UGDSB teachers focus on student transitions and success at PD event
November 21, 2016
GUELPH, Ontario – “What do you want to do after high school?” It’s a question that students are asked repeatedly. But once you have that answer, the question becomes, “How do you get there?”
On Monday, around 100 teachers from Upper Grand District School Board elementary and secondary schools came together for a day dedicated to students’ transitions throughout and following high school.
The event, “Creating Pathways to Success – Supporting Students in Their Transitions,” was hosted by the board’s Student Success Team, which works to help all students build a promising future for themselves.
The day began with a keynote from Ryan Porter, Founder and CEO of Raise Your Flag, a group that works to connect youth to employers are meaningful career paths.
Porter focused his talk on the students who graduate high school and don’t go to university or college. Nearly half, 45%, of all students leave high school and enter directly into the workforce, he said. And that’s a large part of the student population that may not have their needs addressed by systems set up to support the transition from high school to post-secondary education.
Porter said it isn’t a problem when students leave high school and head straight to the workforce. What’s a problem is when we think it’s a problem.
He encouraged educators to help students gain meaningful work experiences, meaningful co-op placements and connect them to people within the workforce who took a path other than post-secondary.
The event also featured representatives from the employment sector, colleges and universities. Teachers attended breakout sessions focused on student planning and transitions.
Porter’s breakout session introduced them to online resources and tools to help students gain meaningful work experience and work toward their career goals.
A session from MyBlueprint showcased recent upgrades and improvements made to the tool. MyBlueprint is an education planner used in the UGDSB that helps teachers, students and counsellors plan for courses, post-secondary education, and career pathways.
The UGSDB’s Melissa McDowall and Ben McCabe led teachers through a session on transitions for students – from grade 6 to grade 7, grade 8 to secondary school, and transitioning after graduation.
One of the goals of the day was to look at how educators can better prepare students for the transition into the workplace and familiarize teachers with the high quality programs available to students in UGDSB schools.
The UGDSB has numerous programs available that help students gain meaningful work experience, including the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Dual Credit and Co-op.
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For more information:
Heather Loney, Communications and Community Engagement Officer
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
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