Using HirePaths in a Title 1 Classroom
Being the Title Teacher at my elementary school in Russell, I work primarily with students (second through fifth grade) on reading intervention skills and supporting teachers with testing and instruction. During this school year, I have worked to be more mindful of not only giving my students reading intervention but also having some of our focus be incorporated with discussion over careers and life after high school. Along with working this theme into my classroom, I have been able to spend time within the school year to bring in guest speakers for our students to engage with during lunchtime and at our after-school program.
My students were able to participate in several book studies that had a career exploration component. One of our favorite books was Dear Mr. Crenshaw by Beverly Cleary. As we discussed the book, the students’ final project was to write to a company or program that they had interest in. When developing their letter, they had to ask specific questions about the company or program they were interested in. With the practice of writing a letter, researching companies and programs, and the sloppy copies, the students were able to send their final copy to their company or program. Over the next few weeks, we anxiously waited for the mail to arrive to see if any companies had written back. This was a great way for our students to have the chance to explore options outside our community and on a one-on-one level.
During our multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) sessions, my students would design projects that focused on project-based learning. We got to design several different projects throughout the year, such as a fall carnival, a haunted house auction/realtor sale and a national park trip. This has been a great way for each student to select things within their interest level and use that to design a meaningful project. The fall carnival allowed for my students to use a budget, research fall carnival games and activities, then design a flier and layout of the carnival to support their ideas. The haunted house auction was a Halloween activity that allowed them to design their haunted house creation, then hold an auction to sell items that have secret powers to their peers. The last project we worked on was designing a personal trip to a national park. This allowed students to find an interesting park and design a trip to fly to the city of the park, find a hotel, food, things to do and calculate the price of the whole trip. All these projects allowed for the flexibility of students to find their best qualities and use them to meet their aspirations. These projects open doors for them to look into their interests and find ways to meet those interests within the classroom while performing the projects. I have had many students who share so much excitement when I present learning-based projects as they get to explore and develop.
Students at Bickerdyke Elementary were given the opportunity at our after-school program to be exposed to career exploration through an array of activities from guest speakers to class projects that involved STEM opportunities. We were able to bring the Rolling Hills Zoo to our students to not only allow our students to see the animals but also engage with the zookeepers and get to ask questions about being a zookeeper. Our students were able to meet with the town’s historical society to learn about Russell history and about pursuing a history degree. Our students were also able to attend multiple sessions with the K-State Research and Extension office to provide them with the knowledge of being healthy and setting goals to reach future dreams. We also were given the opportunity for our students to work with high school students and their organizations to learn more about the options available in high school for them to try and be exposed to future career opportunities.
Schoolwide, our students were given the chance to learn from parents and other adults within the community that provide support for our community to prosper. We held once-a-month career exploration sessions with a theme for each month and called them “lunch and learn.” The students would get lunch with community helpers, then they would provide a short presentation or just mingle with students who had questions. Many of our community helpers had previous connections with our students, as they were family members, neighbors or friends. It was a great experience for our students to get to learn more about community job opportunities and that people they know were doing such jobs.
As my HirePaths Ambassador year comes to a close, I am eager to continue to share the resources and opportunities that HirePaths offers within my classroom. It is vital for students to know they have the chance to follow their dreams and can make a difference in their community no matter their age. It is never too early to dream!
Kaley Schnack was a 2023-2024 Dane G. Hansen Foundation HirePaths Teacher Ambassador. She teaches at Bickerdyke Elementary in Russell, Kansas.
