By: Vickie Hoffman, Triad Local Schools Superintendent
The current pandemic has been stressful on all entities; families, students, schools, and businesses. Despite the negativity and loss associated with COVID-19, Triad Local Schools is pleased with the focus and intentionality around technology. Integrating technology and 21st century learning has been a focus in recent years, but the pandemic propelled our staff’s utilization of programming, as well as, the effectiveness of technology use in regard to student achievement. It was amazing how quickly our staff became experts of their technology-based classrooms. The vast change in instructional delivery made me begin thinking…. If our staff can shift their mindset of what education looks like in just nine months, what could/would classrooms look like in the years to come?
Student internships, shadowing, and work experiences have always been a challenge in rural school settings. There are always local opportunities available for students to participate in, however, how does this challenge that status quo for what has always been done in certain communities? Students who come from homes of manufacturers see these opportunities available on a regular basis, but what about the student interested in the arts who has dreams of going to New York City to live a different type of experience than they are used to in their local communities? What about the student who is passionate about living in a big city and wants to work in an investment firm in Chicago? Our rural students have opportunities to Skype, video chat, etc. with people in these fields, but actually getting to experience these settings is out of the question for so many. Education in the future will not be bound by experiences that are nearby, but changes in transportation and technology will allow students to experience a world they never thought possible. We always tell our kids to dream bigger and set goals but for some, these dreams seem out of reach and unattainable. The possibility of a hyperloop allowing travel to Chicago, New York City, or really, wherever, within a small amount of time allows these dreams to become more of a reality.
Knowing about this exciting potential for the future, it is important to start thinking about expanding student opportunities for job exploration through internships and job shadowing now. There are currently many barriers that restrict the number of students that get this kind of life-altering experience but we know how impactful this kind of exposure can be. At our high school, they recently started a Transformation Team that will begin looking at ways to expose our students to pathways and other career exploration opportunities. In five years that team will take the great things already happening and intertwine the new things that our staff and students see as important next steps.
If our staff can change their whole educational approach in just nine months, it is exciting to think about the opportunities that could be available to our students years from now. In the meantime, we hope to always think outside of the box and provide opportunities that allow our students to dream big and strive to pursue their goals near and far. The possibility of being able to expose students to different career fields is exciting to think about and I only hope that I get to see this type of experience come to fruition in my career.