Here is what I have put together for my school proposal, thus far (lengthy post):
OverviewCareer Literacy: Engaging All Readers (CLEAR)
Making reading and applied literacy come to life for technical students is an important, yet often dismissed facet of effective learning. The correlation between reading and achievement simply cannot be denied. Students dismiss reading as “boring,” “not important,” “waste of time,” and “too slow” because students consider themselves “not good at it,” “too busy,” “not good at finding something interesting [to read].” Technical education students have the opportunity to bridge the literacy gap as well as enhance their understanding of the career area in which they are enrolled by exploring reading opportunities related to their industry. Reading material grounded in the career area benefits the students through further engagement in their chosen field by exploring the perspective from beyond the confines of their classroom. Further, the connection between what is ‘out there’ can be made real by engaging the students in reading material suited for members of their industry. The practice of reading and applying comprehension practices directly benefits the students’ command in both the act of becoming an effective reader as well as gleaning the knowledge intended by author of whichever piece is being explored. So, what to do? How can students realize the benefit of reading? What voice can be used to speak directly to career and technical students that would further enhance their achievement, both in terms of measurable growth in comprehension while simultaneously stirring their interest in their chosen career field?
Objectives
In a career area representing a typical cross-section of technical education students, the CLEAR program will structure a literacy program to engage the students in routine reading that:
•Enhances reading comprehension
•Further cements an interest in the career area
•Stimulates an interest in leisure reading beyond the confines of the classroom
•Generates a dialog relating to the career area, beyond the construct
Method
Media
Through input from industry members, a book will be selected that is grounded in the respective industry of the career area. The scope of the book will be anecdotal, reflective and memoir-style versus a technical textbook. Members of the advisory board for respective career areas, members of industry, classroom visitors/guest presenters and other industry members from professional organizations, associations and websites can all be polled to offer opinion as to the appropriateness and relevancy of the selection.
Structure
As career areas’ scope of their daily responsibilities greatly vary, the method for implementation will, too, vary. Will students read on a nightly basis a set number of pages? Will students read independently and explore questions and comments in a more ‘free form’ manner? Will the instructor periodically read to the class to highlight particularly valuable selections? Will students reflect on their reading through paper-and-pencil journaling or integrate technology by creating a Blog or Wiki? The collaborative aspect of implementing the CLEAR program can vary with, again, the structure of the respective career area. The instructor can elect to have students read in a jig-saw strategy, however the full impact of the reading will be best accomplished through independent reading. The fundamental core concept of CLEAR is to get a book in the hands of each student that is directly tied to the career area in which the student is enrolled to more actively cultivate an interest in both the career and reading.
Optimally, students should read with some relationship with time. Clearly stated starting and stopping points, perhaps spread over a week’s time frame, for instance, versus the pressure of nightly assignments that feel too much like homework. Also, some form of reflection to measure student interest and comprehension is compulsory. One of the objectives of CLEAR is to create a dialog, both about the book as well as the career area to which it relates. Again, the mode of reflection should culminate in various venues, not limited to blogging, written journal and class time discussion. Further, there should not be a formative or summative assessment beyond the reflection; this is not a forum to pull a grade or sink a non-reader.
Introduction of the book should start with a ‘before reading’ activity to pique the interest of the readers as well as make the book more approachable. To further enhance the experience, an English teacher can be tapped as a resource partner to more effectively explore worthwhile before-during-after reading activities, of which the career area instructor may or may not be familiar. The incorporation of a partner to usher the program should help meet the CLEAR objectives as well as minimize the amount of time that impedes on the classroom.
Anticipated Outcomes & Capstone
With effective implementation, the CLEAR program should generate stimulating conversation about relevant career area issues and topics. Additionally, with resources made available, students desire to read career-related material outside of requisite classroom reading should measurably increase. Ultimately, however, the students should be able to clearly articulate the premise with which the book was written and demonstrate connections to the content and the students’ career area.
To conclude the book, a student-created capstone can be created to reflect on the book, in its entirety. The capstone can look like a group developed journal; a collaborative Wiki; a photo montage of connections from the book with the class; or a discussion with the author. The capstone should not carry a grade; the driving force behind CLEAR is to cultivate an interest in reading and not to establish grades for that reading. The incentive to complete the book is purely grounded in the instructors’ desire to get students reading about important and interesting, career-related concepts outside of the classroom. “Buy in” is a magnanimous contributor to the success of the program and must be articulated by the instructor.
Pilot
With a control group of 24 culinary students, the CLEAR program can be piloted to effectively measure success within the guidelines stated above.
In a survey of culinary professionals in varying degrees of employ, the question was asked: From the list noted below, are there any you would/would not recommend [as effective for High School culinary students]?
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Heat – Bill Buford
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Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain
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Nasty Bits – Anthony Bourdain
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A Cook’s Tour – Anthony Bourdain
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Waiter Rant – Seve Dublanica
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Cooking Dirty – Jason Sheehan
The majority respondents opted for Kitchen Confidential, with a preemptive caveat about the language contained therein. The scope of the book is a tell-all of the behind-the-scenes in an upper scale restaurant that bares very little resemblance to what is found on ‘reality’ shows or conjured by people not in the industry.
-Amazon.com review
This selection speaks to the type of book that is best suited for the Culinary Arts audience; it is riveting, somewhat shocking, melodramatic and written by a member of industry. This particular choice meets the criteria of CLEAR. It will not, however, be applicable to students just entering the field. Rather, it is more relevant for students with at least a year of experience in the classroom-kitchen and some part-time experience, either in the scope of co-operative employment or extracurricular events that mimic industry experiences.
The structure of the pilot would include introducing the book with an English instructor to complete before-reading activities and identify key concepts for effectively reading for comprehension. Additionally, a ‘during reading’ activity using a web-based platform will be utilized to raise questions, identify career-specific vernacular and accentuate meaningful ideas. Some selections of the book will be read in class so that some components can be discussed. Additionally, the timeline of the book will be spread over the course of ten weeks, to allow for adequate time to complete the book without targeting slower readers.
Ultimately, the capstone project will include a discussion with the author in person or in a web-based forum, if possible. Alternatively, some student originated capstone will be employed to measure comprehension.
Beyond just reading a book for the sake of reading a book, another selection will voluntarily be made available to continue to cultivate the students’ interest in reading as well as a follow-up poll to measure the students’ wanton desire to continue reading industry-related material outside of class.
Summary
The most intelligent people are great readers. Great readers are the most intelligent people. There is no separating the two. There is nothing magical about reading a book in or for class. What CLEAR looks to do, is fill the void between reading for class and having an interest in a career area. The use of reading a non-technical book with a class will help cultivate the interest of the students reading beyond the confines of the classroom while playing off of the interest of the content of the career. And, with the success of the program, stimulating the interest of students to read beyond what is required is the ultimate measure.
