DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 398 429 CE 072 301

TITLE Vocational Education Standards for National BoardCertification. Draft.

INSTITUTION National Board for Professional Teaching Standards,Detroit, MI.

SPONS AGENCY Department of Education, Washington, DC.; PewCharitable Trusts, Philadelphia, PA.

PUB DATE May 96NOTE 67p.PUB TYPE Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.)

(120)

EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS

ABSTRACT

MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.*Educational Needs; Education Work Relationship;Secondary Education; *Standards; 'TeacherCertification; *Teacher Competencies; TeacherQualifications; *Vocational Education; *VocationalEducation Teachers

This document examines the 12 draft standards foraccomplished vocational education teachers that were developed by theNational Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a nonprofit,nonpartisan organization that was founded in 1987 to strengthen theteaching profession and thereby improve learning. The 12 standardspertain to the following objectives/aspects of vocational education:knowledge of students; knowledge of subject matter; learningenvironment; advancing knowledge of vocational subject matter;workplace readiness; managing and balancing multiple life roles;social development; assessment; reflective practice; collaborativepartnerships; contributions to the professional community; and familyand community partnerships. The preface and introduction discuss thefollywing: the philosophical context, role of the standards in thecertificaton framework, and the importance of standards as a tool forstrengthening teaching and thereby preparing adolescents to meet thechanging demands of the workplace. After a brief overview, eachstandard is discussed in detail along with the knowledge, skills,dispositions, and habits of mind that allow vocational educators topractice at a high level. Concluding the document are an epilogue,list of standards committee members, and feedback form. (MN)

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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

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Vocational Education(DRAFT)

Standardsfor

National Board Certification

May 1996

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National BoardFOR PROFESSIONAL

Vg TEACHING STANDARDS

he National Board would like to express

appreciation to The Pew Charitable Trusts

and the U.S. Department of Education for their

support of the cost of developing this standards

report, and to the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest

Fund for its publication.

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0 Table of Contents

Preface 1

Introduction 9

Overview 15

The Standards 19

I Knowledge of Students 19

II Knowledge of Subject Matter 23

III Learning Environment 39

IV Advancing Knowledge of Vocational

Subject Matter 43

V Workplace Readiness 47

VI Managing and Balancing Multiple

Life Roles 51

VII Social Development 53

VIII Assessment 55

IX Reflective Practice 57

X Collaborative Partnerships 59

XI Contributions to Professional

Community 61

XII Family and Community Partnerships 63

Epilogue 65

Standards Committee 67

Feedback Form 69

© National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, 1996

Preface

The world-class schools America requires cannot exist without a world-class teaching

force; the two go hand in hand. Many excellent teachers already work in the nation's

schools, but their work is often unrewarded and underappreciated, their knowledge andskills unacknowledged and underutilized. Delineating outstanding practice and recogniz-ing those who achieve it are important first steps in shaping the kind of teaching profes-sion America needs. This is the core challenge embraced by the National Board forProfessional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Founded in 1987 with a broad base of support

from governors, teacher union and school board leaders, administrators, college and uni-versity officials, business executives, foundations and concerned citizens, NBPTS is anonprofit, nonpartisan organization governed by a 63-member Board of Directors, the ma-

jority of whom are teachers. Committed to basic reform in American education, theNational Board recognizes that teaching is at the heart of education and, further, that thesingle most important action the nation can take to improve schools is to strengthen teach-

ing. To this end, the National Board has embarked on a three-part mission:

to establish high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers shouldknow and be able to do;to develop and operate a national voluntary system to assess and certify teacherswho meet these standards; andto advance related education reforms for the purpose of improving student learn-ing in American schools.

Achieving this mission will elevate the teaching profession, educate the public aboutthe demands and complexity of excellent practice, and increase our chances of attractingand retaining in the profession talented college graduates with many other promising ca-reer options.

National Board Certification is more than a system for recognizing and rewarding ac-complished teachers, however. It represents both an opportunity to rethink the way theprofession organizes itself for the continuing growth and development of its members,and a chance to design new ways to organize and manage schools to capitalize on the ex-pertise of accomplished teachers. Together with other reforms, it can be a catalyst forsignificant change in the profession and in American education.

The Philosophical ContextThe standards presented here lay the foundation for the Vocational Education certificate.

They represent a professional consensus on the critical aspects of practice that distin-guish exemplary teachers in this field from novice or journeymen teachers. Cast in terms

of actions that teachers take to advance student outcomes, these standards also incorpo-rate the essential knowledge, skills, dispositions and commitments that allow teachers topractice at a high level. Like all National Board standards, they rest on a fundamentalphilosophical foundation, expressed in the NBPTS policy statement What TeachersShould Know and Be Able To Do. That statement identifies five core propositions:

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1) Teachers are committed to students and their learning.National Board_ Certified Teachers are dedicated to making knowledge accessible toall students. They act on the belief that all students can learn. They treat studentsequitably, recognizing the individual differences that distinguish their students onefrom the other and taking account of these differences in their practice. They adjusttheir practice, as appropriate, based on observation and knowledge of their students'interests, abilities, skills, knowledge, family circumstances and peer relationships.

Accomplished teachers understand how students develop and learn. They incor-porate the prevailing theories of cognition and intelligence in their practice. They areaware of the influence of context and culture on behavior. They develop students'cognitive capacity and their respect for learning. Equally important, they foster stu-dents' self-esteem, motivation, character, civic responsibility and their respect for in-dividual, cultural, religious and racial differences.

2) Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach thosesubjects to students.National Board Certified Teachers have a rich understanding of the subject(s) theyteach and appreciate how knowledge in their subject is created, organized, linked toother disciplines and applied to real-world settings. While faithfully representing thecollective wisdom of our culture and upholding the value of disciplinary knowledge,they also develop the critical and analytical capacities of their students.

Accomplished teachers command specialized knowledge of how to convey andreveal subject matter to students. They are aware of the preconceptionsand background knowledge that students typically bring to each subject andof strategies and instructional materials that can be of assistance. Theyunderstand where difficulties are likely to arise and modify their practiceaccordingly. Their instructional repertoire allows them to create multiple paths to thesubjects they teach, and they are adept at teaching students how to pose and solvetheir own problems.

3) Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoringstudent learning.National Board Certified Teachers create, enrich, maintain, and alter instructional set-tings to capture and sustain the interest of their students and to make the most effec-tive use of time. They are also adept at engaging students and adults to assist theirteaching and at enlisting their colleagues' knowledge and expertise to complementtheir own.

Accomplished teachers command a range of generic instructional techniques,know when each is appropriate, and can implement them as needed.

They are as aware of ineffectual or damaging practice as they are devoted toelegant practice.

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They know how to engage groups of students to ensure a disciplined learningenvironment, and how to organize instruction to allow the schools' goals for studentsto be met. They are adept at setting norms for social interaction among students andbetween students and teachers. They understand how to motivate students to learnand how to maintain their interest even in the face of temporary failure.

National Board Certified Teachers can assess the progress of individual studentsas well as that of the class as a whole. They employ multiple methods formeasuring student growth and understanding and can clearly explain studentperformance to parents.

4) Teachers think systematically about their practice and learnfrom experience.National Board Certified Teachers are models of educated persons, exemplifyingthe virtues they seek to inspire in students curiosity, tolerance, honesty, fairness,respect for diversity and appreciation of cultural differences and the capacitiesthat are prerequisites for intellectual growth: the ability to reason and take multipleperspectives, to be creative and take risks, and to adopt an experimental andproblem-solving orientation.

Accomplished teachers draw on their knowledge of human development, subjectmatter and instruction, and their understanding of their students to make principledjudgments about sound practice. Their decisions are not only grounded in theliterature, but also in their experience. They engage in lifelong learning, which theyseek to encourage in their students.

Striving to strengthen their teaching, National Board Certified Teachers criticallyexamine their practice, seek to expand their repertoire, deepen their knowledge,sharpen their judgment and adapt their teaching to new findings, ideas and theories.

5) Teachers are members of learning communities.National Board Certified Teachers contribute to the effectiveness of the school byworking collaboratively with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculumdevelopment and staff development. They can evaluate school progress and the allo-cation of school resources in light of their understanding of state and local education-

al objectives. They are knowledgeable about specialized school and community re-sources that can be engaged for their students' benefit, and are skilled at employingsuch resources as needed.

Accomplished teachers find ways to work collaboratively and creatively withparents, engaging them productively in the work of the school.

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The Certification FrameworkUsing these five core principles as a springboard, NBPTS will set standards and awardcertificates in more than 30 fields. Most of these fields are defined by two dimensions:the developmental level of the students and the subject or subjects being taught. The first

dimension embraces four overlapping student development levels:Early Childhood, ages 3-8

Middle Childhood, ages 7-12

Early Adolescence, ages 11-15

Adolescence and Young Adulthood, ages 14-18+.

The second dimension highlights the substantive focus of a teacher's practice, allow-ing most teachers to select either a subject-specific or a generalist certificate. At the Early

Adolescence level, for example, teachers will be able to pursue either a generalistcertificate or a certificate in English language arts, mathematics, science or social studies-

history. Teachers seeking certification at the Middle Childhood level will have a similarchoice. The framework of certificates will also include a generalist certificate at the Early

Childhood level and subject-specific certificates at the Adolescence and Young Adulthood

level. In some fields, developmental levels are joined together (for example, EarlyAdolescence through Young Adulthood/Art) to recognize the commonalities that holdpractice together at those levels.

A third dimension comes into play in two other areas: the special knowledge associated

with teaching children with exceptional needs in the 'first instance, and the special knowl-

edge associated with teaching those for whom English is a new language in the second.

Standards and Assessment DevelopmentStandards committees are appointed for each of these certificate fields. The committees aregenerally made up of 15 members who are broadly representative of exemplary profession-

als in their field, and a majority of whom are teachers regularly engaged in practicing with

students in the field in question. Other members are typically experts in child development,

teacher education and the relevant discipline(s). The standards committees recommend tothe National Board the specific standards for each field, which are then disseminated wide-ly for public critique and comment and subsequently revised as necessary.

Determining whether candidates meet the standards requires performance-based as-sessment methods that are fair, valid and reliable and that call on teachers to demonstrate

principled, professional judgments in a variety of situations. Assessment DevelopmentLaboratories (ADLs), working with standards committee members, develop assessmentexercises and pilot test them with small groups of teachers. The ADLs are selectedthrough a process of open competition and merit review and are composed of a mix ofeducation measurement experts and educators with deep roots in the certification field.The assessment process that is emerging from the first ADLs is structured around two

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key activities: (1) the compilation of a teacher's portfolio of practice during the course of

a school year; and (2) participation in one or two days of assessment center activitiesduring the summer.

Teachers prepare their portfolios by gathering student learning products and otherteaching artifacts and providing analyses of their practice. At the assessment centerteachers take part in exercises that are organized around challenging issues that teachersin their field face on a regular basis. The portfolio is designed to capture teaching in real-time, real-life settings, thus allowing NBPTS to examine how teachers translate knowl-edge and theory into practice. It also yields the most valued evidence NBPTS collectsvideos of practice and samples of student work. The videos and student work are accom-

panied by commentaries on the goals and purposes of instruction, the effectiveness of the

practice, teachers' reflections on what occurred, and their rationales for the professionaljudgments they have made. In addition, the portfolio allows candidates to document their

accomplishments in contributing to the advancement of the profession and the improve-ment of schooling (be it at the local, state or national level), and to document their ability

to work constructively with their students' families.Teachers report that the portfolio is a professional development vehicle of consider-

able power, in part because it challenges the historic isolation of teachers from theirpeers. It accomplishes this, in the first instance, by actively encouraging candidates toseek the advice and counsel of their professional colleagues, be they across the hall oracross the country, as candidates build their portfolios. It also requires teachers in thehealthiest of ways to critically examine the underlying assumptions of their practice andthe results of their efforts. This emphasis on reflection is highly valued by teachers whogo through the process, as it stands in sharp contrast to the norms of their professionallives where such systematic inquiry is rarely encouraged.

The assessment center exercises are designed to complement the portfolio, validatethat the knowledge and skills exhibited in the portfolio are, in fact, accurate reflections ofwhat candidates know and can do, and give candidates an opportunity to demonstrateknowledge and skills not sampled in the portfolio due to the candidate's specific teachingassignment. For example, high school science teachers assigned to teach only physics ina given year might be hard pressed to demonstrate in their portfolio broad knowledge ofbiology. Given that NBPTS' standards for science teachers place high value on such ca-pabilities, another strategy for data collection is necessary. The assessment center exer-cises are designed to fill this gap and otherwise augment the portfolio. The exercisessample the breadth of the content knowledge and pedagogy associated with thecertificate field through authentic scenarios that allow candidates to confront importantinstructional matters even as they are removed from the immediacy of the classroom.Each candidate's work is examined by assessors who are themselves highly accom-plished teachers in the certificate field.

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NBPTS adopted this model of teacher assessment, in part, because traditional teachertests enjoy little legitimacy in the eyes of teachers and because their validity in gaugingthe complexities of exemplary practice is suspect by the psychometric community aswell. NBPTS believes that a valid assessment of accomplished practice must allow forthe variety of forms sound practice takes, must sample from the range of ways of know-ing required for teaching, and must place assessments of teaching knowledge and skill in

appropriate contexts. Teaching is not just about knowing things; it is about the use ofknowledge knowledge of learners and learning, of schools and subjects in the ser-vice of helping students grow and develop. Consequently, NBPTS believes that the most

valid teacher assessment processes are those that engage candidates in the activities ofteaching activities that require the display and use of teaching knowledge and skilland that allow teachers the opportunity to explain and justify their actions.

In addition, in its assessment development work, NBPTS expects to: explore and,where appropriate, use state-of-the-art technology for assessment; ensure broad represen-tation of the diversity that exists within the profession in all stages of the developmentprocess; engage the pertinent disciplinary and specialty associations at key points in theprocess; work in close collaboration with appropriate state agencies, academic institu-tions and independent research and education organizations; establish procedures to de-tect and eliminate instances of external and internal bias with respect to age, gender andracial and ethnic background of teacher candidates; select the method exhibiting the leastadverse impact when given a choice among equally valid assessments; and have thecertification process provide both information that will assist teachers in preparing forthe assessment and constructive feedback, especially for those candidates who do not atfirst meet NBPTS' standards.

Once a certificate has been thoroughly tested and found to meet the National Board'srequirements for validity, reliability and fairness, eligible teachers may apply forNational Board Certification. To be eligible, a teacher must hold a baccalaureate degreefrom an accredited institution; have a minimum of three years of teaching experience atthe early childhood, elementary, middle or high school level; and, where it is required,hold a state teaching license. Those who choose to participate in this year-long processusually come away stronger for the effort.

Strengthening Teaching and Improving LearningA system of National Board Certification that commands the respect of the professionand the public can make a critical difference in how communities and policymakers viewteachers, in how teachers view themselves, and in how teachers improve their practicethroughout their careers. National Board Certification has the potential to yield suchsignificant results for American education in part because it marks the first attempt toforge a national professional consensus on the critical aspects of accomplished practicein each teaching field. The traditional conversation about teacher competence has fo-cused on beginning teachers. Yet, unless we believe that the professional development of

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teachers should conclude the day novice teachers are hired, this new conversation about

accomplished practice is essential.Developing standards of accomplished practice has the potential to lift the entire

profession as the standards make public the knowledge, skills and dispositions thatset accomplished teachers apart from journeymen. However, converting such standardsinto a system for the advanced certification of teachers promises much more.A mechanism that can identify accomplished teachers in a fair and trustworthy mannercan accelerate efforts to build school organizations, structures and career paths that looksignificantly different from the flat, undifferentiated approach that typically gives noviceteachers much more responsibility than they can sensibly handle, fails to take bestadvantage of the knowledge, wisdom and expertise of accomplished teachers, andencourages many exemplary practitioners to leave the classroom for greater status,authority and compensation.

By holding accomplished teachers to high and rigorous standards, National BoardCertification has the potential to leverage change along several key fronts. For example:

Changing what it means to have a career in teaching by breaking the impassebetween labor and management over recognizing and rewarding exemplary teach-ers and by making it possible for teachers to advance in responsibility, status andcompensation without having to leave the classroom.

Changing the culture of teaching by accelerating growth in the knowledge base ofteaching; by placing real value on professional judgment and elegant practice in allits various manifestations; and by encouraging among teachers the search for newknowledge and better practice through a steady regimen of collaboration andreflection with peers and others.

Changing the way schools are organized and managed by creating a vehicle thatfacilitates the establishment of lead teacher positions and thus provides accom-plished teachers with greater authority and autonomy in the making of instruction-al decisions and greater responsibility for sharing their expertise to strengthen thepractice of others.

Changing the nature of teacher preparation and on-going professional developmentby laying a standards-based foundation for a fully articulated career developmentpath that begins with prospective teachers and continues with novice, journeymenand, ultimately, highly accomplished teachers.

Changing the way school districts think about hiring and compensating teachers by

encouraging administrators and school boards to search for highly accomplishedteachers, rather than the those who can be hired at the lowest salary, and to rewardexcellence in teaching.

While National Board Certification has been designed with the entire country inmind, each state and locality will decide for itself how best to encourage teachers tostand for advanced certification and how best to take advantage of the expertise of theNational Board Certified Teachers in their midst. An early example of state action in

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support of National Board Certification comes from North Carolina, where legislationhas been enacted that provides funds to pay the certification fee for teachers who com-plete the process. This legislation also funds release time for candidates to work on theirportfolios and prepare for the assessment center exercises and provides a four percentsalary increase for teachers who achieve National Board Certification. Other states haveadopted or are in the process of adopting legislative initiatives that acknowledgeNational Board Certification and offer incentives for certification. At the local level, togive just two examples, school districts in Boston, Massachusetts, and Rochester, NewYork, have agreed to absorb the fee for the assessment process and give National BoardCertified teachers special consideration for "lead teacher" assignments.

As this growing support at the state and local level suggests, National BoardCertification is being recognized for the rich professional development experience it hasproven to be. In addition, as it provides states and localities a lever to more sensiblystructure teachers' roles and responsibilities and to better organize schools to take advan-

tage of the wisdom of our strongest teachers, National Board Certification can act in con-cert with other initiatives to dramatically improve education for America's youth.

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Introduction

Vocational educators play a crucial role in preparing young people to functionsuccessfully in the adult world they will soon enter. They build students' knowledge

of leading edge technologies, their capacity to solve problems they have yet to encounterand enrich their understanding of the world of work. Because we live in a timeof significant change in education, in the world economic market place, in many of our

cities, towns and families the goals and purposes of vocational education teachers have

more saliency than ever.

A New Vision for Vocational EducationJust as the contemporary workplace is an evolving one, we are also witnessingan evolution in vocational education, from a field where students worked in isolationon specific skills that were sometimes obsolete before even being tested in themarketplace, to one where students, under the guidance of exemplary teachers, workin teams on broad multidisciplinary projects. Embracing this sense of purpose, vocational

educators are attempting to avoid the narrow occupational specificity of earlier times,and provide students with opportunities to envision a range of career paths in a varietyof different industries.

The changes in vocational education have been fomented through a variety of publicand private initiatives at the local, state and national level. At the core of many reformefforts is the belief that the "shopping mall" high school, while providing opportunitiesfor a wide range of choices, also leaves many students adrift and without a clear andconstructive focus for their educational experience, and that schools would better engagestudents in their own learning if there was greater coherence among the myriad of course

offerings students encounter. The most recent wave of reforms are thus designed toimprove the adequacy of vocational education offerings, to assure high qualityinstruction to all students, and to narrow the distance between vocational courses andthose in "academic disciplines" by both promoting disciplinary learning withinvocational studies as well as infusing "academic" studies with vocational education'semphasis on the application of theory to everyday problems.

A broad spectrum of the most successful schools in the country have begun toenhance student learning by replacing conventional teacher-centered didactic instruction

with more activity-based, project-oriented methods. This trend reflects a philosophicalshift in beliefs about learning, from a behaviorist viewpoint which focused on practiceand repetition, to a model which views learning as the construction of knowledge andone which places a high value on instruction that encourages student initiative andinquiry. Other important features of the reforms in secondary education that have thepotential to transform vocational education include: the integration of vocational andacademic programs; the creation of opportunities for students to learn in real worldcontexts and thus better prepare them for the changing needs of the workplace; and theexposure of students to the wide range of career paths that will be available to them atthe end of their secondary school experience.

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Introduction

Accomplished vocational teachers are at the vanguard of many of these changes andreforms. Prepared with a robust repertoire of methods, strategies and resources, in theirown classrooms they put into practice alternative ways of teaching and learning thatserve as a model for their colleagues and communities. For example, an in-schoolmedical technology lab serves as a perfect vehicle for students to pursue the academicgoals of a strong high school biology curriculum. Across both the traditional curriculum

as well as across a range of vocational fields, models such as this have been created andput into practice by outstanding vocational teachers.

At the federal and state level new and updated legislation reflects the consensusamong leaders in the field. These legislative initiatives, in addition to emphasizing thevalue and importance of vocational education to the lives of young people, also seek to

help schools more clearly articulate the links between student's school experience andthe life beyond formal schooling, when young people move into the world of work.These changes in education in general and in vocational education in particular placenew demands on the nation's teachers. Embedded in the legislative reforms, for example,

are recommendations for collaborative planning and teaching, integrated instruction, andclose links between the school and workplace. In addition to encouraging teachers tobroaden their vision of their own professional roles, these legislative initiatives by theirnature may require rethinking the way schools utilize time and space.

A critical component embedded in these legislative initiatives and in the concomitantreform efforts is a vision that all students, without regard to their social or economicbackgrounds, ethnicity, gender, race, exceptional need or disability should have access tohigh quality vocational educational instruction. Exemplary vocational educators, longaccustomed to serving a diverse population of students, often provide exemplars for theircolleagues and are at the forefront of forwarding the discussions of how to createprograms that increase the likelihood of success for students with a wide range ofinterests and abilities.

The Changing Demands of the WorkplaceChanges in the organization of the workplace are another pressing demand on the talentand vision of vocational teachers. Often, pushed by the demands of internationalcompetition, businesses must be prepared to shift to new processes and products quickly,sometimes retooling overnight and bringing in entirely different technologies to stayahead of the game. Workplaces have become less hierarchical, more cooperative andteam oriented, and employers value workers who are flexible enough in skills andtemperament to deal with uncertainty and change, and who understand the need forcontinuous improvement and problem solving by those who are on the front line ofcreating products and serving customers. Vocational teachers are shifting their ownorientation in their classrooms, programs and professional development from one lessfocused on a narrow body of skills, to a vision that values flexibility, cross-training, anda broad foundation of knowledge and skills that recognizes that their students will likelychange careers several times in their working lives.

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Introduction

Adolescents in ContextComplementing this focus on change in the workplace is a knowledge of adolescentdevelopment. Exemplary teachers demonstrate genuine interest in and appreciation foradolescents and a rich understanding of the ways they grow and develop. Teachers enjoyand are challenged by the diversity, energy and earnestness of their students as theymature into young adulthood. They are intrigued by the changes in perceptions, peer andadult relationships, and the varying levels of accomplishment that characterize youngpeople. Because excellent teachers seek to nurture student development within schooland on the job, and may work with them for several years, they come to know theirstudents well and are prepared to serve as advocates, adult role models and advisors.

The face of the American classroom is changing. A significant linguistic and culturalshift is underway in the composition of students who fill our classrooms, providing bothopportunity and challenge for teachers. A growing percentage of students entering schoolcome with a home language other than English. Although migration and immigrationhave always been central to life in America, the sheer numbers and variety of culturesnow found in urban, suburban and even some rural settings challenges teachers to adapttheir practices to ensure that all students, including those with exceptional needs or forwhom English is a new language, gain full access to the curriculum.

Coupled with these demographic shifts are changes in family circumstances and thedifficult path to adulthood faced by many of today's youth. The number of studentsraised in poverty has doubled in the last two decades. Many students grow up in blighted

neighborhoods where drugs, crime, substandard housing, homelessness and despair areall too prevalent. Although these realities carry new responsibilities, exemplaryvocational teachers can see what is unique and what is similar about each of theirstudents. They work diligently to weave all students into the fabric of the classroom.Such teachers face these challenges head-on, often using the community as a laboratoryof investigation.

Despite the stated goals of a given school, most students and families viewschooling as serving essentially a vocational purpose, and this is true whether formalschooling is ended with a high school diploma or students seek post-secondary options. Asthe gaps in earnings among high school dropouts, graduates andthose with some kind of post secondary credential continue to increase, so do theconsequences of schooling decisions. Should I take algebra? Will the general science class

be enough? How important are grades? Where will I acquire technology? These questionsand the choices students make in answering them have the potential of opening orforeclosing career paths, often irreversibly. Accomplished vocational teachers are prepared

to guide students as they begin to wend their way through the messy and often confusingpaths toward building an adult life.

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Introduction

The Structure of the Vocational EducationCertificateWhile all exemplary vocational educators share a common body of knowledge, skills anddispositions, they are a varied group who also command specialized areas of expertisethat set them apart one from another. For example, agriculture teachers and healthservices teachers both depend on backgrounds in science and understand the challengesstudents face in making the transition to the world of work, but they also each haveparticular knowledge of their field and related pedagogical approaches that are distinctly

their own. In seeking to define these subspecialties within vocational education theNational Board has attempted to navigate a course between two hazards (1) thecreation of scores of specialties that would suggest a narrowly gauged instructionalcourse for students and an administratively infeasible certification system for NBPTS;and (2) the establishment of a unitary certificate that denies the existence of critical areasof in-depth expertise that are crucial to accomplished practice.

The National Board is not the first to struggle with this dilemma as regular debates inthe states, in the research literature and within the profession around this question canreadily be found. NBPTS has sought to take advantage of these discussions by looking totheir findings for criteria that might appropriately be applied to the design of this systemof advanced certification for teachers. For the moment, the preeminent idea behind thestructure advanced in this draft is the notion that vocational education should preparestudents, not just for a first job, but for a career with some promise within a particularsector of the economy. Hence, teachers need to be similarly broadly grounded in theiroutlook and their practice to afford their students this more ambitious sense ofpossibilities and the wherewithal to take productive first steps in the marketplace.

This led to the identification and application of the following criteria to this matter:there should be a common, coherent and substantial body of knowledge associated witheach cluster of industries; there should be a substantial number of teachers whosepractice can be encompassed within each category; the fields should not be so broad thatexpertise about any one of them is beyond the grasp of exemplary teachers; each sectorshould be readily distinguishable from all others; current vocational education teachersshould be able to see themselves functioning well within one or more categories; andencouraging teachers to develop expertise in each cluster is a sound decision from aneducation and policy perspective.

With these ideas and constructs in mind the Vocational Education StandardsCommittee advances the following eight fields as areas within which teachers should beable to seek National Board Certification as accomplished vocational educators:Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; Arts and Communication; Business, Marketingand Information Management; Family and Consumer Sciences; Health Services; HumanServices; Manufacturing and Engineering Technology; and Technology Education.

The Vocational Education Standards Committee has drawn on the critical ideasembedded in key legislation, as well as on the experience of accomplished teachers,

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Introduction

researchers and other vocational education professionals to develop its standards forexemplary practice in this field. The National Board recognizes and wishes to capitalizeon a powerful convergence of ideas that has emerged from an extensive process ofdebate and discussion. Those discussions continue today. Though this consensus is stillrelatively new, it is hoped that these standards will serve as a catalyst for change in thequest for even stronger vocational education for America's students.

Developing High and Rigorous Standards forAccomplished TeachingAn essential tension of describing accomplished practice concerns the differencebetween the "analysis of and the "practice of teaching. The former tends to fragmentthe profession into any number of discrete duties: designing learning activities, managing

the classroom, monitoring student progress and so on. Teaching as it actually occurs, onthe other hand, is a seamless activity. Everything the accomplished vocational educationteacher knows through study, research and experience is brought to bear daily in theclassroom in the form of dozens of decisions that shape the learning environment andinfluence student performance. These judgments range from the tactical to the strategic.They frequently require balancing the competing claims of several important educational

goals; they depend on accurate observations of particular students and settings; and theyare subject to revision based on continuing developments in the classroom. They alsoreflect the improvisational artistry that characterizes exemplary teaching. In reality,functions such as planning learning activities, motivating effort, assessing progress ormaintaining discipline do not happen in isolation. Rather, they are skillfully interwovenstrands in the single, sturdy fabric of excellent practice.

The paradox, then, is that any attempt to write standards that "take apart" whataccomplished teachers know and are able to do will, to a certain extent, diminish theholistic nature of how teaching actually takes place. Nevertheless, the fact remains: certain

identifiable commonalities characterize the many forms of accomplished practice that allvocational educators employ. These critical aspects of practice are spelled out in the form

of twelve standards, the descriptions of which make up the heart of this document.

Of course, these specific standards are not the only way to describe accomplishedvocational teaching. Nor is each standard of equal weight. No linearity, atomization orhierarchy in this vision of excellent teaching is implied. Instead, the standards arepresented as aspects of teaching that are analytically separable for the purposes of thisdocument, but which, in fact, reinforce and mesh with one another in reality.

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Introduction

The format of the report follows a two-part approach to describe each standard:

I. Summary of the Standard states succinctly one aspect of accomplishedvocational education teaching. Each standard is couched in terms ofobservable teacher actions that have an impact on students.

II. Elaboration provides texture for the standard along with an explanationof what teachers need to know, value and do in order to satisfy the standardat a high level. This includes descriptions of their orientation to students,their distinctive roles and responsibilities, and their stance toward a rangeof ethical and intellectual challenges that regularly confront them.

In addition, throughout the report you will find vignettes that present case histories

from classrooms illustrating exemplary practice and demonstrating how classroomdecisions integrate various considerations and cut across the standards document. If the

standards "pull apart" accomplished teaching into discrete elements, the vignettes areintended to put them back together in ways more clearly recognizable to teachers.Because the National Board does not believe there is a single "right" way to teachvocational education students, these vignettes are meant to be illustrative of exemplaryteaching, not a cookbook of correct practice. Indeed, the stories presented here are but ahandful of the thousands that could have been written describing accomplishedvocational education practice.1

Finally, a word about the order of presentation. The twelve standards have beenorganized around the critical nexus of education student learning. They are dividedinto three categories: (1) teacher actions that create the conditions for productivestudent learning; (2) teacher actions that directly advance student learning in theclassroom; (3) teacher actions that indirectly support student learning throughprofessional development and outreach initiatives.

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I. Please note that this current draft of the Vocational Education standards does not include the vignettes discussed above.

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Overview

The requirements recommended by the Vocational Education Standards Committee for National BoardCertification are organized into the following twelve summary standard statements. The standards have

been ordered to facilitate understanding, not to assign priorities. They are each important facets of the art andscience of teaching, which often occur concurrently given the seamless quality of highly accomplished practice.

Creating a Productive Learning Environment

I. Knowledge of StudentsAccomplished vocational teachers arededicated to advancing the learning andwell-being of all students. They personalize

their instruction and apply knowledge ofhuman development to best understandand meet their students' needs.

II. Knowledge of Subject MatterAccomplished vocational teacherscommand a core body of general voca-tional knowledge about the world of workin general and the skills and processesthat cut across industries, industry specificknowledge, and a base of general aca-demic knowledge. They draw on thisknowledge to establish curricular goals,design instruction, facilitate student learn-ing and assess student progress.

Ill. Learning EnvironmentAccomplished vocational teachers efficient-

ly manage their classrooms and create anenvironment that fosters democratic val-ues, risk taking and a love of learning. Inthis environment, students develop knowl-edge, skills and confidence through con-textualized learning activities, independentand collaborative laboratory work, and sim-ulated workplace experiences.

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Advanced Student Learning

IV. Advancing Knowledge of VocationalSubject MatterAccomplished vocational teachers fosterexperiential and performance-basedstudent learning of vocational subject mat-ter by creating important, engaging activi-ties for students that draw upon an exten-sive repertoire of methods, strategies andresources. Their practice is also marked by

their ability to productively integrate voca-tional and academic disciplines.

V. Workplace ReadinessAccomplished teachers develop studentcareer decision-making and employabilityskills by creating opportunities for studentsto gain understanding of workplace cul-tures and expectations.

VI. Managing and Balancing MultipleLife RolesAccomplished teachers develop in students

an understanding of the competing de-mands and responsibilities that are partof the world of work, and guide studentsas they begin to balance those roles intheir own lives.

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0 Overview

VII. Social DevelopmentAccomplished vocational teachers developin students self-awareness and confidence,character, leadership and sound personal,social and civic values and ethics.

VIII. AssessmentAccomplished vocational teachers utilize avariety of assessment methods to obtainuseful information about student learningand development, to assist students inreflecting on their own progress and torefine their teaching.

Professional Development and Outreach

IX. Reflective PracticeAccomplished vocational teachers regular-ly analyze, evaluate and strengthen theeffectiveness and quality of their practicethrough life-long learning.

X. Collaborative PartnershipsAccomplished vocational teachers workwith colleagues, the community, businessand industry, and postsecondary institu-tions to extend and enrich the learning op-

portunities available to students and toease school to work transitions.

XI. Contributions to ProfessionalCommunityAccomplished vocational teachers workwith their colleagues and with the largerprofessional community both to improveschools and to advance knowledge andpractice in their field.

XII. Family and Community PartnershipsAccomplished vocational teachers workwith families and communities to achievecommon goals for the education ofall students.

In the pages that follow, the reader will find full explications of each standard that include discussions of theknowledge, skills, dispositions and habits of mind that allow teachers in this field to practice at a high level.

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The Standards

Creating a Productive Learning Environment

The following three standards form theknowledge base of accomplished vocational

education teachers. The requisite knowledge ofstudents, subject matter and the learning environ-ment form a foundation for the remaining standards.

Only by knowing students well can teachers make

instructional decisions appropriate to their unique in-

dividual needs. For teachers to practice at a highlevel, knowledge of students must be coupled with a

command of subject matter and the ability to createa productive learning environment.

Standard I:Knowledge of StudentsAccomplished vocational teachers are dedicated to all students. They personalize their instruction andapply knowledge of human development to best understand and meet their students' needs.

The vocational classroom, like the world ofwork, is often a complex, multi-faceted place,

with a range of tasks and activities competing for at-tention, and with a range of students with varyingneeds ready to take them on. Whether instruction is

individualized, organized around teams, or focusedon the class as a whole, teachers must stand ready to

personally engage each student in the work at hand.

To accomplish this, teachers2 must know their stu-dents well. But, knowing them well cannot be limit-ed to knowledge of their backgrounds or to the prior

learning or experiences. Also included is a knowl-edge of student career interests and opportunities, aswell as the repertoire of approaches that each stu-dent takes to his or her own learning. Even this ex-tensive base of knowledge is insufficient without adeep concern for and commitment to all students.

Dedicated to All StudentsLike exemplary teachers in all fields, vocationalteachers are dedicated to the education of all stu-dents. Their actions are fueled by a commitment tosee their charges make a successful transition fromthe world of schooling to work. Vocational educa-tors also have a rich history of welcoming a diverseclientele into their classrooms. They tailor instruc-

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tion and assessment to equitably meet the needs ofall students, including those with special needs dueto disabilities or other unique characteristics or qual-ities related to culture, gender or language. Theychallenge students with high expectations, encourag-

ing them to make strides no matter what their levelof competence is at the outset of the school year.

In order to meet students' needs and subsequently

bring them to new depths of understanding and skill,

teachers are aware that each student learns in his/herown way. Teachers are well-grounded in learningtheory and have a rich repertoire of methods toengage students productively in learning. They takegreat pride in their ability to motivate young people,playfully cajoling or quietly observing individualstudents as needed. This understanding of whatstudents know and can do combined with theirunderstanding of student attitudes, beliefs and values

allows them to design meaningful instructional tasksfor all students. It also provides them with the ability

to determine proper student placement, especiallywhere programs are carefully sequenced.

2. All references to teachers in this document, whether explicitly stated or not, refer to accomplished vocational education teachers.

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0 The Standards

Using a Systematic Assessment Processfor Understanding Student NeedsTeachers employ a range of systemic methods tofind out about their students' needs. They areskilled at assessing students in the context of work,often bringing individual students into a given skill,process or technique gradually, and creating the op-portunity to personally judge student achievementand readiness for the next steps. Comfortable in therole of coach to student worker, or apprentice tomeister, these teachers learn to understand theinfluences of students' strengths and interests, aswell as the way culture, and prior learning experi-ences or background shape classroom behavior.When needed they are also able to call on moreformal assessment to help make judgements aboutstudents (see Standard VIII Assessment). Theseobservations and understandings ultimately guideteacher decision-making about content and process-es toward decisions that are the best fit for a particu-lar group of students.

Alert to the Particular Needs of IndividualStudents and the Changing Nature of theLabor Market and WorkplaceIn addition to bringing a wide variety of skills, tal-ents and abilities to the classroom, most studentsare also greatly concerned about their futures.Therefore, the vocational classroom is centered notonly around student needs, interests and academicpreparation, but also around future aspirations, vo-cations, workplace values and life skills. In order tocreate a learning environment to address both thecommonalties and the differences that characterizetheir students, teachers are well versed in areas ofparticular importance to adolescents and youngadults, including the requirements of local business-es and industries and an awareness of potentiallyavailable work; the workplace environment of saidbusinesses; and the need for, desirability of andavailability of further educational opportunities. To

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use this knowledge effectively, these teachers areskilled at forming relationships with students, know-

ing them as well as a coach may know an athlete.

Teachers know that school is a time of explo-ration and discovery for their students. It is also atime where the development of a positive self-imagerests, in large part, on acquiring and demonstratingskill and competence in school. They help studentsgain a sure footing by exploring problems and issues

they have never previously confronted: problemsthat are likely to be encountered in the workplace,that develop their knowledge and skill base, andthat yield a sense of satisfaction when they are wellsolved. Teachers acknowledge the importance ofworking simultaneously on these goals. For exam-ple, while they create opportunities in their curricu-lum that allow students to gain mastery of a set ofspecific skills, they also insist that students beexposed to the range of career possibilities relatedto that skill so that they may consider whether ornot such choices are well matched with their inter-ests and talents.

Often teachers allow students to select their ownproject topics or pursue individual approaches tosolving a problem or approaching a task. They doso because they understand that this creates owner-

ship and engagement on the part of the student,and allows the teacher to come to know the students

better. Many times students select projects thatthey perceive will have a direct impact on thecommunity and its members, for example starting astudent-run health clinic, or opening a restaurantthat serves food appealing to teenagers. Chargedwith the mission of connecting students with theirfutures, teachers are mindful that such decisionsare often informed by the ideas of peers. They,therefore, make sure that, where necessary, compet-

ing perspectives are presented. Throughout theprocess, teachers carefully guide students toensure that important ideas, concepts and factsare addressed and do so while concurrentlynurturing student initiative.

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0 The Standards

Teachers know that in order to best meetstudents' needs and bring them along, they have tostart with where the students are their knowledge,

understandings, skills, interests and inclinationsand move them forward to a set of worthwhile goals

and accomplishments. In this way, the curriculum is

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"negotiated" between students and teachers.Consequently, teachers reconfigure the curriculumregularly, for in addition to aligning the curriculumwith students' needs, they also seekto be responsiveto the changing demands of the labor market.

The Standards

Standard II:Knowledge of Subject MatterAccomplished vocational teachers command a core body of general vocational knowledge about theworld of work in general and the skills and processes that cut across industries, industry specific knowl-edge, and a base of general academic knowledge. They draw on this knowledge to establish curriculargoals, design instruction, facilitate student learning and assess student progress.

Asound foundation in content is the key to allexemplary teaching. In the field of vocational

education, the whole notion of what it means toknow subject matter has changed. Previously, thefocus of a vocational teacher's practice was on thedevelopment of skilled artistry within a specific oc-

cupation. Consistent with the philosophy embodiedin many of the most forward-thinking vocationalpolicy pronouncements, vocational education hasbeen reconceptualized to emphasize two distinctbodies of knowledge that are woven together byexemplary teachers into a unified vision of accom-plished practice and used to prepare students formeaningful and rewarding work in high-perfor-mance settings. The first of these strands is acommon core of vocational knowledge, and includes

general academic content, workplace skills and aknowledge of skills and processes that cut acrossindustries. The other is knowledge of a specificcareer cluster: groups of industries which are related

by virtue of common production procedures, distri-bution methods and/or underlying disciplines.

COMMON CORE OF VOCATIONALKNOWLEDGEAll exemplary vocational teachers have command ofa common core of vocational knowledge and skills.One subset of this knowledge is often referred to asworkplace basics or employability skills, andincludes such important qualities needed to function

in the workplace as interpersonal skills, criticalthinking abilities, basic communication andmathematical skills and familiarity with the latest in

technology, including computers and automation. In

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addition to these skills teachers have generalindustry knowledge, knowledge of a core set ofdisciplines that allow them to integrate academicand vocational education, and professionalknowledge about programs and trends in vocational

education. These areas are discussed in the sectionsthat follow.

Understanding Workplace Basic SkillsExemplary vocational teachers are knowledgeable of

the many general skills and attitudes that need to beinculcated in students to make them successful inemployment and in life. This knowledge can beclustered into six key areas: interpersonal skills(such as negotiation, working on teams, leadershipand understanding the rewards and difficulties ofworking with others who are in some way differentfrom you), resource allocation (which includescreative thinking and problem solving), technologyusage, information acquisition and usage, systemsoperation, and health and safety issues.

In order to help assure their students will meetwith success in the workplace, teachers placeparticular importance on helping students developthe skills associated with working with other people,

be they colleagues on a team, suppliers, customers,supervisors or subordinates. Teachers have first-hand knowledge of the demands of workplaces,including collaborating with others, responding toclient needs, leading a team, and working well withpeople from different walks of life. They helpstudents understand the importance of customerrelations, that production takes the cooperation ofmany people sometimes people who have

The Standards

different views and values than they do. Organizingtheir classrooms with attention to such interpersonalrelationships by having students work in teams,share production tasks and model the kind of client-centered courtesy that employers seek is one wayin which they create well-rounded, competent andself-directed students.

Key to successful completion of work in anyindustry is the ability to use one's mind well.Teachers have a repertoire of strategies andapproaches for projects and activities which areuseful in helping students develop the judgment,decision-making and problem solving central toworkplace and life success. They themselvespossess critical thinking ability, and model for theirstudents the kind of analytic thinking they value.They view the projects and tasks they create forstudents as existing beyond a set of discrete skills.They see them instead as an opportunity for thedevelopment of student reasoning abilities,including the abilities to evaluate risks, examinealternatives, recognize trends and deal withuncertainty. They know that the world of employ-ment offers ample opportunities for those who canthink through workplace issues thoroughly, are ableto take direction, work collaboratively with othersand possess occupational/career competencies.

Teachers also know about the basic academicskills that underlie all workplace environments andknow how to work with students to ensure they will

enter the workplace with these skills soundly inplace. These include the communication skillsnecessary to convey product or process information,

or to discuss important issues in an office, clinic,factory, business, family or farm. They know themathematics and science concepts fundamental tomost industries, and particularly those germane tothe industry in which they have specializedknowledge. They are also knowledgeable abouttechnology usage, particularly about the typesof technology that are common to most workplaces(e.g., computers and telecommunications, auto-

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mation and robotics) and know about the mostcommon applications of these in industry.

Teachers know that many job processes aredependent on the ability to acquire and useinformation well, and are well-versed in many of the

techniques that are commonly used to gather, storeand retrieve the data that is needed in many worksettings. They understand how different industrialsystems operate across the economy and the kinds of

roles workers play in making those systems runwell. Finally, they know about the health and safety

issues that workers commonly confront on the job,such as the kinds of protective clothing that mightbe required when handling toxic substances, andkeep current on the evolving knowledge andcontroversies in this area.

They also understand that in addition to theseworkplace skills, the most important outcome of afirst rate program is the development of studentswith a sense of responsibility, self-confidence, well-

honed social skills and integrity. Teachers knowhow to design opportunities for the development ofsuch aspects of personal character in ways thatrecognize that such traits are best developed in thecontext of real experience, including the chance totry and fail and to finally demonstrate successfulgrowth as a potential employee.

Commanding General IndustryKnowledge

In addition to workplace basic skills, exemplary

teachers have knowledge of the general skills andprocesses which are found in all industries or career

clusters. They understand the process of acquiring acraft, the bases of different industries, and theprocess of exploring a career and planning for thefuture. They understand students may need a varietyof exploratory experiences to help their futuredecision-making and are adept in designing suchexperiences. They are well versed about the basicpurposes, skills and issues central to different

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0 The Standards

careers. For example, they know that students whoare especially interested in working with the natural

world might find a variety of attractive careeroptions within those clustered around agricultureand environmental sciences. Or, if studentsapproached them interested in the built environment,

they would be able to direct them toward programsthat would develop skills needed to pursue a rangeof employment opportunities in manufacturing andengineering technology.

As part of their general industry knowledge,teachers have a basic understanding of the range offields, occupations or occupational clusters thatmake up vocational education and are able tointroduce students to them. Within the cluster ofcareers in which they specialize, they have a breadthof understanding of the basic purposes, issues, skills,

nature of the work and the major concepts thatundergird that particular industry. These teachersalso are knowledgeable about workplace economics.

They understand labor market conditions,macroeconomic factors of the United States andglobal economy, the basics of supply and demand,current employment patterns, and projections andtrends for future employment. They stay currentabout general structural changes in the economy,which at the present time would include industry-wide trends such as preferences for multi-skilledworkers, part-time employees and quality assurance.

Teachers understand how to use this knowledgeto help students make career decisions. For manystudents, the task of choosing an area of focus is noteasy. Within a given industry, teachers understandwhich career paths and occupational structures arepromising, and which may be more limiting. Theysee their role, in part, as serving as a careercounselor to their students. They draw on theirindustry knowledge and their knowledge about theway young people think about their futures to guidestudents as they begin to make career choices.Understanding that students often make decisionsbased on knowledge or aspirations circumscribed by

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their life experiences, they strive to expand students'horizons and open their eyes to a variety of rich andrewarding possibilities. They help studentsrecognize potential dead ends and, because of theirgeneral industry knowledge, are able to guidestudents in more promising directions.

In order to be fully effective in these roles,teachers must also know about specific programstructures and key legislation germane to vocational

classrooms. For example, these teachers areknowledgeable of articulation agreements andrelationships with other institutions, elementaryschool through post-secondary. They know abouttransition programs that connect students' secondaryschooling experiences with the workplace or furthereducational opportunities and about the quality ofeach. They are also familiar with principles that leadto the design and delivery of successful cooperativeeducation methods, including youth apprenticeshipprograms, internships, job shadowing and school-based enterprises. They establish and maintainactive advisory committees to guide their work incurriculum and in developing simulated and off-siteexperiences for students.

Beyond career decision-making, teachersunderstand firsthand the process of "growing into"an industry, including such notions as apprenticingalongside a meister and gradually assuming moreresponsibility. They know how to help students get a

sense of the operation, rhythm, roles and tasks thatmay be required of them in a given segment of anindustry. They are aware that for novices it isdifficult to see beyond one's specific task. Becauseteachers understand the big picture themselves, theyknow how to design activities that allow students tounderstand individual work in the context of broader

industry goals. Teachers use this knowledge toorganize instruction both in school and in work-sitelearning experiences that enables students to moreeffectively learn how to acquire skills, gain aperspective on a career and embark successfully ontheir first jobs.

The Standards

Integrating Vocational Content With OtherDisciplinesBy its nature, a sound approach to vocationaleducation demands the infusion of the coredisciplines in the school curriculum Englishlanguage arts, history and social studies,mathematics and science into the vocationaleducation curriculum. Teachers not only have tounderstand these disciplines, they must also knowhow to select from among the concepts and skillsthat comprise these disciplines those that will allowthem to create powerful learning experiences forchildren. This foundation allows teachers tostructure projects, courses and activities soundly andto know when a student may need additionalacademic support. In most cases, despite extensivepersonal knowledge, a comprehensive approachdemands collaboration with colleagues. Forexample, in a Geo-Space Academy, teachers withexpertise in math and science might collaborate todesign a unit and help students present informationand results of their experiments on space-relatedprojects (including the use of hydraulics in space,robotics, earthquakes on various planets) tomembers of the business community. Their Englishteacher colleagues might work alongside them tohelp their students learn to formulate interviewquestions, use effective follow-up questioningstrategies, and read historical accounts of spaceexploration. In collaboration with social sciencecolleagues they might consider the controversiesthat have surrounded manned space flights. Inscience, topics might include basic astronomy,spectroscopy, gravitation, satellite motion andprospects for a space-based telecommunicationsindustry. Such collaborations can be as limited ascalling on colleagues for curricular assistance andinformation, or as expansive as designing inter-disciplinary units for an entire team of teachers.Whichever, vocational teachers stand ready to workwith colleagues to further the goals of integratingvocational and academic content.

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To integrate curriculum as an independentteacher or as part of a collaborative team, exemplary

teachers have a breadth of knowledge in the corecurriculum of the school of English languagearts, history and social studies, mathematics andscience. As part of their specialized expertise asvocational educators they may also command agreater depth of knowledge in one or moredisciplines closely related to the career cluster inwhich they specialize. For example, while allteachers are familiar with the fundamentals ofscience, it is understood that due to the nature oftheir specialty, teachers in the health services areahave more background in the biological sciences.The following sections outline the knowledge baseof teachers in the core curricular areas.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTSBecause communication is central to all employ-ment, exemplary vocational teachers have a soundbackground in the English language arts. Theyunderstand that facility in reading, writing, speaking

and listening crosses curricular boundaries, andwork to incorporate language learning into theirstudents classroom experiences. They emphasize theusefulness of these skills in student internships,work-based learning sites and in future employmentpositions. They model the use of standard English in

their speaking and writing and help studentsunderstand its critical importance in the workplace.

These teachers understand the full range of valueinherent in writing from the developmentof thinking skills to its usefulness for the expression

of both personal and work related ideas. Theyrecognize the importance of students becomingadept at writing for different purposes. Teachersunderstand the range of situational contextsthat will apply to many of their students' futureworkplaces the way, for example, that gram-matical conventions are often dropped in ad-vertising, or the way the language of a technical

27

The Standards

report would differ from the language of a letter to aclient. They help students understand theappropriate form that is dictated by a specificaudience, and, also, work with students tounderstand the importance of the individual's rolein making decisions about appropriate languageuse. Although they lead students to develop theirown useful and comfortable approaches to writing,they also make sure students become adept atwriting particularly suited for the workplace, suchas technical reports. They are knowledgeable of thespecific writing applications appropriate to theirindustry. They encourage experimentation andprovide students with many different writingexperiences keeping journals, writing workplans, letters to businesses and customers,advertisements and numerous other activities thatuse writing to discuss products or services. In orderto provide students with responses from a varietyof sources and to allow them to share and exploretheir thinking and writing with different audiences,they arrange opportunities for students to writein different settings on their own, in groups,with direct teacher input. They understand howeffective writing develops, how to use and explaingrammatical conventions and use this knowledgeto assist their students in becoming moreeffective writers.

In addition to writing, teachers have a solidgrounding in the important ideas, concepts andstrategies central to developing expertise in readingand oral discourse for different audiences. Theyknow how to support the oral language development

of their students, and, in their teaching, foster andsupport language acquisition and development,especially as it relates to effective communication.They know that skill in reading develops over alifetime only when people continually extend theirreading experiences. They know how to work withstudents to help develop their skill at textinterpretation, including how that process differswith the nature of the material or the purpose of the

.4,

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reading task. Within their classes they direct theirattention to helping students learn to interpretmaterials common to their industry area. Of interestis student comprehension, analysis and applicationof a variety of materials, including manuals, records

and technical papers, in addition to more traditionalforms of reading.

HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIESExemplary vocational teachers have a

knowledge base in history and the social studiesincluding geography, political science andeconomics in general, and in particular in strands ofthese disciplines which are germane to the world ofwork. Teachers stay informed of current social,political and economic questions and understandhow these questions fit into the context of the sector

of the economy in which they specialize, its laborissues and related economic issues as they affectindustrial development and productivity. They know

the history of work and labor, including the eventsand issues that led to the development of organizedlabor unions in the United States. They know howthese questions interconnect, and they help studentsappreciate these relationships so they learn how tomake informed and reasoned decisions, both asparticipants in democratic institutions and asmembers of labor or management. They understandthe workings of the United States economy, itseffects on industry and the prospects foremployment, particularly in their local communities.

This understanding involves an awareness ofinternational trade and competition and how theeconomies of other countries can directly impact theeconomy of their own communities. Theyunderstand how a range of global issues affect theworkplace, such as the way the value of the dollaron the world market might benefit or harm theproductivity of an individual factory, or the ways inwhich international law governing copyrightinfluences decisions in the production of media.

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The Standards

They also know the economic issues that will affectstudents in their personal lives, such as thechallenges that face the individual consumer. Theyare grounded in the major historical issues that havefaced the United States and its people, and are alsoaware of the nation's place in the world and of thecontributions to the fabric of the nation of manycultures. They may focus student work on majorhistorical and economic themes, issues, people andevents that have relevance to the project or field ofstudy at hand. Another area of focus is on thepsychology and sociology of the workplace,specifically helping students to be able to makesense of data, studies and reporting about theorganization of the workplace and the rewards andstresses that will affect them as workers.Ultimately, these teachers use the study of historyand the social sciences to establish a learningenvironment that models democratic values,contributes to a student's appreciation and respectfor diverse viewpoints, and encourages the growthof leadership skills and abilities. Furthermore,teachers use history to help students understand thelabor, economic and social issues that haveinfluenced the evolution of industries and thatprovide perspective on the economics, sociologyand politics of today's workplace.

MATHEMATICSExemplary vocational teachers have specificknowledge about the foundations of mathematicsapplicable to their vocational area of expertise, aswell as a general knowledge of all areas ofmathematics, including number systems and theory,algebra, geometry, statistics and probability, calculus

and discrete mathematics. Applied mathematics is acentral feature of a great number of, if not all, thecareer paths students will follow, whether they endup responsible for managing the daily cash flow at aretail outlet, designing a building, or interpreting agraphical analysis of cost trends. Vocational

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programs give teachers a unique opportunity todevelop mathematical skill in context, and teachershelp their students achieve a solid foundation in therange of mathematical ideas and operations as wellas in the problem-solving skills they need to address

commonplace issues. They are able to help studentsunderstand the use of numbers in a variety ofsettings and help them to begin to think mathe-matically: to form and solve problems; to conjectureand discuss in mathematical terms; to recognizepatterns; and to understand mathematics well enoughto use it as a tool of communication.

They foster in their students comfort andconfidence with mathematics as a tool to accomplish

the work of their industry and of the personaleconomics of their homes and families. As part ofthe overall problem-solving strategies students usein product design and creation, they investigate the

reasoning behind mathematical claims and learn tosolve a wide range of practical problems. Theyknow how to apply their mathematical knowledge in

a variety of situations beyond computation, and canexplain their thinking to others orally, in writing andthrough the use of graphical representations.

SCIENCEExemplary vocational teachers are knowledgeableabout a variety of scientific principles and properties

applicable to all areas of vocational education. In the

physical sciences these include the basic propertiesof matter and principles governing its interactions;the forms energy takes, its transformations from one

form to another, and its relationship to matter;motion and the principles that explain it; the nature

of atoms and molecules; and the forces that existbetween and within objects and atoms.

In the life sciences they know about the diversity

and unity that characterize life, the genetic basis forthe transfer of biological characteristics from onegeneration to the next, the structure and function of

cells, the life cycle (particularly in reference to the

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The Standards

human organism), the dependence of all organismson one another and on their environment, thecycling of matter and flow of energy through theliving environment, and the basic concepts ofevolution of species.

They are also knowledgeable about earth andspace sciences, including the origin, compositionand structure of the universe and the motion ofobjects in it, the uniformity of materials and forcesfound everywhere in it, the motions of the earth andthe materials and systems that compose it, theprocesses that shape the earth's surfaces and therelation of these cycling processes to the livingenvironment. They understand the relationships ofthese sciences to one another and to otherdisciplines. They use their knowledge of science toexamine and understand the changes in today'sworld and to help students do the same.

Teachers approach science as an integrated field.

They engage their students in considering therelationships among science, technology andsociety and how these relationships are changingtheir lives and shaping their values. For example,they encourage multi-disciplinary approaches tothe study of topics, such as the impact of roboticson a changing world and the way in whichdevelopments in automation may effect the waythey do their jobs in the future.

They create opportunities for students to act,think and communicate as scientists. They frameinstruction to encourage students to study, questionand explore ideas, topics and concepts. They askquestions that require students to probe importantissues and think through a range of responses. Aswith mathematics, the process of science mirrors the

problem solving strategies used in vocationalclassrooms. Teachers engage students in thetechniques of gathering, organizing and evaluatingscientific information related to projects. Studentsbuild their knowledge of the world when they areconfronted with problems that challenge theircreativity and imagination and when they have the

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opportunity to compare their ideas with thehypotheses of others. Their students plan projects,ask questions, make observations, interpret dataand draw conclusions and do so in a physicallyand intellectually safe manner. Through theseexperiences students learn to extend methods andskills of scientific inquiry to their careers of interest,

while developing a scientist's appreciation, curiosity

and respect for empirical evidence.

INDUSTRY SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGECoupled with the common core of knowledgedescribed above, exemplary teachers have command

of industry specific knowledge. This knowledgecan be separated into two key aspects: in-depthknowledge of particular aspects of the industryand a breath of knowledge that cuts across allaspects of an industry.

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjectmatter in their field, including new developments,findings and technology. Given how quickly fieldschange, nothing could be more crucial; therefore,they find ways to stay abreast of current tech-nological advances, changes in the workplace andshifts in consumer markets. They do so by keepingone foot in the schools and the other grounded in the

workplace. They read journals, talk frequently withindustry experts and may arrange for their ownexternships. They may also keep up with their fieldthrough part-time consulting, by spending asignificant amount of time seeking out work-basedlearning experiences for their students, or by owning

their own business. They know their classrooms can

be living laboratories only if they themselves arecontinually engaged in their industry. They are alsocognizant of their field's definitions of competence,including industry skill standards. They know whatstudents need to know and be able to do in order todemonstrate competence in the field, secure aninitial job and advance in the field.

The Standards

Exemplary teachers have a broad understandingof the sector of the economy in which theyspecialize, including the necessary planning,management, finance, technical and productionskills; underlying principles of technology; andrelated labor, community, health, safety andenvironmental issues. Such knowledge is importantnot only to inform decisions about curriculumdesign, but also because teachers understand thatsome students may be too immature to makepermanent career decisions and therefore need to beexposed to the wide spectrum of opportunitieswithin a given career cluster. Teachers also knowit is difficult for students to imagine a future otherthan the options they see in their immediatesurroundings. By providing them with knowledgeand experience in many aspects of a career cluster,students gain capacity, understanding and habits ofmind that can often be transferred to anotherindustry. For example, in addition to learning thespecifics of food production in a culinary course,students might also learn the different jobs involvedin planning, designing and running a restaurantthrough experiences in school-based enterprises.Likewise, in a building-trades academy, studentsmay learn about architecture, engineering, interiordesign, planning and housing policy, in addition tocarpentry, masonry, plumbing and electricity. Inaddition to knowing about prospective occupationssuch as soil technologist, paper productsmanufacturer or greenhouse owner, agriscienceteachers are knowledgeable of agriculture as asystem, and of the economic and social role it playsin the local community, state, nation and world.

Accomplished vocational education teachersare well versed in the subject matter of one of seven

broad economic sectors or in an eighth areathat is distinctly different from these others. Theareas are: Agriculture and Environmental Sciences;Arts and Communication; Business, Marketingand Information Management; Family andConsumer Sciences; Health Services; Human

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Services; Manufacturing and EngineeringTechnology; and Technology Education, eachdescribed below. Technology Education is set apartbecause these teachers do not focus on specificcareers, but on the development of skills that haveapplication in many industries.

What follows is a description of teacherknowledge about each of the career cluster areas.Within each cluster they know the range of careersthat are available to students and are able to guidestudents toward choices that are promising, ofinterest and appropriate.

AGRICULTURE ANDENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESThe careers in this area share in common a focus on

natural resources and include such areas asagriscience, animal science, agricultural businessmanagement, agricultural mechanics, earth sciences,environmental sciences, fisheries management,forestry, horticulture and wildlife management. Inaddition to a strong knowledge base in the lifesciences, teachers in this cluster also know about the

issues related to the production of food and otherproducts in these fields, and about a range of otherrelated issues, including finance, processing,marketing, distribution, supply for production,management of land and water, and the social andpolitical dimension of natural resource systems.

Their knowledge is centered around the keythemes for environmental science which are foodand fiber systems; the historical, cultural andgeographic significance of products for a specificregion; the interdependence of the environment;animal husbandry; and food, nutrition and health.

Teachers also have specialized knowledge ofone of the specific areas within this cluster in a waythat allows them to guide students toward successful

employment in that area. For example, in wildlifemanagement, teachers understand the way habitatworks for a given animal; understand macro- and

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micro-ecological systems, including the naturalsystems that work to keep them in balance; thedifferent theories and practices in speciesmanagement, including controversies over the bestways to maintain, increase or decrease numbers orreintroduce depleted species to a range; the tensionbetween preservation and development and thecompetition for habitat; and other political andsocial issues related to the management of wildlife.

ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONThis cluster of careers includes some that haveimmediate appeal to many students, such as beingan artist or performer. Teachers expose students tothe array of career possibilities that exist in arts andcommunications, some of which are high profileand especially demanding and others which are not.Though this field encompasses many industries,what unifies them is a focus on the creative use ofsymbolic or literal language to communicate ideas.Careers in this sector can be gathered into threemajor categories: media arts (which includes filmstudies, music and video production, and radio andtelevision broadcasting), writing and related arts(which includes journalism, translation, librarysciences and services, advertising and publicrelations), and graphic arts (which includes finearts, graphic design and production, and bookdesign and production).

Teachers in these fields are knowledgeable aboutcommunications in all its varied forms, including avariety of broadcast and printed media. Theyunderstand the processes and equipment that go intothe production of various media. Because so muchof the work in this industry involves com-munication, teachers in this field are skilled users oflanguage and understand the conventions and stylesthat are employed across the spectrum of potentialjobs. For similar reasons, they also know the fineand performing arts music, visual art, dance,creative writing and theater. They have a clear

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aesthetic sense, know how to mentor students asthey grow in their skills and know the kinds of tools

and techniques that will be needed in order to gainemployment. For example, graphics arts teachersknow that in addition to being skilled in a range oftraditional board skills such as silkscreening, today's

graphic artist must come to the workplace ready andable to use computer-based graphic designprograms. They are familiar with the software that iscurrently used in the industry and know how to helpstudents become proficient in its use. Also, becauseso much of the work in the industry involves publicpresentation, graphic arts teachers also knowthe kinds of communication skills that makepresentations effective and persuasive.

These teachers also believe that successfulemployment means being aware of the currenttrends and sensibilities across the industry. Theytherefore strive to know about and understandthe direction the industry is taking, and, whereneeded, help students balance between developingtheir own sense of style and gaining an awarenessof the tastes of the day.

BUSINESS, MARKETING ANDINFORMATION MANAGEMENTWithin this sector the multitude of career pathsabout which teachers are knowledgeable fall intofour basic career areas: computer science andinformation systems; business management;marketing; and accounting and finance. Teacherscommand a knowledge base to prepare students forcareers within these four areas. For example,exemplary teachers who prepare students for careersin computer science and information systems havecommand of the skills and techniques associatedwith office automation and telecommunicationsincluding design, programming, systems analysisand information management and security. To meetthe growing demand of high performanceorganizations for a well-trained workforce, these

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teachers are knowledgeable of the leading-edgetechnologies in telecommunications and computer-ization that are pushing the boundaries of the field.They understand that for firms to be successful intoday's rapidly changing marketplace, students alsoneed to understand business and economic relations

and be prepared to work in a flexible and adaptablework environment.

Within this area, at a more basic level, teachers

are knowledgeable of software, integrated officesystems, data management and computer appli-cations for many purposes. Business, Marketing and

Information Management also includes preparingstudents for administrative support roles across allindustries. In the area of marketing, teachersunderstand that because of the growth in serviceindustries, such as insurance, real estate, recreationand tourism, students are presented with anincreasing variety of career options to pursue.Teachers are skilled at acquainting students with thecore principles of customer service, productpromotion, pricing and segmentation and marketresearch for the fields listed above, and about therange of other jobs available in this sector, including

fashion merchandising, financial services, generalmerchandising and hospitality marketing. Withinaccounting and finance, for example, teachers areknowledgeable of basic functions, such as auditing,cash flow analyses, investment and risk taking,banking, lending and capital formation and howthey influence the behavior of both new enterprisesas well as established firms.

In addition to these career specializations,teachers are knowledgeable of common themeswhich permeate each area within this sector,including business communications, financialconcepts, human resource development, leadership

development, business environment, economics ofbusiness, and functions of business throughoutthe world.

These teachers understand the special skillsof entrepreneurship associated with starting,

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owning and managing one's own business,including those related to labor-managementrelations and the various interactions businesseshave with government, such as tax and insuranceregulations. As job security, longevity, retrainingand advancement with one company is becomingless than the norm, and as consultants or part-timeworkers with specific skills are engaged to increasethe flexibility and lower the overhead expenses ofbusiness firms, there are a growing number ofindividuals who are self-employed and need suchskills. As in other industries, teachers stress theimportance of flexibility of training and flexibility of

mind, so that students are ready and able to shiftcareers and begin new challenges as the need arises.

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCESFamily and Consumer Sciences teachers preparestudents for family life, work life and careersby providing opportunities for students to developthe knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviorsneeded for: strengthening the well-being ofindividuals and families across the life span;becoming responsible citizens and leaders in family,community and work settings; promoting nutrition

and wellness across the life span; managingresources to meet the material needs of individualsand families; balancing personal, home, familyand work lives; using critical and creative skillsto address issues in family, community and workenvironments; functioning effectively as providersand consumers of goods and services; and obtainingentry level positions in family and consumersciences careers and other related careers.

Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciencesprepare students to be productive members ofsociety and lay the groundwork for students topursue careers in such fields as child and elder careand in the clothing and hospitality industries. They

develop students' capacities to raise children andmanage their homes and their work life outside of

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the home. Consequently, they are knowledgeableabout child development; resource management;the use of environments; the design, use of andaccess to current and emerging technologies;nutrition and wellness; life planning and life-longlearning; and communications. These teachers havethe skills to critique, develop and implement policies

that support individuals, families and communities.

Teachers of young adolescents focus on assisting

students in understanding the development and useof personal, social and material resources to meethuman needs. They work with them to begin toconfront many of the decisions they will make overthe course of their lives concerning careers, leisure,community involvement and personal and familyrelationships. Teachers of older adolescents maymore directly focus on career paths in Family andConsumer Sciences, as well as on preparing students

for the imminent responsibilities of managing workand family roles as dependable members of familiesand communities. The goals of Family andConsumer Sciences can be clustered into four areas:nutrition and wellness, family relationships andhuman development, clothing and textiles, andhousing and environment. Across all these areasteachers bring a strong background in psychology,health and consumer economics.

Teachers of nutrition and wellness help students

apply the concepts of nutrition to daily living andrecognize the relationship between nutrition andwellness. Part of this process includes helpingstudents to understand the principles involved inplanning, purchasing and preparing food in anutritionally and economically sound manner. Theseteachers know how to take advantage of technologyand develop students' aesthetic sensibilities, whileconcurrently meeting the nutritional needs ofdifferent individuals and taking account of theeconomics of the food service industry. They alsoare knowledgeable about proper safety and sanitaryprocedures, the use and care of equipment andtechnology, and the techniques used in preparation

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and service of foods in various settings (domesticand commercial).

The focus in the family relationships and humandevelopment area is primarily on the growth anddevelopment of individuals and the family across the

lifespan. These teachers are knowledgeable of thecontemporary issues facing individuals and families.Of primary interest are the physical, social,intellectual and emotional characteristics of humandevelopment at every stage, and the materialresources required to meet human needs. Teachershelp students to understand the personal needs andpriorities of individuals at various ages and stages ofthe life cycle. They help their students understandthe role of communication skills, values and cultural

differences on family and workplace interactions,and how to apply stress management and copingskills to conflict situations. They make studentsaware that dangerous personal behavior can lead toserious long term consequences (e.g., pregnancy and

AIDS). They also teach students how to relate to and

learn from adults and younger children.

Within the clothing and textiles area, teachersare knowledgeable about clothing as it is influenced

by many factors. They prepare students in severalkey areas: cultural, aesthetic and historical aspectsof clothing and textiles; clothing decisions, valuesand appearances; fibers, fabrics and designprinciples of construction; functional clothing;selection, care, repair and redesign of clothing;and careers in clothing and textiles. They helpstudents use technology in understanding textilesand fabric and clothing production. These teachersare knowledgeable about conservation issues aswell as the variety of opportunities in the appareland textile industries.

And finally, in the housing and environmentarea, these teachers have a background in suchtopics as housing decision-making and technology,design theory, home living and maintenance, andinterior and exterior management. This allows themto assist students in learning about suitable housing

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options and about how one makes decisions abouthousing needs, including considerations of familyneeds and economic factors. In terms of design,teachers are knowledgeable about the historical,environmental and cultural influences on architec-ture, as well as specific considerations, such asstructural and decorative design, line, shape, form,space, color, texture and lighting. They are aware ofthe resource considerations involved in housingdecisions, including energy conservation procedures

and new technology, techniques and procedures formaintaining home safety and maintenance.

HEALTH SERVICESHealth care reform is driving many changes in theindustry, including new cost containment practicesand a greater focus on preventive care and personalhealth responsibility that will lead to new jobgroupings and skill mixes. Cross training, thecreation of broader job definitions, and continuedtechnological advances are anticipated to beimportant factors as we move into the 21st century.

There are currently over 300 different health-related careers from which to choose requiringdifferent levels of education. Exemplary teachershave knowledge of the different options, includingthe many careers related directly to patient care (e.g.,nursing, psychiatry, rehabilitative therapy), as well asthose tied to the infrastructure of health care systems

(e.g., biotechnology, hospital administration andmedical records).

These teachers are knowledgeable of the issuescentral to the health industry as well as the variety ofcareer paths within it. In addition, they know themain ideas and themes that students need tounderstand about this field. Included here are thehistory of health care, health care delivery systems,human body systems, human development stages, the

basics of diagnosis and first-aid, ethical and legalresponsibilities, health care environment and safetyissues, health care business practices, personal traits

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and health care planning, and patient contact skills.Because of the necessary focus on the body, healthand disease and other biological systems, teachers in

these fields have an increased depth of knowledge inscience particularly biology and physiology aswell as in health sciences.

In addition, these teachers are also aware of therules and regulations set forth by health licensure and

certification boards and agencies. These rules andregulations are intended to assure safe practice and,in turn, assure the safety of the practitioner andpatient. They describe the scope of practice forindividual practitioners, course content, and student-teacher ratios during lab practice and interning.

HUMAN SERVICES

As with business, human services is a large sector ofthe economy that has many facets in both the public

and private sector, including education (preschoolor day care, in particular), law and legal stud' 's(court clerks, paralegals), law enforcement (policeofficers, forensic technicians), public administration

(community planning, public works), child andfamily services (foster care, family support systems),

religion (youth counselor, family support systems),and social services. What unites these careers isthe focus on direct service to individuals inthe community.

Because the field is so heavily dependent onstrong communication skills, these teachersare especially knowledgeable about communication

theory and English language arts. They knowin particular the kinds of interpersonal skills that arevaluable for students to have to be successfulin these fields, such as the need to be able to listencarefully and to respond authentically to the needsof others. They especially focus on helping students

develop the skills needed to work with andunderstand individuals from a wide range of back-grounds and cultures, and on helping studentsunderstand that the kinds of communication

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that work best in one setting may need to bemodified substantially as circumstances change.

At a more specific level, they command a bodyof knowledge within a more narrow focus ofthe human services. For example, those working ineducation know about the development of youngchildren, how to supervise and teach children ina variety of settings, the nutritional and otherhealth needs of children, and about the roles andresponsibilities that are placed upon those who workin day care centers, schools and other settings thatprovide services to children and their families.

Teachers also help students understand the legaland public policy issues that affect workers andclients in the public sector, such as the health andsanitation legislation affecting day-care centers andthe current policy discussions relating to the rightsof persons placed under arrest. They know how tonurture the leadership and self-direction thatare critical in human services work particularly

important here because of the generally entre-preneurial nature of client-centered work. They arealso well-versed on other essential core knowledge,including budgets, healthy and safe environments,psychology and sociology, basic economic concepts,

consumer rights and responsibilities, conserving and

managing resources, and basic office practices.

MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERINGTECHNOLOGYThough economic trends point to a shift toward aservice and information-based economy, the careerswithin this cluster will continue to account for asignificant percentage of the job market in that theyinvolve the design, manufacturing and maintenanceof so many items important to our lives. Studentsprepared by vocational educators in this area will bethose who build our homes, repair the plumbing,maintain and service our automobiles, and designand manufacture new products that may serve tomake our lives easier. Within this framework,

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teachers are knowledgeable of the following careerpaths: engineering related technologies, mechanicsand repair technology, manufacturing technology,and transportation, including the maintenance oftransportation systems, energy technology, and built

environment technology.

Teachers in this cluster are knowledgeable ofscientific principles and skilled in mathematics; theyunderstand and know the applications and implica-tions of the latest technology. In order to assure theirteaching keeps current with advancing technologythey develop programs centered around skill andperformance standards developed by industryspecialty groups.

As job processes become more intervention-oriented, workers will need the skills to enter tasksor processes put in motion by others but maintainedby new tools over which the worker has somedegree of control. Workers more and more arefunctioning as part of teams, with roles andresponsibilities changing as the work changes.Therefore, these teachers also have strong inter-personal and communications skills and know howto develop those skills in their students.

Each of the unique specialty areas within thiscluster has a substantial knowledge base withits own tools and technologies, industry standards,and ways of inducting new employees into theworkforce. All teachers within this cluster have ageneral knowledge of those standards and processes.

They are knowledgeable of the general concepts thatspan this sector of the economy: for example,knowledge of new and emerging technologies andmaterials, processing and feedback control, outputsand robotics, understanding the role and function oftools and machines, entrepreneurship andeconomics, and computer skills operations,interfacing, networking and controlling.

Within their own area of specialization, they areknowledgeable of specific industry standards, toolsand methodologies and know how to work withstudents who hope to enter these fields. For

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example, within manufacturing technology, teachers

know about the new methods of flexible production

and about specific standards that encompassparticular processes fasteners, metal joining andsafety; materials testing stress and strain load andquality control; prototyping; service; maintenanceand numerical analysis.

A second example of a specific knowledge baseis the requirements that teachers of built-environ-ment technology will command, such as knowledgeof the building trades, including plumbing, electrical

wiring, and carpentry; and grounding in relatedmatters such as architecture, engineering, interiordesign, planning, housing policy and constructiontechnology. Examples of the kind of skill standardsthese teachers would know include those forconstruction technology, involving planning andlayout processes, material processing, assemblingprocesses, cabinet making, work-site safety,masonry and insulation tolls.

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATIONWhile many vocational education teachers areengaged in moving students toward a particularcareer path, technology education teachers directstudent learning to broad thinking about systemsrather than to the development of work skillsspecific to a single industry. Like their counterpartsin vocational education, they have an interest ininterdisciplinary instruction to contextualize theoryand extend industry knowledge beyond mereproduction. They are also knowledgeable about thetechniques and tools that vocational educators bring

to solving problems in a variety of industries.However, technology education teachers have theirown distinct body of subject matter knowledge.

As technology can be defined as the use ofknowledge, tools and skills to solve practicalproblems, technology education involves intro-ducing students to the concepts behind how

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technological systems work; specifically, thatsystems involve inputs, processes and outputs.While there are myriad applications and variations,

teachers are knowledgeable about systems clusteredaround four bases, which are communicationsystems, transportation systems, manufacturingsystems and construction systems. Innovationhappens quickly in technology. Therefore, teachersbuild their ever-expanding and revised knowledgeon processes which, while improved by technology,

essentially remain the same. In communication, theprocesses they know are the encoding, transmitting,

receiving, decoding, storing and retrieving ofinformation. In transportation, these include routing,loading, moving, unloading and storing of variousgoods. Manufacturing is seen as a system of locating

material resources, extracting them, producingindustrial materials and producing products.Construction technology is a system of preparing the

site for building, setting foundations for thestructure, erecting the structure, installing utilitieswhere required and completing the site. Teachersknow these systems and processes and guidestudents through lab-based learning experienceswhich allow them to both understand each systemand work at a particular process. For example, rather

than read about a fiber optics system, students willhook up to one, troubleshoot it, and, if necessary,make modifications to improve efficiency. Theseteachers know how to develop problems whichpromote student learning around each of thecommunication processes.

Across the four systems in which these teachersfocus there are a large number of technological tools

and processes. While technology education teachers

would not be expected to be experts in the use of allof these tools knowing Computer AssistedDesign to the extent required of a manufacturing andengineering teacher, for example they should befamiliar enough with the general operations of such

tools to introduce students to the general principles

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behind their use and how they operate in the systems

that are being studied.

These teachers know the roles and respon-sibilities of workers at different stages in thesesystems, the problems which frequently arise, andinnovations that have been designed over time tomake systems operate more efficiently. For example,

they know about the "Just-in-Time" philosophy ofparts distribution (a solution to massive storagerequirements) and about management principlesdesigned to address problems of job stratificationand worker alienation.

Within each of the four major technologicalsystems, teachers know the history, development

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and major achievements of various industries, thetypes of equipment in use, as well as the careerpaths that are available to students and the trainingneeded at various levels. For example, in communi-cation technology they understand the functioning ofsatellite uplinks and downlinks, broadcast tech-nology, laser/fiber optic communication systems,print and computer graphics and the socialconsequences of these new technologies bothdomestically and internationally. In order to directstudents toward future training they keep abreast ofwork opportunities in the broadcasting industry, ingraphic arts and in telecommunications.

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Standard III:Learning EnvironmentAccomplished vocational teachers efficiently manage their classrooms and create an environment thatfosters democratic values, risk taking and a love of learning. In this environment students develop knowl-

edge, skills and confidence through contextualized learning activities, independent and collaborative labo-ratory work, and simulated workplace experiences.

Supportive, collaborative learning environmentswhere students are intellectually challenged and

develop new knowledge, skills and confidence arethe result of the skill and hard work of accomplished

teachers. To create environments where students feel

they are valued and respected members of the learn-ing community, teachers cultivate student interests,value the unique perspectives each brings to class,and press students to devise and solve problems both

individually and collectively. They value risk taking

and learning that emerges from errors of judgment,confusion or the challenge of addressing complexproblems, and encourage students to recognize thatsuccesses and setbacks are both part of the processes

of invention, discovery and creation.

Contextualizing Learning EnvironmentsBecause of its very nature vocational education iscentered around activities and application, teacherscreate highly collaborative and cooperative class-room cultures, centered on problem solving andinvestigation. As authentically as possible, teacherscarefully organize their classrooms around theprinciples of high performance workplaces.For example, in a class presentation structuredaround the development of an electric vehicleor student-run farm, students work togetherproblem solving, inventing and creating the productat hand and focusing on how to most effectivelyand efficiently address authentic workplacedilemmas. Even when the activity takes place in thecontext of a meister-apprentice relationship with

students working directly alongside a master

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craftsperson students work collaboratively andcooperatively, taking on more responsibility as theygain new knowledge and skills.

Teachers in a meister-apprentice relationshipmanifest high standards of conduct. In order to honor

the work and uphold the spirit of cooperation andinvention, teachers create an environment that values

fairness, recognizes and rewards quality work, andoffers constructive criticism which directs studentstoward growth and improvement of skills. Suchteachers push students to apply their knowledgefrom project to project, and not merely soak up andstore away new knowledge with each new task.

The learning-lab environment is a trademarkof vocational education, and is driven by the desireto both engage students and encourage masteryof learning. Teachers believe it is their responsibilityto develop all aspects of students, including theiracademic, vocational, social and ethical selves(see also, Standard V: Workplace Readiness andStandard VI: Managing and Balancing MultipleLife Roles). The classroom environment isdesigned specifically to tap all these areas, andteachers cultivate them neither throughhappenstance nor driven by the demands ofproduction, but instead by aligning instruction withtheir knowledge of the ways students learn bestin context, actively involved and engaged, bothhands and minds in relevant and meaningfultasks. They tap students' perceptions of what is realand relevant at the moment and of pertinence totheir futures a message that places high valueon student initiative and creativity.

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Beyond engaging students, contextualizedlearning experiences are central to student masteryof specific content. The key aspects of successfulcontextual learning can be developed in a number ofpossible settings classroom simulations, labs, orwork-based learning experiences beyond thetraditional classrooms (e.g., on-the-job training,apprenticeship, clinical internships or service-learning opportunities). Teachers are adept at usingthese different activities to create an environmentwhere students can demonstrate mastery of newskills and knowledge. Embedded within suchlearning activities are opportunities to empowerstudents through decision-making, interdisciplinarycollaboration and teamwork, leadership, problemsolving and negotiation. Work patterns of this naturecreate a classroom environment that mirrors thosefound in high performance workplaces.

Managing Classrooms EfficientlyThe learning environment described above can onlyflourish in a well-managed classroom. Central to the

establishment of such classrooms is an environmentof intellectual and physical safety and one wherestudents feel respected by all as individuals. Bymodeling and communicating clear expectations ofclassroom policy, teachers promote the open sharingof ideas and initiative taking. In such classrooms,the sense of community is forged through thevalidation of positive, constructive behavior. Whendealing with disruption, they do so expeditiouslyand fairly and in ways that do not create a continualfocus on disruptive behavior.

Central to good teamwork is careful attentionto counterproductive work. Teachers manageto filter out the unimportant actions and reducedisruptions and are skilled at distinguishing between

exuberance and misbehavior. When they haveto reprimand a student about misconduct they doso constructively, getting to the root of the problemor issue in a timely manner.

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The establishment and maintenance of aproductive learning environment results from thecareful blending of attention to individual studentneeds with focusing on the goals of the entireclass. Lessons flow from the balance of competingand complementary interests, as teachers skillfullyjuggle the needs of all students to obtain a highlevel of engagement. These teachers are skilledat anticipating difficulties that students mayencounter which may serve to disrupt theclassroom flow or the collective sense of purpose,enthusiasm and engagement. This is no smallaccomplishment considering students may beengaged at many different levels individually, co-operatively in groups or on a whole class project.Teachers model team building and collaborativebehavior in a variety of ways, including throughtheir interaction with students and the alliances theyestablish with other teachers within the schoolprogram, and with educators and citizens in thelarger learning community.

Maintaining SafetyWhen it comes to safety, teachers run a tight ship.Vocational classrooms and work sites are oftenfilled with potentially dangerous equipment andmachinery, so securing student safety is a primaryconcern in the creation of an environment conducive

to learning. Teachers make students well aware ofsafety regulations and laws both in school and atwork sites. They understand that mishandlingequipment cannot only lead to personal harm but,if equipment is rendered inoperable, the loss to otherstudents of potentially valuable learning experiences

and to the school or workplace the loss of financialresources as well. Students come to understandthat the lab and work environment are places forconcentration and attention to detail.

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Creating a Democratic EnvironmentRather than being the sole source of authority orexpertise, teachers are receptive to student ideas and

interests. To do so requires they be as attentive tothe process of education as they are to studentmastery of discrete skills. Teachers are particularlyinterested in promoting the values of fairness,tolerance and community. One way they accomplish

this, in addition to valuing student comments andconcerns, is by involving them in the negotiation ofclassroom rules, routines and behaviors as is done inhigh performance workplaces. Such involvement on

the part of students is an important component inthe development of student leadership and teamwork

skills and is another way teachers actively engagestudents in the classroom. Teachers are also awarethat students may bring attitudes with them to theclassroom that run counter to the kinds ofdemocratic values they seek to instill in theirstudents. They confront such attitudes and modelalternative behaviors and frames of mind which will

serve students in their future employment. Throughparticipation in rule setting and classroom function-

ing students learn firsthand about individualdifferences and preferences and therefore increasetheir awareness of the needs of others. Using theabove described techniques as well as others, theseteachers also demonstrate skill in bringing studentswith exceptional needs into the mainstream ofclassroom life. This attention to democratic valuesand classroom processes and procedures allowsteachers another opportunity to use the diversity ofthe class as a strength.

Encouraging Love of Learning, Inventionand Risk TakingTeachers also work to establish a culture ofinquisitiveness and exploration. They model andcarefully nurture the interests of all students. Theyare passionate and enthusiastic about their field, and

driven by a love of learning for learning's sake. But

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their infectious enthusiasm is not limited to expertise

in their field. In general, they are intellectuallyadventurous and more than willing to share theirdiscoveries in many areas with their students.

Teachers continually push themselves andtheir students to do their best and to be persistentabout getting the job done. This work ethic extendsfrom their desire to continually improve and perfecttheir craft, to their can-do attitude with all students,through their outlook on both classroom andstudent problems. At heart, they are problemsolvers and are not easily dissuaded from doingwhat is best for students.

Modeling a love of learning is not necessarilysufficient to develop the same behaviors in theirstudents, however. In addition to the enthusiasmthey display about their own learning, they cultivateenthusiasm and pride in students' discoveries. Theyselect projects that evolve and unfold that begin

with student interest and eventually take on morestudent direction. Rather than directing student work

with step-by-step instruction, they create flexibleassignments that encourage student creativity andproblem solving. As students grow and have success

in their work, teachers allow them to take onprojects themselves, decreasing their direct teaching

as they become coaches from the sidelines. Teachers

foster student empowerment by validating indepen-dent thinking, encouraging inquisitiveness andcelebrating competence.

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Advancing Student Learning

Sven with an extensive knowledge base abouthuman growth and development, subject matter,

and the creation of productive learning environments,the best intentions can crumble without the abilityto put such knowledge into practice. The next fivestandards describe the joining of teachers'knowledge about students, subject matter andpedagogy with professional judgment. Included here

are the ways teachers use an extensive repertoireto encourage student mastery of knowledge, develop-ment of workplace readiness, management ofmultiple life roles and the development of socialcompetence. Also included in this section are theways teachers encourage student success throughassessment practices.

Standard IV:Advancing Knowledge of Vocational Subject MatterAccomplished vocational teachers foster experiential and performance-based student learning of voca-tional subject matter by creating important, engaging activities for students that draw upon an extensiverepertoire of methods, strategies and resources. Their practice is also marked by their ability to produc-tively integrate vocational and academic disciplines.

Whether teachers are focused on generalor specific industry knowledge, they do so

within a classroom of invention and production thatdemands an extensive repertoire in experientiallearning. Often referred to as contextualized learn-ing, many strategies both real and simulated, withinand outside the classroom, are used by exemplaryteachers. These strategies include work-based learn-ing, clinical internships, apprenticeships, coopera-tive education, entrepreneurship, school-based enter-

prises, the use of performance-based evaluation, and

project or product-based learning.

Teachers design instruction to engage studentsin wrestling with and gaining command of impor-tant ideas, concepts, theories, facts and skills asopposed to just memorizing discrete facts andprocedures. The teaching of theory in addition toproduction skills is also included, creating a mar-riage of both hand and mind learning. Classroomsthat fit this conception authentically mirror activi-ties, projects, problems or jobs in the world beyondthe classroom.

Embedded within classroom activities are theknowledge, skills and abilities that are essential to

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success in the adult world. Teachers use these activ-ities in a variety of ways, matching the appropriatedevelopmental level of their students with opportu-nities to extend the classroom outside the school.One purpose of such projects and activities is to en-sure students gain exposure to and competencewithin a career area.

Creating Engaging Learning Activitiesthat Enhance Student Mastery ofKnowledgeTeachers draw upon their repertoire of knowledgeof the disciplines and vocational content and skillsto create learning activities aligned with their goalsfor students. They design programs andactivities that integrate academic and vocationalcontent and that help students come to grips withthe key issues, concepts, competencies and skillsnecessary for work in a specific industry and foremployment in general. Teachers take care toensure their work meshes with industry standards,current issues in the field and themes centralto the industry structure within which they are

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practicing. They help students understand how tosee their field through many lenses.

Because the workplace often presents chal-lenges that cut across arbitrary boundaries, teachersoften devise activities that draw on multiple disci-plines in addition to vocational content. Theydesign projects that help students understand thepotential breadth of tasks within a field, to practiceand develop the kinds of academic skills that might

be brought to a given job, and to develop someof the specific skills and techniques that are usedto solve problems within a given industry. Ac-complished teachers are able to see and understandthe needs and demands of a whole project. Often,projects are broken down into their constituent parts

so that students are better able to understand thetheoretical constructs which undergird them.

Teachers integrate vocational and academiccontent, both horizontally across several academicdisciplines, as well as vertically, throughout thehigh school curriculum and beyond. They under-stand the purpose of integration is not just to broad-en vocational projects for the sake of breadth alone,but to mirror the blending of disciplines as they arefound in the world around them. To accomplishthis, they may create projects or activities such asschool-based enterprises, that naturally require stu-dents to draw on knowledge and skills of many dis-ciplines. Or they may collaborate with colleaguesin other departments to intentionally design amulti-disciplinary activity. In both instances theypurposefully target specific vocational and academ-ic understandings that students need to develop.

Teachers design and implement projects whichprovide students opportunities for problem solvingand assist them in developing the critical habits ofmind that allow them to make sense of what theyare learning and how it relates to the bigger pictureof the industry or system they are studying. Theyexpose students to a variety of techniques for nego-tiating an activity or project, for example, orches-trating the class around a series of key questions

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such as the following: 1. What literature is available

that can help me? 2. What expertise can I drawupon? 3. What is potentially dangerous? 4. Whatresources do I have and how shall I use them?5. What are the potential gains, losses and risks of agiven course of action? Classroom environmentscharacterized by discovery and invention introducethe notion of uncertainty and provide opportunitiesfor students to test unfamiliar waters and thinkindependently in the absence of strict directives.Such settings allow teachers to encourage studentsto take measured risks when the path to solving aproblem is unclear, and to experience failure andlearn how to recover. In these classrooms directlyconfronting uncertainty and chaos is an equally im-portant component of learning as success itself.

Teachers work collaboratively to establish worksite learning activities or internships, ensure super-vision of students in these situations, and know how

to ensure that quality learning is going on whenstudents are off-site. They seek to structure suchexperiences in collaboration with a work sitementor around explicit objectives, training plansand assessment processes.

Guiding Students in the Acquisition ofKnowledge

Designing the appropriate project, activity or exer-cise is the necessary first step toward mastery ofcompetency. Skillful execution must follow. Thecoaching, or step by step process of bringingstudents into the work, is a complex enterprisegiven that each student places different demands on

the structure and character of the coaching. Itrequires teachers to carefully diagnose currentstudent skill levels in the work process, help andsupport students when necessary, and graduallyremove support structures as students learn to man-age on their own. Whereas some students may need

help simply in conceptualizing a possible topic,scope or sequence, others may demand greater

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assistance before taking the next step. Still othersmay begin quite vigorously and confidently, reject-ing assistance until the very end. Teachers areastute at understanding the type of support eachstudent needs and acting effectively on thesejudgments to design tasks appropriate to the workof the students in each class. In all cases, theemphasis is on advancing student performance.

Contextualized learning activities are useful be-

cause they create a meister-apprentice relationship.Beyond ensuring student mastery of vocational con-

tent, teachers take advantage of this relationshipthrough attention to three key debriefing activities.First, they carefully debrief all activities by helpingstudents identify what precisely has been learned,helping students understand and appreciate both thefinal outcome as well as the knowledge and skillsthey have developed and demonstrated in the pro-cess. Second, they help students reflect on their ownthinking to illuminate and then analyze their prob-lem-solving strategies. They skillfully lead studentsin this analysis, which includes questions suchas the following: 1. What did you do and why?2. What risks did you take and to what purpose?3. What could you do differently next time?

Third, teachers help students understand theirpersonal learning processes. Through this exercise,students become cognizant of their strengths andweaknesses and how to apply this knowledge innew learning situations.

Ultimately, students learn to use their mindswell in addition to obtaining concrete productionskills. Through attention and awareness to thesethree areas, students develop an ability to createa presence in their work: an awareness of theirperformance and how it fits into the larger system.

Utilizing a Variety of Materials andResourcesTo create an engaging environment and meet theneeds of a diverse clientele, teachers take into ac-count several factors in their decision-making.

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Among these are the selection and adaptation ofmaterials that reflect what they know about the waystudents learn best. They are careful to select, adapt

or create only those materials that meet specifiedcriteria and standards for quality. Quite often thisentails extending the classroom into the community,where teachers judiciously select from an abundantarray of resources to enhance student learning.When community resources are sparse, teacherscreate a rich classroom environment that simulatesthe world of work.

They are equally skilled at garnering and devel-oping resources from and within the community atlarge and within the school itself. Because the ulti-mate goal of a vocational classroom is to bring theoutside world in, teachers make use of a wide range

of resources from many different sources to createan engaging learning experience. They develop aresource base representing multiple mediums:written examples, electronic media, and current and

historical samples from the workplace. With abroad assortment of teaching aids, they increasestudent understanding of the lesson at hand, as wellas their ability to think comprehensively abouttheir work. Among their resources is also a broadrepresentation of form, style, gender appeal andawareness, cultural background and level ofdifficulty. When teachers find themselves insituations of meager resources or limited funds,they are noteworthy for their resourcefulness inlocating the necessary ingredients for qualityinstruction, including the development of student-run enterprises or service-learning activities.

Teachers are astute in using a range of resources,because in doing so they provide students with multi-

ple avenues to understanding, thus increasing thelikelihood that students will grasp the importantideas, concepts and skills they are attempting toimpart. They make judicious use of current highquality technologies in order to ensure students areadequately prepared for the changing world.Although such technology may change rapidly,teachers are up to date on the range of resources

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specific to their industry area. When it is not possible

to provide new, up-to-date equipment for the in-school laboratory, teachers stay abreast of the

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changes and seek alternate ways for students to learn

and understand modern technology first hand.

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Standard V:Workplace ReadinessAccomplished teachers develop student career decision-making and employability skills by creating op-portunities for students to gain understanding of workplace cultures and expectations.

Teachers know that while advancing student un-

derstanding of the particulars of specific indus-tries is important, this alone is not sufficient without

an understanding of workplace culture and expecta-tions and the development of employability skills.They also ensure students can apply this knowledgeto their own career decision-making.

Helping Students with CareerDecision-MakingExperiences in simulated or real workplace environ-ments are significant for their role in providingperspective for students' career decision-making.Teachers understand that student decision-makingrests on a host of factors, including experience andexposure, family aspirations, peer views and student

perceptions of their own talents. They thereforecreate class laboratory activities and processes toillustrate certain aspects of work associated withparticular career choices and take time to guidestudents in decision-making toward promisingpaths in their field of interest. For example, as partof helping students create a school-wide healthfair, a teacher might bring in staff from a hospitalpersonnel department to expose students to therange of jobs available in the facility. Teachersencourage students to think expansively about therange of possibilities that lie before themand identify career paths that are best suitedto their interests.

In addition to creating opportunities for careerexposure and development, teachers take respon-sibility to guide students in their decision-making

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processes. While experience alone can teachstudents about their likes, dislikes, skills andabilities, teachers can help students sort out theseexperiences. As instructional guides and mentors,teachers help students to think deeply andpurposefully, enabling them to make sounddecisions about the steps they might take followinghigh school. Along with exposing students to theoptions before them, they might also provide theopportunity for students to read further about theirfield of interest, to meet with experienced workers in

particular industries to talk about the advantages anddisadvantages of pursuing a particular career path,or to have discussions with their peers about thedecisions they all face. These decisions are ofteninfluenced by the cultural norms and mores of thefamily, the community and peers, which can limitthe choices students perceive are available to themand worthwhile. Consequently, teachers recognizetheir obligation to help their students navigate thisuncertain terrain. In doing so they make them awareof the steps they can take to maintain some degreeof flexibility in their careers and ensure that students

avoid settling for a narrow set of false choices.

Developing Employability SkillsTeachers know that in addition to an extensiveindustry specific knowledge base, employers oftenplace great stock in generic workplace skills anddispositions. The dispositions that teachers developare given more attention in Standard VII Social

Development. In addition to those attitudes, teachers

design classroom activities that help students

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develop a strong work and personal ethic thatincludes learning how to plan for success and how toavoid problems by taking responsibility for one'sown tasks and assignments. They teach studentshow to work effectively with co-workers and clients

from diverse backgrounds and ability levels different

from their own. They also create opportunities forstudents to develop the ability to teach others newskills, to satisfy customer or client expectationsand to work with their peers to settle disputes born ofhonest differences of the sort that might emergein the workplace.

Related to skill in problem solving is the abilityto organize, plan and allocate resources. Skill inworkplace resource management and utilization isnecessary in four key areas: time, money, materialand facilities, and human resources. Students arechallenged to manage and allocate resources mostefficiently in all classroom projects and activities.Teachers also develop systems knowledge instudents, ensuring that students understand howsocial, organizational, and technological systemswork, operate effectively and are interrelated.Working with students to understand resourcemanagement and systems processes providesteachers another opportunity to hone students'thinking skills.

Understanding Workplace Culture andExpectationsCentral to development of skill and knowledge in the

workplace is the creation of simulations ofworkplace settings, or placement in these environ-ments so students may experience the cultureand expectations firsthand. Equally important,however, is the creation of exercises and activitiesthat have embedded within them the processes,quality methods, tools and expectations, standardsand practices demanded in high performance work-

places. For example, students need to know thenorms of dress in most office environments and the

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expectations for customer service and qualitycontrol. Teachers construct classroom lessons anddesign of work-based learning opportunities thatprovide opportunities for students to learn about high

performance workplace standards and currentindustry practice, such as total quality management

production techniques. Students work in teamsdesigning and executing original creations,enterprises or services, rather than mimickingprocesses conceived and directed by others. Throughfirst-hand experience in the workplace culture,students come to appreciate the demands of theworkplace, including the need for direct com-munication between on-line workers about problemsand the need to be individually responsible for one's

own assigned duty. Thus, on-line tasks, dilemmas,challenges and opportunities are addressed directlyin their real-life context. Students become reflective

and gain a critical perspective on important industryissues that allow them to anticipate issues, andcontinually seek better ways to create and deliverproducts and services. Teachers design projects tostretch student knowledge, to engender perseveranceand risk taking, and to encourage them to take onmore responsibility for honing skills.

Surrounding all workplaces there are issuesrelated to the conditions of employment, includingthe presence or absence of organized labor, safety,fringe benefits, the structure of work and thecompetitive environment. Through simulations, class

discussions about actual workplace experiences andother such methods teachers help students developan understanding of workplace rights and suchmatters as health care policies and procedures,workmen's compensation plans, and governmentpolicies which affect such matters. They helpstudents learn how to address employers about illegal

or harmful workplace practices and other issues thatdirectly affect the safety and rights of themselves and

others. They are also astute at helping studentsunderstand the complexity surrounding the moresubtle issues of sexual harassment or discrimination.

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A last important employee skill in which teachers

help students develop capacity is the ability toquickly read the workplace environment andunderstand its norms and expectations. Theirstudents learn how to balance their expectations withthe reality of the workplace environment; how tobalance their initiative and responsibility with theexisting leadership and decision-making structureof the workplace. They help students navigate the

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not-so-hidden agenda or subtext that governs theworkplace environment: to know when to takeinitiative and when to step back, when and if to seekalternative ways of airing their concerns. Such ability

increases the chances that a new worker will be able

to enter a work environment and make judgmentsabout whether it is a culture that is congenial and, ifnot, whether to leave or make accommodations.

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Standard VI:Managing and Balancing Multiple Life RolesAccomplished teachers develop in students an understanding of the competing demands andresponsibilities that are part of the world of work, and guide students as they begin to balance thoseroles in their own lives.

Teachers balance specific industry knowledge,workplace know-how and specific employabili-

ty skills with a broader understanding of the life roles

that students will assume beyond the world of work.They understand that students must make choicesabout a variety of roles in their lives, from therelationships within their families and with peers,to more structured relationships in the communityand with employers. They work with students as they

manage these roles and responsibilities.

Balancing Life RolesTeachers understand that as adults, students mustbalance competing responsibilities and obligations,and this includes understanding and making deci-sions about just which responsibilities they will un-dertake and when they will undertake them.Decisions facing students in their near or immediatefutures include whether to marry and have a family,how much responsibility to assume for older familymembers, and how actively they wish to be in-volved in their communities. Teachers know that itis useful for students to have available a range ofstrategies for making decisions, and include in theircurriculum discussion of such issues and examplesof a variety of strategies students may find useful.They also know that regardless of the choices thatare eventually made, challenges will appear. Theyhelp students begin to prepare for these challengesby starting to think through their own mechanismsfor coping with them.

They also teach students to recognize that bal-ance is necessary when their chosen roles come into

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conflict with their work responsibilities and thattrade-offs are often necessary. For example, thedemands of family life, while rewarding, can some-times overwhelm and threaten performance at workor vice versa. They discuss with students suchdilemmas and consider with them a range of strate-gies which might be useful in dealing with theunpredictability of life, including family life. Theyare also realistic, helping students understand thatoften there are no easy answers, that priorities andvalues may conflict, and that the available choicesmay seem limiting and unfair.

As part of the management of these multipleresponsibilities, teachers help students recognize theimportance of understanding the cultural and socialnorms of the workplace and adapting their language

and behavior to that which is most appropriate forthe given situation. Where necessary, they helpmodel the appearance and the kind of language andbehavior that will best serve students in their chosen

line of work. They recognize that outside mentorscan also serve as models for appropriate behaviorand can communicate the importance of being ableto shift from what is acceptable community lan-guage and behavior to that of the workplace.

Understanding Personal Economics andManaging Daily LifeIn addition to balancing many life roles and learn-ing how to behave in different situations, teachersalso prepare students to manage their personalfinancial affairs successfully. They help studentsunderstand how to be good consumers and deci-

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sion-makers about products and services. Beyonddecision-making, they help students learn how tomanage and balance their finances with theirobligations and needs. They discuss with studentswhen to save and when to spend and how to planfor disaster or unforeseen circumstances (e.g.,considering with students how to balance careerdecision-making with family needs when a careerchanges or when additional education wouldadversely impact family finances).

Preparing for Community InvolvementMany students will find involvement in theircommunities an important part of their lives,and teachers help them understand how to becontributing members of a community. This canoccur in a variety of ways, including having

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students participate in local political organizations,social clubs, religious groups or community actionorganizations. Teachers often encourage studentsto volunteer in door-to-door canvassing, letter writ-ing, fund raising or community clean-up activities.The goal is to provide opportunities where students

can discover that they can make a difference in thequality of their own lives, their families and othersin the community.

Teachers also encourage participation in demo-cratic institutions. They make sure students under-stand the fundamental democratic rights, responsi-bilities and processes that are part of being a U.S.citizen, and encourage debate, conversation andcareful consideration of issues in the developmentof an informed stance.

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Standard VII:Social DevelopmentAccomplished vocational teachers develop in students self-awareness and confidence, character, leader-

ship and sound personal, social and civic values and ethics.

Because highly accomplished vocational teachers

are dedicated to preparing students for adult-hood, their interest in student development extendsbeyond the cognitive domain to issues of social devel-

opment. Teachers recognize that students are seeking

independence from their families at the same timethey are developing ties to adults in the workplacesthey are in the process of joining. To ease this transi-

tion, teachers demonstrate what it means to think and

act as a caring and ethical human being and workwith students to this end.

Fostering Development of Students' Self-Awareness, Confidence and CharacterAlthough the key mission of many schools is toimpart academic knowledge, teachers know thatdeveloping the social and emotional side of studentsis also critical to their futures. Teachers observe,cultivate and assess the social development of their

students, noting their classroom comfort, relationships

with friends, sense of belonging, character, integrityand concern for others. Through frequent interactions,

they learn of their students' concerns and aspirations,

and determine if and when students need advice and

guidance. Based on these observations, teachers offer

students encouragement and direction in learning how

to better communicate ideas and feelings directly inways that create self-respect and convey respect forothers. They help students move from concern about

themselves to an awareness of the needs, views andrights of others.

Teachers are concerned with development oftolerance and integrity in their students and conduct

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their classes in a manner that encourages respect forindividual differences, be they related to skills,culture, gender, ethnicity, language diversity,disability or other factors. They employ specificstrategies that extend learning to all students. Forexample, they develop project-based activities thatrequire cooperation and provide opportunities forstudents of differing backgrounds and abilities towork together toward common goals.

Equally important to the development of thesequalities is the opportunity to develop personalknowledge an awareness of talents, skills, abilities,

preferences and other perspectives coupled with

a sense of confidence about these attributes. Teachers

use diverse strategies to enable students to bettersee themselves and the consequences of their actions.

They understand that self confidence comes fromthe development of skill and competence. They holdhigh expectations for all students and demand hardwork to ensure achievement of such expectations.They are careful to model perseverance, self-direction and dedication to work, and make surestudents understand how much they appreciatestudent accomplishments.

Development of Student Initiative andTeamwork Skills

Teachers create a variety of opportunities forstudents to take action, assume responsibility,exercise leadership and develop initiative. They dothis in many ways, such as service organizations,community participation, political action, honorsocieties and school organizations. Vocational student

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The Standards

organizations are one important example of structures

that develop initiative and teamwork in students. Like

other teacher-generated activities, vocational student

organizations create a forum for the development ofleadership and teamwork skills and provide a placeto showcase student work in particular vocationalfields. In many curricular areas students learn toplan, manage and direct activities through theirparticipation in such organizations which contributesto the development of oral discourse, knowledge ofdemocratic processes, and facility in committeework. Through such activities students becomeattuned to the expectations and preferences ofdifferent workplace cultures.

Encouraging the Development of SoundSocial, Personal and Civic EthicsTeachers foster civic and social responsibility intheir students by providing them with opportunitiesor joint decision-making through participationin the leadership and governance of the classroom.In fact, the connections students see and experiencebetween schoolwork and the larger communityhelp them understand and apply principles ofjustice, freedom and liberty. Exemplary teachersdesign assignments that allow students to apply

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such knowledge to diverse events, themes, topics and

situations that lead students to confront academic and

civic dilemmas simultaneously.

Well-rounded workers and citizens also havewell-developed ethical perspectives and habitsof personal responsibility and concern for others.Teachers seek ways of instilling in their studentscharacter traits such as punctuality, honesty, fairness

and tolerance that will serve them well notonly in their work but throughout their lives.Through their daily lessons and in conversationswith students, teachers work to build positive andcaring relationships with and among them andthereby model the kind of communities theyhope their students will become a part of andperpetuate. Teachers also encourage such studentsto broaden their perspectives by taking part inother arenas of life such as community service orother forms of civic involvement.

Teachers know that in most settings workers areconfronted with ethical dilemmas, such as co-workers

who steal or employers who use substandardmaterials or construction practices. Teachers helpstudents understand the kinds of ethical decisions they

may be called upon to make and provide them withopportunities to practice making sound judgments.

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Standard VIII:AssessmentAccomplished vocational teachers utilize a variety of assessment methods to obtain useful informationabout student learning and development, to assist students in reflecting on their own progress and to

refine their teaching.

Assessment serves several critical purposes and

is integral to creating a student-centered andperformance-based classroom. Exemplary teachersuse assessment to determine individual studentprogress, and to guide decision-making about theeffectiveness of teaching strategies for the class as a

whole. This often requires teachers to develop theirown tools for assessment to ensure a good fitbetween the assessment tool and the goals theyhave set for their students. Teachers also place greatstock in students learning to assess and monitortheir own progress.

Assessment for a Variety of PurposesThe ultimate purpose of assessment is to gainperspective on student learning as it relates to thegoals of vocational education. Teachers use infor-mal assessment, monitoring student work on a regu-

lar basis to encourage student initiative, responsibil-ity and ownership of a project as the meister-ap-prentice relationship evolves. As instruction movesforward, teachers adjust student assignments andwork based on information gleaned from assess-ments. On a more formal basis, assessment is usedas an analytic tool for students. Teachers help stu-dents to consider results critically: dissecting themto understand the theoretical constructs, discreteskills, problem solving processes and preferredlearning styles of each student. Assessment is alsoused to gauge long-term progress within a class, aswell as a student's entire high school career inrelation to external benchmarks such as industry-driven standards and skills. Through the use of

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portfolios, for example, teachers help studentsselect meaningful work that illustrates their growingaccomplishments, knowledge, skills and interests.

Utilizing a Variety of Assessment MethodsTeachers are knowledgeable about a broad array ofassessment methods and issues from which theyselect approaches that are well matched to theirinstructional goals and purposes. Furthermore, theyknow that the range of important objectives theyhave and student skills and understandings theyseek to gauge usually cannot be captured with a sin-gle assessment, and that tracking student progressrequires frequent sampling of student work andthinking. Recognizing the limits of standardizedtests, teachers are adept at utilizing other method-ologies, such as portfolios, videotapes, demonstra-tions, exhibitions and work-based assessments.These methodologies provide teachers and theirstudents a variety of means to consider their accom-

plishments, uncover misunderstandings, and identi-fy concepts and skills needing further attention.Teachers are also knowledgeable about industry and

workplace standards appropriate to their area ofexpertise, including national skills standards andindustry certification and licensure standards, andbuild their assessment tools and methodologiesaround them. Teachers are able to articulate theunique strengths and weaknesses of differentassessment vehicles and communicate findings wellto students and their families.

The Standards

Helping Students Understand theirProgressBeyond its utility in helping teachers understandtheir own performance, one of the many purposesof assessment is helping students understand theirprogress. Collections of work samples in portfolios,

resumes and weekly journal entries are examples ofsome of the methodologies that are useful in helpingstudents reflect on their own work. Guidingstudents to an awareness of their own learningbegins at the point student work begins, as teachersmake sure students understand from the beginningwhat the goals and standards of the work are andwhat is expected of them. Increasing student aware-

ness of goals and expectations against a variety ofbenchmarks, including personal, workplace andschool, is an initial, but critical, step in developingthe habits of mind for continuous reflection andassessment of progress.

Teachers use a variety of methods to helpstudents become adept at assessing themselves invarious situations. Ultimately, the purpose ofstudents becoming self assessors is to help themunderstand the application of knowledge, as wellas increase their self-awareness and confidence,document their level of skill, and aid decision-mak-ing about further education and career choices.

Assessment as an Opportunity forFeedbackIn addition to informing teacher decision making and

the development of student skill in self-assessment,

teachers view assessment as an opportunity tovalidate risk taking, invention and learning fromexperiments that may not go according to plan. Theyunderstand the role teacher and employer feedback

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can play for students in initiating self-reflection,setting a course of action for improvement, and docu-

menting progress for parents and other interestedstakeholders. In addition, they understand construc-tive feedback is an important opportunity to commu-

nicate to students attitudes that foster an effectivelearning environment: regard for their students,a genuine desire to help them do well, and a collabo-rative spirit of teamwork.

Assessment and feedback responsibilitiesextend to student workplace activities as well.Although teachers do not always have opportunities

for involvement in workplace activities, when theydo, they take care to work collaboratively withemployers to ensure quality experiences for students.

Because assessment is central to these experiences,teachers educate employers on how to assessstudents. Wherever possible they assist employers in

the assessment of students. For example, after aplacement or internship has been negotiated, teachers

will often write a job description in collaborationwith employers. The description might be dividedinto observable components. Students' competence is

assessed at the start of the placement to establish an

initial level, and then used as a benchmark through-out the internship or co-op placement. Through such

mechanisms, students are more likely to receivefeedback from employers in a manner which illumi-nates progress and competence.

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The Standards

Professional Development and Outreach

Remaining an exemplary teacher requires con-tinual attention to one's practice. Teachers who

are not steadily working to refine their practice findthemselves frozen in their careers, standing still, orworse, losing ground in their profession. Addition-ally, such teachers regularly work collaboratively

with families, colleagues and others to ensurethe continued quality and effectiveness of theirprograms. The four standards that follow describethe ways in which exemplary teachers engage inregular activities within and beyond the classroomwalls to strengthen their practice.

Standard IX:Reflective PracticeAccomplished vocational teachers regularly analyze, evaluate and strengthen the effectiveness and quality

of their practice through life-long learning.

Accomplished teachers consider reflection ontheir practice central to their responsibilities as

professionals. They are continually extending theirknowledge, perfecting their technique, and refiningtheir philosophy of education. They regularly exam-

ine their own strengths and weaknesses and employthat knowledge in their planning. They analyze therelative merits of both older and newer pedagogical

approaches and judge their appropriateness for theirown particular circumstances.

Teachers regularly engage in the process ofprofessional growth and development. They aremotivated by the rapid change they see around them(in the workplace, in technology and in the researchliterature) and by the desire to equip students for anevolving future. In their quest for self-renewal,teachers follow several paths which often include in-

teracting with other professionals, exploring new re-

sources, attending professional conferences andworkshops, studying the professional literature, re-turning to business and industry and participating in

advanced education programs. Such teachers distin-guish themselves by their capacity for ongoing, dis-passionate self-examination, their openness to inno-vation, their willingness to experiment with new ped-

agogical approaches, and their readiness to change in

order to strengthen their teaching.

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Evaluating Results and Seeking InputSystematically from a Variety of SourcesIn their efforts to gain insight about their practice,teachers will often hold conversations with studentsand employers about the quality, climate andinteractions in their class. They also carefullyanalyze input received from formal and informalconferences with families, guardians, students andothers. These observations and discussions arecarefully weighed by teachers as they reflecton their planning, monitoring, assessment andinstructional techniques.

For accomplished teachers every class andevery activity provides an opportunity for reflectionand improvement. In the same way they encouragestudents to reflect and debrief after project work,teachers also consider the result of their actions.When things go well, they think about why theclass succeeded and how to adapt the lessonslearned to other classes. When things go poorly,they reflect on how to avoid such mishaps in thefuture. The review of work in progress and finalstudent products are opportunities for teachers toassess themselves as well.

Teachers seek advice from colleagues throughdiscussions, in-class observation of their own teach-ing, and personal observation of others' practice on

The Standards

a regular basis. These observations and discussionsand other discoveries from workshops and research

shape their decisions about if, when and how prac-tice should change. This examination also createsa predisposition to abandon less effective practicesand replace them with more promising approaches.

Teachers eagerly share their ideas with colleagues,serving as "critical friends," and they test and refinetheir evolving approaches to instruction.

Reflecting On One's Own Point of ViewTeachers consider the effects of their own culturalbackground, biases, values and personal experi-ences on their practice. They are alert to their ownphilosophical filters, and take these into accountwhen dealing with students whose background,beliefs or values may be importantly different fromtheir own. They seek to treat each student fairly byworking carefully through such conflicts. Theyunderstand they will be most effective withstudents by modeling the behavior they advocate.Hence they become attuned to the ways their ownbeliefs and behaviors influence their practicefor better or worse.

Continually Refining Practice ThroughStudy and Self-ExaminationTeachers stay abreast of current research, trends and

information by reading professional and technicaljournals, actively participating in related profession-al organizations and inservice workshops, complet-ing graduate coursework, observing master teach-ers, and collaborating with colleagues and otherprofessionals. Where appropriate they apply theselessons to their classrooms.

They keep abreast of significant developments,new findings, and debates in their field, aware thatsuch efforts are essential in the rapidly changing

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worlds of business and industry. Through their in-dustry, work-based and other community contacts,they keep up with prevailing trends, new technolo-

gies and processes. They adapt their practice asneeded to account for such developments. Theyunderstand that some workplace changes arecontroversial and have well-considered positionson such issues. Such teachers have cogent reasonsfor what they do and can explain those reasonsclearly to students, parents, guardians, colleagues,administrators, school board members andguidance counselors.

Teachers take responsibility for their own pro-fessional growth and development. They exploretopics in which they may have limited expertise and

experiment with alternative materials, approachesand instructional strategies. This personal studyprovides support for the instructional decisions theymake and for their ability to articulate a rationalefor their actions. It also contributes to their consis-tent ability to aggressively seek solutions to difficultproblems they encounter.

Exemplary teachers participate in a wide rangeof reflective practices. They might keep a journal ofhow their own personal biases affect their teachingor conduct action research in their classrooms. They

might collaborate with education researchers orother colleagues to critically examine their practice.Such reflection reinforces their creativity, stimulates

their personal growth, tests new ideas and enhances

their professionalism. They are models of theeducated individual, regularly sharpening theirjudgment, expanding their repertoire of teachingmethods and deepening their knowledge base. Theyexemplify high ethical ideals and embrace thehighest professional standards in assessing theirpractice. Ultimately, self-reflection contributes toteachers' depth of knowledge and skill and addsdignity to their practice.

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Standard X:Collaborative PartnershipsAccomplished vocational teachers work with colleagues, the community, business and industry, andpostsecondary institutions to extend and enrich the learning opportunities available to students and toease school to work transitions.

Ambitious goals for instruction often demandextraordinary means. Exemplary vocational

educators pride themselves on making the best con-nections possible between school and the workplace.

Alert to student needs for relevancy and engage-ment, they understand they are more likely to meetthis demand through the development and mainte-nance of several types of collaborative partnerships,

including professional colleagues, local businessesand community and post-secondary institutions.Partnerships of several varieties are integral toprogram design and implementation because voca-tional education is about connection connecting

vocational knowledge to other disciplines, connect-ing theory to practice, and connecting students'immediate lives to their future.

Collaborations are also a means to garner sup-port for the field. Vocational educators are often inthe position of having to serve as advocates of theirprograms before administrators and the community.They are able to articulate to both other educatorsand lay audiences the virtues of their programs, andidentify potential threats to program integrity. Thepartnerships vocational educators forge with like-minded individuals in their schools and communi-ties often serve to further the status of and supportfor vocational education.

Building Partnerships with Business,Industry, Labor and the CommunityTeachers cultivate extensive partnerships with busi-nesses, industries, agencies, labor and the commu-nity to ensure program content is well aligned with

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the demands of work. Although their partnersmay vary from community to community, teacherscultivate relationships with such individuals andorganizations in the name of both program viabilityand excellence. Together these partners may servea variety of functions, including curriculumdevelopment, standard setting, equipment andtechnology procurement, and the design of work-place learning opportunities such as apprenticeshipand internship experiences.

Teachers ensure the appropriateness of place-ment through the establishment of internships andother opportunities that are well matched withstudent needs. Some students need narrow experi-ences to help refine a future career focus, whileothers need to expand their horizons. Given this,teachers work collaboratively with business andcommunity partners to negotiate beneficial opportu-

nities for students according to student needs,classroom and industry standards and the needsof local industry. Teachers also rely on these groupsfor the use or donation of equipment and materials,job placement, job-shadowing experiences,inservice programs and workshops. They areadept at assessing the field for firms that willoffer experiences, equipment or training mostconsistent with their program goals. In addition,they look to business to help them update their in-dustry knowledge, standards and skills, and toarrange for teacher externships.

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The Standards

Collaborating with Vocational Educatorsand Colleagues from Other DisciplinesDesigning an integrated curriculum is central tobroadening the base of contextual learning activitiesand creating rich learning experiences for students.Collaboration runs in direct opposition to yearsof teacher work within a single discipline, a culturebased on isolation and non-interference. None-theless, accomplished vocational teachers are adeptat working in and leading teams of teachers andindustry personnel and at creating integratedprojects. They have knowledge and experience inproject-based and integrated curriculum, includingthe different ways to go about both. In addition tothe actual content and mechanics of integration,they are skilled at getting teachers who are used topracticing independently to work together toachieve common goals.

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Collaborating with PostsecondaryColleaguesTeachers' concerns extend beyond providing stu-dents with experiences in the workplace, to encour-aging them to experience and explore postsec-ondary education. Teachers take the responsibilityto provide them with exposure to and experience inpostsecondary schools. They are also skilled inworking with colleagues in postsecondary institu-tions to achieve this end. Their skill in encouragingpostsecondary options coincides with current ef-forts to more tightly align secondary vocational ed-ucation with postsecondary vocational educationthrough articulation agreements, sequenced curricu-

lum and partnerships. Embedded in this idea is thecreation of sequenced courses to create a seamlesscurriculum between high school and community ortechnical colleges. Exemplary teachers are adept atdeveloping partnerships that begin the process ofinstitutional alignment by encouraging the involve-ment of postsecondary faculty and staff to helpdefine program goals and content.

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The Standards

Standard XI:Contributions to the Education ProfessionAccomplished vocational teachers work with colleagues and the larger education community both to im-

prove schools and to advance knowledge in their field.

As professionals, exemplary teachers seetheir responsibilities extending beyond the

classroom to the welfare of their school, theircolleagues and their area of expertise. They seethemselves as prominent members in the largerlearning community, contributing to the professional

culture and intellectual environment of the school.They can often be found serving a variety of roles in

such areas as school-based management and staffand curriculum development.

Contributing to the SchoolThese teachers are team players who believe theyhave much to contribute as well as much to gain bycollaborating with others. They challenge ideasand assumptions as they build a robust curriculumand strong professional culture with their col-leagues. Proud and sure of the value of theirprograms, they seek to repair the historical anddysfunctional split between academic and vo-cational, and non-college and college boundstudents. As change agents and leaders in theschool, they are central actors in redesigning thesecondary school experience for all students. Indoing so, they draw upon a range of disciplinesthrough practical, vocational applications.

Collaborating with ColleaguesTeachers also act as a resource to other colleagues,perhaps as a mentor teacher, peer coach, or studentteacher supervisor. They may help develop lessons

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and curriculum or design and provide staff develop-ment. They may observe colleagues at work andserve as a "critical friend," sharing with them theirobservations and coaching them toward strongerpractice. Because of the positive ripple effect it hason student learning, the goal of such work is to help

create a healthy professional environment andculture built upon a foundation of continuousreflection, insight, new ideas and teamwork.

Advancing Knowledge in their FieldOn a larger scale, teachers are equally committed toadvancing their field and therefore may contributeto a variety of professional development activitiesthat extend beyond their school. This might include

collaborating with other teachers and administratorsin district, state, regional, national and internationalefforts. They may appear on the programs of or take

on leadership responsibilities in state, regional ornational organizations that support the improve-ment of vocational education and the professionalgrowth of experienced and novice teachers. Theymight also collaborate with faculty from postsec-ondary education to seek solutions to pressing prob-

lems in the field, conduct action research in theirown classroom, or publish articles in professionaljournals about their own approaches and methods.They seek out such opportunities based on theirbelief that they have real potential for constructive-ly affecting the quality of teaching both locally andon the larger education landscape.

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The Standards

Standard XII:Family and Community PartnershipsAccomplished vocational teachers work with families and the community to achieve common goals forthe education of all students.

Families and community members can be among

a teacher's strongest allies in the education ofadolescents and young adults. Teachers understandand value the central and distinctive role they playand find opportunities to build strong partnershipswith them. Teachers welcome their participationin class activities and take the initiative in encourag-

ing them to become a part of school life. They alsounderstand, however, that the nature of the familyhas evolved significantly from earlier times.

Teachers know the role of families and the com-munity is not only to provide input. They clearlysignal through word and deed the importanceof both as partners with the school in preparingyoung people for the adult world. As teachers workto create a sense of community among the school,students' homes, workplace mentors and communi-ty agencies, they demonstrate the mutual interestthey share with families in seeing students succeed.

Gaining Insight into Students ThroughPartnerships with FamiliesTeachers recognize families have experiences andinsights that, once tapped, can enrich the quality ofeducation for students. Involvement with familieshelps teachers learn about students' backgrounds,creating a window through which they gain insightinto parental expectations and aspirations for theirchildren. Such an understanding of students' livesoutside of school is often helpful in tailoringcurriculum and instruction within the school.Regular interaction also helps teachers establishrapport with families. It also holds the promise of

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stimulating family support and involvement withtheir children's education. However, these relation-ships may not be uniformly congenial or produc-tive. When confronted with difficulties in relation-ships with families, teachers seek common groundand attempt to build understanding that will servestudents' best interests.

Cultivating Families' Interests inSupporting their Children's EducationTeachers effectively communicate with familiesabout students' accomplishments, successes andneeds for improvement, including means for attain-ing higher goals. With students of this age, a prima-ry concern of families is postsecondary educationand training and the employability of their children.Families often have concerns or questions aboutdifferent options or opportunities. Teachers attemptto respond thoughtfully and thoroughly to suchhealthy interest in students' futures. They alsoinform families of the consequences of courseselection, work-based opportunities and of theimportance of planning further education.

Because school today is often different from theexperiences of many family members, teacherssearch for ways to share the school's objectives andexpectations for its students, as well as the reasonsfor group or individual assignments. They also pro-vide families with an accurate portrait of studentprogress. They are able to offer parents suggestionson how to help students develop better learninghabits and skills, complete homework, set goals andimprove performance. As necessary, teachers may

0 The Standards

address other family needs by assisting them infinding additional resources and services outside theschool, such as health care and counseling.

Cultivating family interest extends beyond thetraditional classroom setting. To enhance studentprogress, teachers actively seek to involve families inevery aspect of the educational process.Collaboration

with families is an essential tool in providing stu-dents with the support, motivation and understanding

they desire and need. Teachers help establish av-enues for family input and involvement in the devel-opment of curriculum and school improvementplans. One promising approach is to have familiesparticipate in classroom activities such as computeror technology simulations. Through such participa-tion, families learn about often unfamiliar techniques

and processes which ultimately will help them under-

stand classroom expectations, content and activities.

Exemplary teachers keep families informed of theseavenues and encourage their participation. They also

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encourage their participation in school-wide pro-grams. Because parents are often unfamiliar withschool processes and policies, teachers help them un-

derstand them, thereby increasing the likelihood theywill remain involved in students' education.

Teachers also encourage support from. familiesin ways that help improve schools. Although inputand support on individual student or overall class-room issues are the primary role families playin schools, teachers also know the importance offamily and community involvement in the overallfunctioning of the school. Exemplary teachers seekparental support for their programs in terms of help-ing to evaluate current effectiveness and guide future

directions, and recognize that, particularly from thestandpoint of programs that are often neglectedand beleaguered, an active and involved parent com-munity can be the difference between a marginalprogram and a robust one.

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Epilogue

rfhese twelve standards provide a profile of exemplary vocational education teachers.While in sum they may seem extraordinarily demanding, every day they are upheld

by teachers like the ones who live in these pages, who are hard at work in our schools in-

spiring the nation's youth. Too many go unnoticed and unappreciated. National BoardCertification holds the potential to change this state of affairs.

These standards also promise to be a stimulus to self reflection on the part of teachers

at all levels of performance, a catalyst for a healthy debate and the forging of a new pro-fessional consensus on exemplary practice in this field. If these standards can advancethe conversation about excellence in teaching in these directions, they will provide animportant step toward satisfying the National Board's aim to improve student learning in

America's schools.

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0 Vocational Education Standards Committee

Michael J. Jensen - ChairApplied Technology TeacherCenter of Applied LearningPaonia High SchoolPaonia, Colorado

Phyllis A. Hudecki - Vice ChairAssociate DirectorNational Center for Research

in Vocational EducationUniversity of California

at BerkeleyBerkeley, California

Bettyanne BattistExecutive Director to the

PresidentNorthcentral Technical CollegeWausau, Wisconsin

Gary H. BeckDrafting TeacherBenson Polytechnic High SchoolPortland, Oregon

Gertrude M. BrownMedical Laboratory Assistant -

Applied Biology/ChemistryInstructor

Swenson Skills CenterPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

Jean Judith Luckner DoyleAdvertising Design TeacherVirginia Beach Vocational

Technical Education CenterVirginia Beach, Virginia

Paul F. ColeSecretary-TreasurerNew York State AFL-CIOAlbany, New York

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Mary Lee EdwardsHome Economics and Science

TeacherYates Central High SchoolYates Center, Kansas

Peter Olesen LundTechnology TeacherExeter Area Junior High SchoolExeter, New Hampshire

Richard L. LynchDirectorSchool of Leadership and

Lifelong LearningUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia

Tom O'BrienIndustrial Art TeacherOostburg High SchoolOostburg, Wisconsin

Marilyn RabyDirectorCurriculum ServicesSequioa Union High School DistrictRedwood City, California

Lawrence RosenstockExecutive DirectorRindge School of Technical ArtsCambridge, Massachusetts

Michael L. ScottAssociate Professor

and Program Coordinator,Technology Education

The Ohio State UniversityColumbus, Ohio

OVocational Education Standards Committee

Linda Ulrich-HagnerHome Economics TeacherKenmore West High SchoolKenmore, New York

Richard C. WeberAdjunct ProfessorDepartment of AgricultureNicholls State UniversityThibodaux, Louisiana

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Sylvia G. WoodBusiness and CareerEducation Teacher

Klein Intermediate SchoolHouston, Texas

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Vocational EducationDraft Standards Feedback Form

Name Title

School Name School District

School Address Phone

Home Address Phone

1. Age(s) of students taught

2. Total years of experience: in education teaching in current school

3. What is your highest earned degree?

4. Gender: Female Male

5. Ethnicity: African-American Asian/Pacific Islander Latino Native American

White Other [Specify]

6. Job description: Teacher Administrator Other [Specify]

7. Would you apply for this certificate if there were tangible benefits associated with it? N

Under what conditions, if any? Why or why not?

Please circle the appropriate number for each question.1=Strongly Disagree2=Disagree3=Neutral4=Agree5=Strongly Agree

This standarddescribes acritical aspectof accomplishedteaching practicewithin this field.

I feel confidentthat I could meetthis standard.

This standardis easilyunderstood.

Knowledge of Students Teachers are dedicated to advancing thelearning and well-being of all students. They personalize theirinstruction and apply knowledge of human development to bestunderstand and meet their students' needs.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Knowledge of Subject Matter Teachers command a core body ofgeneral vocational knowledge about the world of work in generaland the skills and processes that cut across industries, industryspecific knowledge, and a base of general academic knowledge.They draw on this knowledge to establish curricular goals, designinstruction, facilitate student leaming and assess student progress.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Learning Environment Teachers efficiently manage theirclassrooms and create an environment that fosters democraticvalues, risk taking and a love of leaming. In this environmentstudents develop knowledge, skills and confidence throughcontextualized learning activities, independent and collaborativelaboratory work, and simulated workplace experiences.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Advancing Knowledge of Vocational Subject Matter Teachersfoster experiential and performance-based student learning ofvocational subject matter by creating important, engaging activitiesfor students that draw upon an extensive repertoire of methods,strategies and resources. Their practice is also marked by theirability to productively integrate vocational and academic disciplines.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

- continued on other side -

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EST COPY AVAILABLE

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Vocational EducationDraft Standards Feedback Form

Please circle the appropriate number for each question.1=Strongly Disagree2=Disagree3=Neutral4=Agree5=Strongly Agree

This standarddescribes acritical aspectof accomplishedteaching practicewithin this field.

I feel confidentthat I could meetthis standard.

This standardis easilyunderstood.

Workplace Readiness Teachers develop student careerdecision-making and employability skills by creating opportunitiesfor students to gain understanding of workplace culturesand expectations.

,

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Managing and Balancing Multiple Life Roles Teachers developin students an understanding of the competing demands andresponsibilities that are part of the world of work, and guidestudents as they begin to balance those roles in their own lives.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Social Development Teachers develop in students self-awareness and confidence, character, leadership and soundpersonal, social and civic values and ethics.

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Assessment Educators utilize a variety of assessment methodsto obtain useful information about student learning anddevelopment, to assist students in reflecting on their ownprogress and to refine their teaching.

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Reflective Practice Teachers regularly analyze, evaluate andstrengthen the effectiveness and quality of their practice throughlife-long learning.

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Collaborative Partnerships Teachers work with colleagues, thecommunity, business and industry, and postsecondary institutionsto extend and enrich the learning opportunities available tostudents and to ease school to work transitions.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Contributions to Professional Community Teachers workwith their colleagues and with the larger professional communityboth to improve schools and to advance knowledge and practicein their field.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Family and Community Partnerships Teachers work withfamilies and communities to achieve common goals for theeducation of all students.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Please provide any additional comments below.Please return to: NBPTS / 1730 Rhode Island Avenue, NW / Suite 909 / Washington, DC 20036

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National Boardipl FOR PROFESSIONALVg TEACHING STANDARDS

26555 Evergreen Road / Suite 400 / Southfield, MI 48076 / 800-22-TEACH1730 Rhode Island Avenue, NW / Suite 909 / Washington, DC 20036 / 202-463-3980

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