different Divisions within ACTE is taken into account when planning VISION, ensuring there is something for everyone. There are always a plethora of sessions to attend. Like most Educators, I have attended many conferences, but I have never seen anything quite like Vision. 

Professional development opportunities like Vision require an investment in employees, ultimately affecting the students, faculty, staff, and parents. Professional learning is needed to increase competence. It is a must to go beyond competence to take skills to the next level. Anthony J. D’Angelo said, “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” Conferences like CareerTech VISION allow for growth. Focusing on one’s practice is essential. Everyone needs to develop, and Educators especially have to dedicate time to develop. Those that are considered the best of the best never stop sharpening their skills. 

You do not want to miss this event since there is so much to do, see, and learn. Attending gives you exposure, not just to those in your career area. Vision allows educators to meet other education professionals from all across the world. 

Investing in the opportunity to attend VISION is well worth the time and expense. So, what is your plan for your professional development? Questions to start with include: How do I want to grow? What are my goals, both professional and personal? What do I need to learn? Once you know the answers to these questions, you can make a plan to make the most of your time at Vision 2020. How will attending CareerTech VISION help you go to the next level?

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We have all had weeks that began seemingly normal, but ended anything but…however I think that we can all attest to the fact that the week of March 9, 2020 was one like no other.  In the blink of an eye, we were going from standard classroom instruction to this new environment of remote learning, for who knows how long.  Sure, things were going to be different but we are educators and used to pivoting on a dime depending on what is thrown at us, we will survive and come out on top…right?

Fast forward two weeks, as I prepare to log into my computer for the first meeting of the day (while also kicking off the 1^st grade and pre-K lessons for the day), and I get a message from a colleague asking me to co-facilitate a meeting that he saw I was on.  Clearly, he is kidding, as I just apologized for the mess that will be going on in the background while my kids are ‘focusing’ on their school work and I am holding down the fort solo with my husband at work.  When I answered back with a ‘Sure!’ and the laughing/crying emoji, I was sure that he knew I was kidding as well.  The next thing I know, my 7-year-old exclaimed ‘Mommy, that man just said your name and that you were helping to lead the meeting.’  Clearly his question was not in jest, and clearly, I had missed my introduction (as I was in the other room dealing with some pre-K trauma).  While the meeting went off seemingly well, my facilitation included a 5-year-old sanding on the back of my chair jumping and playing with my hair, a 7 year old asking for help with his school work, and my phone ringing, verified by the video that I received later which had documented the entire debacle!  That is when it hit me…this is HARD!

As the week went on, I continued to work through my meetings and responsibilities to the best of my ability.  One of those responsibilities was a supportive collaboration call with one of our curriculum cohorts.  The idea behind these video meetings was to support teachers in their efforts to support kids, and reinforce the need to grant students grace during these unprecedented and trying times.  This particular call quickly pivoted to a session of support for our teachers, and all that they are balancing.  My new revelation was that this was REALLY HARD…on EVERYONE!!!

When the call ended, I felt deflated and unable to support my teachers in the way that they were needed.  Given what I had just experienced, I felt it was important to get on a call with my supervisor and talk through what we might be able to do to support our staff, who need just as much support as our students.  It was through that discussion that we developed our new NORMal.  While our district had established norms, we decided that the norm needed to be tweaked a bit in this situation.  It was determined that our staff needed these new norms to guide them through this unprecedented time…

• Your current priorities are your health, your family, and maintaining relationships with students.
• You have the autonomy to control your work and workload, as you are trusted as a professional to do what you find/feel is best for you, your family, and your students in these trying times.

This message was delivered to staff both in a video message from our Superintendent, and an email from our Executive Director of Teaching and Learning.   The feedback received was nothing short of phenomenal, and it was exactly the support that our staff needed!

In the end I think that maybe we as educators were taught the greatest lesson of all through this…an education in grace.  While some might fear that this type of grace could provide a ticket to do less, its effect was actually the complete opposite.  Bottom line, what you invest in trust and grace will come full circle and pay dividends.  We truly are all in this together!

Gliding seamlessly from traditional teaching models to semi-remote to completely remote teaching requires schools and teachers to understand more than the pedagogy for each of the scenarios. In CTE we use hands-on instruction and formative assessments the majority of the time. As instruction moves to a remote learning situation, we must consider liability and access and equity.

There is inherent risk with schools in general and in CTE classes it is higher than in an academic classroom. A couple of years ago I was investigating the risk associated with placing students in internship positions and I spoke with an attorney and he said the only way we eliminate risk in schools is not to open the door. We open the doors and try to mitigate risk as we go. In a remote teaching situation is it appropriate to ask students to complete projects at home for a grade, for example, baking a cake, building a dog house, changing the oil on a car, etc.? Would districts and teachers be liable if a student was burned or the house burned down, or injured while performing a construction or automotive task, or if personal property was damaged? Could this risk be mitigated by having parents sign indemnification paperwork to not hold the district or teacher liable? Is virtual reality technology going to become the norm in every CTE classroom?

The jury is still out on this issue and very few policies exist for this type of situation. Currently most districts are saying, don’t require hands-on projects at home until we can write policy and seek our precedents. This will require CTE teachers to think strategically when planning out their classes as they prepare to glide through different delivery scenarios.

The other area of consideration for teachers is the digital divide. Prior to March 2020, we knew it existed but didn’t pay very close attention to it. There are many schools that have 1:1 devices available to students but are they allowed to take them home; keep them throughout the summer? What about access to internet services? There are many families that can’t afford service and there are still many places in our country where there is no internet service. The district I teach in in Alaska is very large and some students have to drive 30 or more miles just to hit a hotspot. Not a good option in the winter in Fairbanks, Alaska, sitting in your car doing homework, watching videos, or completing projects online.

Districts around the country are going to be quickly trying to address this issue this summer but there may not be solutions in place by fall. Teachers are going to have to be creative to ensure that all students are having a similar, maybe different experience in all the delivery scenarios.

CTE teachers have many things to consider as they move forward to teaching in this new era. Having administrators that understand the needs and challenges of CTE teachers is imperative to moving programs forward.

Those that have been given the charge and have the responsibility to educate others must be committed to continuous learning. Learning is fundamental throughout one’s career no matter what field. Professional development (PD) is a lifelong endeavor which allows educators to grow. Educators must improve their craft like a star athlete or musician. Educators should constantly work to increase their competence in order to take their skills to the next level.

Professional development must be intentional which requires setting goals both personal and professional. The overarching goal for a school system’s professional learning plan should be to get everyone to the point where they become a part of a high-performing, collaborative team that focuses on improving student learning as a part of a professional learning community.

Employees need to invest in themselves and employers need to invest in their people. People are the most important resource of any organization. Every person should have the opportunity for growth no matter their title or role. Professional development is critical in developing the leadership pipeline.

There are more ways than ever to participate in professional development. Options include videos, podcasts, audio books, blogs, textbooks, magazines, Twitter chats, conferences and workshops. No one has to wait for their workplace to offer PD because there are many ways to learn, some of which are free and simply require a commitment of time and the willingness to change.

The improvement of school performance, the quality of classroom instruction, and the implementation of new initiatives are all affected by the quality and quantity of professional learning offered within a district. The world is constantly changing. Professional development must be ongoing to meet the challenges of our ever-changing world. Continued education of all employees benefits the entire community, not just the individual. Professional development is the vehicle that will help teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and others to carry out the work that is necessary to grow and positively affect student achievement.