February 5-9, 2007 COOL Week is a structured, weeklong,
work based experience for all 12th grade students in Leander ISD.
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Goals
Students:
- understand that what they are learning in school is used in the work place.
- apply skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving and communication throughout the week's activities.
- learn how specific occupations are performed and become aware of the aptitudes, education, and training required to be successful in those occupations.
- make informed career decisions based on actual work experience.
Students in the 12th grade spend a full week on location. On Monday the business or organization personnel provide them the opportunity to fill out an application and undergo a practice interview. The application and the interview are critiqued to identify where improvement is needed and to reinforce positive actions.
Students receive an orientation to the business or agency and are presented with a project/problem to research or solve during the week. To facilitate the problem solving process, students work in teams of three or four. Once assigned the project/problem, the teams are assigned to departments or individual to job shadow, to learn about that department's part in solving the problem, and to develop possible solutions to the problem. As much as possible, students are given hands-on experience to enhance learning. The more realistic the project/problem, the more productive the experience is for the business and meaningful to the student.
On Friday, students are given the opportunity to prepare their proposals and to present their ideas to employees of the business. We provide students with a journal to log daily activities, take notes, and reflect on their experience.
Required activities
Student completes employment application.
Practice interview and critique.
Orientation to business or agency.
Assignment of project/problem to the student teams.
Job shadow.
Oral presentation of project/solution to problem by student teams.
Program evaluation.
Suggested activities
Instruction on how to complete employment application.
Field experiences (off site visits when applicable).
Rotation through different departments to gain as much exposure to the business as possible.
Students attend relevant meetings.
Practical hands-on activities.
Dates
COOL Week for the 2006-2007 school year will be during the week of February 5-9, 2007.
Contact
Cedar Park High School: Pat Pewthers 435-8342 or email
pat.pewthers@leanderisd.org