Date of Award
1990
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
Sterling Newton
Committee Member
Mary Ellen Sapp
Keywords
adopt-a-school, business, business partnerships, career awareness, community attitudes, community involvement, community support, educational partnerships, elementary education, job opportunities, local businesses, middle grades education, parent meetings, parent participation, parental involvement, partnerships in education, program implementation, public relations, public schools, rural education, school-business relationships, school-community relationships, skills for adolescents, student career exploration, student engagement, student learning experiences, teacher input, training requirements, volunteers, workforce awareness, workplace education, community partnerships, business involvement, educational experiences, school improvement, grades 4–7, student-business interactions, career education, community-based learning, school support programs, business education, employee involvement, educational outreach, parent-school partnerships, curriculum enhancement, adolescent development, student motivation, school partnerships, community resources, local education initiatives, school-family partnerships, experiential learning, career development, educational support networks, business-world awareness, student exposure to careers, school-community collaboration
Abstract
This practicum was designed to improve the educational experience of students in grades 4 -7 by increasing the involvement of local businesses and parents in the total education of the students. Because middle grade students have very little experience or understanding of the business world in which they will function more and more as they grow older, it was decided that local businesses would be solicited to form partnerships with the school.
The writer determined a need for increased business and parental involvement for students in grades 4 - 7 based upon teacher input, the State Department of Education's emphasis, and the curriculum of the school. A partnership for each of the grades 4 -7 was formed with local businesses. Also, a partnership was formed for the school at large. A series of four parent meetings were held at the school in conjunction with the skills of adolescence program currently being used with grades 6 and 7 as efforts were made to increase parental involvement.
The partnerships formed proved to provide positive educational experiences for both the students and the employees of the particular businesses once needs for each partnership were identified, objectives for the partnership and strategies for implementation were decided upon. Students involved in all partnerships were able to visit the businesses and have employees explain the purpose, job opportunities, training required, salaries, and other pertinent information to the students. Having the employees of the businesses speak directly with the students helped to communicate the feeling of commitment that each business has made toward the total local educational process. All partnerships will continue for the upcoming school year and it is hoped that one can be formed from grade K - 3. The four parent meetings were very successful, although attendance at them was not the 33% identified in the practicum objective. Those parents attending responded overwhelmingly in support of the school and its effort to provide a meaningful, well-rounded education for their students.