Planning - Real World Learning

Interview and Resume Workshop

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Planning Guide Select where you are in your real world learning journey.

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Getting Started

Set your goals and understand your commitment.

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Finding Partners

Who from the real world will interact with your students?

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Preparing

What do you need to be ready to launch?

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Launching

Connect your students with real world learning experiences.

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Following Up

How will you follow up with everyone after the experience?

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Reflecting

Did you achieve your goals?

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Getting Started

Understand goals and commitments

Write down your vision and identify student learning goals for the interview event. Use the RWL Activity Planning Worksheet

Determine when to conduct the event(s) in your scope and sequence

Contact your school guidance counselors, college and career services at your district or a local college to help find organizations and individuals who could serve as the expert in residence

Contact your school administration/district to clarify any special clearances you need for students or partners to participate in this activity

Tips

  • Decide how you want to structure this activity. Will you need multiple partners? Will students work in small groups or individually?
  • Identify the specific topic or project the partner(s) will provide feedback on
  • Ask your colleagues for successful partners from the past

Supporting materials that can help

a document

RWL Activity Planning Worksheet

A blank worksheet designed to plan the activity

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Finding Partners

Who from the real world will interact with your students?

Reach outreach to personal contacts, organizations and colleges to identify partner(s)

Identify potentials partners, collect their contact information and create a spreadsheet with this information

Draft email outlining the opportunity and expectations

Send an email with your request and interest (see Partner Invitation Email)

Share any background check/clearance information required by the school with partner(s), if applicable

Confirm partner(s) participation (see Sample Confirmation Email)

Tips

  • Market this opportunity to 1-2 companies/organizations. The opportunity could be a company-wide volunteer opportunity, depending on expertise requirements

Supporting materials that can help

a document

Confirmation Email

Use this template to confirm partner(s)

a document

Partner Invitation Email

Use this template to invite partner(s)

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Preparing

What do you need to be ready to launch?

Schedule a call with the partner(s) to answer questions and review expectations (see Feedback Tips)

Share resources with students and partners to norm on expectations

Send school media waiver to the partner(s), so you can take photos and share your classroom experience

Arrange a location for the feedback session(s) that has proper space and seating for students and partners to collaborate. Alternatively if partners participate virtually, secure computers and ensure internet access.

Design an execution plan to coordinate a flow for the event:

  • Assign students to partners
  • Create a rotation order (if applicable)
  • For in-person opportunities, print any student materials and evaluation rubrics for discussion
  • For video conferencing opportunities, ensure partners and students can access files online
  • Stations for student prep and post meeting work (if applicable)

Conduct lesson(s) with the students to prepare them for working with the partner. This should take 1-2 class periods and teaches students how to ask for and integrate feedback (see Sample Lesson Plan)

Optionally provide students with bios of partners as homework ahead of the feedback session(s)

Have students identify the specific feedback they need to improve their project or writing. This can be based on rubrics, your feedback, or both. Record these responses on a spreadsheet to share with partners ahead of the feedback sessions

Draft thank you email to partner(s)

Draft survey for partner(s) (see Partner Survey Questions)

Create student reflection (see Student Reflection)

Ensure appropriate school staff know that there will be guests in the building and how to greet and direct them upon arrival

Tips

  • If you don’t have time to do multiple “training” calls for partners consider doing a pre-recorded intro and schedule 30-minute Q & A calls.

Supporting materials that can help

a pdf

Sample Job Shadow Lesson Plan

You may choose to use this sample lesson to ensure students get the most out of job shadow opportunities

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Launching

Connect your students with real world learning experiences.

Arrange the room that you will be using to allow for direct work between the student and partners. If the experience is online, ensure A/V works and that students have a secure way to connect to partners.

Greet partners 15-30 minutes before the feedback session(s). If online, consider logging onto the video conferencing software with partners ahead of time.

Ensure administrators and front office staff are aware that there will be visitors and there are directions on what to do when they arrive if partners will be in person

Introduce the partners and students

Follow through on the execution plan to ensure students and partners are working together as determined in advance

Take pictures and videos to document the event

Tips

  • If there is a project culminating event make sure to invite partners

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Following Up

How will you follow up with everyone after the experience?

Send a thank you email to the partners on behalf of yourself and the class. Share partner survey (see Partner Survey Questions)

Have students write personal thank you notes sharing how they benefited from the experience

Reach out to anyone else who helped in arranging the partners to update them on the event and thank them for their assistance

Tips

  • Close the email with a reference to the future - leaving the door open to more interactions
  • Have students write personal thank you notes sharing how they benefited from the experience. Students can also share finalized work products.
  • Administer partner survey online (using Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or a similar tool) and include with your follow up thank you email
  • Have students write about their experiences and share with the local community or arrange interviews with the local newspaper and media outlets

Supporting materials that can help

a document

Partner Survey

Sample language and questions to include in your partner survey

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Reflecting

Did you achieve your goals?

Reflect with students on the overall experience: the class, the partners and their learning (see Student Reflection)

Reflect on your own experience with the feedback session goals, planning and partners (see Teacher Reflection)

Create a blog post or write up about the experience to share with your district

Tips

  • Share your story. It will help spread good ideas and gain support from others. You can blog about it, share it at a faculty meeting, send out a press release, etc.

Supporting materials that can help

a document

Student Reflection

A sample reflection sheet to use after an event

a document

Teacher Reflection

A sample reflection sheet to use after an event

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Find a Partner

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Preparing

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Launching

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Following Up

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Reflecting

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