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In order to help students prepare for a lifetime of learning, fulfilling work, and productive adult roles, school-to-work transition systems must support the development of self- determination in students. Students should be encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, to understand and manage their career options, and to develop social skills and a maturity level that will help them interact positively with adults and peers. This is especially true for at-risk students, as the school system may be their only vehicle to learn how to cope with the complexities of adult life. Obviously, these efforts must rely on developmentally or age-appropriate strategies: what is good for an eleventh or twelfth grader is not appropriate for seventh or eighth graders.
A school-to-work system promoting self-determination for students can lead to changes in the entire learning process. In the school, alternative assessment processes such as self- assessment or portfolios help students see the relevance of school to "real life" and help them feel that they can influence their own progress. A breakdown of traditional teacher-student roles to promote responsible roles for students helps students take on responsibility for their learning. Opportunities to gain college credit or to study at a local community college expose students to high expectations--and, hopefully, the realization that they can live up to these expectations--and help the students attain a sense of adulthood. Comprehensive counseling helps students develop solutions to personal problems, assess their areas of interest and talent, access job-related information, and select a career. Work-based learning experiences also offer an excellent opportunity to promote self-determination in students. Exposing students to workplaces helps them get an idea of what careers entail, what employers expect of workers, and what students might want to focus on. In addition, breaking down the transition to work into smaller, more manageable pieces helps students recognize that they can in fact do the work and achieve success in a given field. Forging links between students and "real life" workplace experiences--especially those which occur away from school buildings--helps them develop a sense of responsibility and accountability on a whole new level. Working with adults both as role models and as colleagues helps build students' self-esteem, social skills, and level of maturity.
Some school-to-work systems provide additional classes or other options which help students take charge of their lives and careers. Classes in independent living, social skills, or cultural awareness help students learn how to behave in areas where there is traditionally no assistance from schools. Options such as job clubs facilitate peer counseling which leads to empowerment as students help each other develop solutions to problems.
The principles of TQM are the main mechanism by which student self-determination is implemented. Even the initial process by which TQM was first implemented involved student feedback, participation, and training. After an MEHS teacher attended a workshop on TQM, he introduced the principles in his classroom, and students quickly took ownership. The students' first project was to utilize random sampling and statistical analysis to determine barriers to their study time. Both the process and outcome encouraged self-determination as students became excited about the principles of TQM and increased their productivity by eliminating barriers to studying.
Since that time, quality principles have been infused across the curriculum, helping students develop quality skills which affect how they work and think. Students learn to analyze, describe, and find solutions for problems, and to assess themselves and their activities according to statistical methods. All students and staff are trained in TQM. Students are empowered as their suggestions about the school--backed up by their research and surveys--are seriously considered and sometimes implemented by administrators. For instance, based on the recommendations of an improvement team (comprised of students and staff), the structure of the school day was changed from seven classes per day to four ninety-minute classes to allow more time for projects and in-depth learning. The very nature of TQM and the expectations for success make it impossible for students to remain in a traditional "teacher-student" relationship. Students are empowered to break out of the passive learning mode and take responsibility for their learning, in some cases even determining what areas they will focus on within the class outline. For example, one student pointed out that on a recent field trip, his class was responsible for determining which area they would focus on (for example, water condensation, salinity levels). This led students to look at learning differently and to take more ownership of the learning process.
Like the SEOP process, other elements of school operation are student-driven and encourage self-determination. Students can take advantage of flexible scheduling and flexible granting of credits to shape a course of study that best fits their needs. For example, a student might attend one or more early morning classes at the school, then take part in on-the-job training. Students can choose to complete their high school program early and can attend college as early college students or through concurrent enrollment. Departments are realigning assignments, breaking down barriers, and collaborating to develop courses that better meet the needs of students and reflect the changing nature of content in many areas of study.
Administrators and teachers have started to plan and develop curriculum in all courses to match standards they developed. Students in the school must meet standards in communication, critical/creative thinking, social and personal development, self- motivation and adaptability, and preparation for options after high school. Simultaneously, Roy High School is reviewing authentic assessment tools and developing portfolios and performance criteria in order to develop a system that assesses to their standards. The result is that Roy High School is helping students meet standards which foster self-determination and developing assessment systems which allow students alternative ways to demonstrate their mastery.
For instance, the law enforcement program emphasizes qualities such as professionalism, conflict resolution, team building, and action planning. The instructor gives control back to students, teaching them self-evaluation skills, self-management, and work ethics. Students are organized into teams that set up professional procedures and roles for themselves. At least once each marking period, every student is supervisor for a week, keeping records, solving problems, and evaluating the team--experiencing the role of manager. Similarly, the instructor has adopted "issue management assignments" to deal with unprofessional performances. Students choose either to be subject to the discipline guidelines of their home school, or to adopt the "professional problem-solving mode." The latter approach requires them to evaluate the problem, identify the ideal solution, list objectives, build an action plan, and draw up an accountability contract.
Through the YTP, students gain a clearer sense of their own strengths and weaknesses. Many students described the specific work behaviors they developed, and most commented that the program helped them develop the perseverance skills necessary to find and keep a job. They also discussed a range of work attitudes (e.g., attendance, punctuality, appearance, self-control, communication skills, and problem solving skills) in a manner that revealed ownership of these important attitudes and self-awareness in terms of the degree to which they had acquired them.
Students also seemed to have acquired an in-depth knowledge of the careers to which their YTP experience might lead them, and a real sense of what it would take, in terms of time, money, and education, to achieve their career goal. Many students commented that YTP was keeping them in school or encouraging them to return to school and providing options for school completion. Students also commented on how they have shifted career goals, felt comfortable leaving a job, explored various occupations, and tried things they never would have before.
A common thread throughout Rothsay's educational programs is a respect for student ability and a commitment to empower students and develop leadership. Students are encouraged to be entrepreneurial--and are supported as they develop the skills necessary to research, assess, implement, and evaluate entrepreneurial programs. Students also develop work-readiness skills, such as responsibility, working in teams, and punctuality. They felt proud of the fact that they were running the only grocery store in their community, and accepted the concomitant responsibilities of consistently being on time, balancing the books, stocking the shelves, preparing the food, and ordering supplies.
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[Element Six: School-based curriculum and instruction]