SCHOOL TO WORK TRANSITION.   Term Paper ID:20851 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Evolution of education to greater emphasis on vocational guidance, career planning, gifted & disabled students, social skills, gender issues.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Evolution of education to greater emphasis on vocational guidance, career planning, gifted & disabled students, social skills, gender issues. Paper Introduction: School to Work Transition Not all teaching philosophies would lead us to believe that there is a relationship between education and work. The traditional philosophies of idealism and realism that in the past influenced the content and methods prevalent in the schools emphasized truths other than the world of work--concepts of ideological consistency and the laws of physical nature. However, in recent decades teachers and parents have required a closer relationship between what is taught in the schools and its usefulness in life after school. This attitude toward the purposes of education is more in line with the philosophy of existentialism, which assists educational professionals in the challenging task of aiding students to find their place in relation to society (McNeil & Wiles, 1990, p. 60). Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. A thoughtful overview of giftededucation. Adult students with learningdisabilities came to be included in the population that was served, in aneffort to increase the employability of this special population. This occupational segregationis one of the most important labor and social issues of the 198 s and 199 sand deserves the urgent attention of anyone concerned with appropriatetransition from school to work. It was not known from this study conducted by Montague whether therewould be efficient transfer of the learned skills in the job situation.Other researchers working on this same question have found that, ingeneral, the beneficial social skills are more generalized if there isprovided actual practice in real-life environments. If one takes theexistential point of view of writer and philosopher Marilyn Ferguson,education in the new paradigm is seen to be a life-long process onlytangentially related to the schools (198 , p. F. 285). 47).They concluded that learning disabled students who attended vocationaleducation programs while in school were slightly more likely to be workingafter graduation, but answers to this transition challenge prove to becomplex and not completely definitive. Transition from school to work was greatly aided by one programdesigned to teach students specific social skills that are important ingetting along at work. This work did,however, show that there was a direct relationship between vocationaleducation and employment itself. Many preschool and kindergarten educational materials arestereotyped, and it is difficult for young girls to learn the wide range ofwork options available to them. Exceptional Children, pp. Social skills trainingat the job site seems to be the most effective. Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.McNeil, J. 47-59.----------------------- 1 It has been found that a large component in the adjustment of thelearning disabled person to successful work is the thorough knowledge ofone's own disability. Challenges sometimes arose because the work supervisor was moreinterested in work productivity than the learning of social skills. In these excruciating difficult processes, gifted and talentedteachers are best, if they are available, because only they can identifywith the problems of making choices among all positive options. Los Angeles: J. 125). In those situations he needed either a note-takeror a tape recorder, and with that assistance could go over the instructionslater in his own way. In past decades it was often assumed that women wouldprobably not work outside of the home unless their husbands died or becameunable to work for some reason. A career guidance modelfor adolescents with learning disabilities. Tarcher, Inc.McClure, A. 291). (198 ). In 1983 Super developed a career assessment modelwhich encompassed a rather wide range of career readiness competencies,primarily intended for use by school counselors who work with learningdisabled secondary students. The concerns in this area of right work for women requires deepexamination of attitudes and curriculum materials starting at quite a youngage. There are the basic philosophical questions thatcannot be avoided. By the early 198 sdistributive education had become even more comprehensive, includingprograms in advertising; apparel and accessories; automotive work;marketing services; finance and credit; food marketing and service; generalretailing; hardware and building materials; farm and garden businesses;home furniture; industrial materials handling; travel services; smallbusiness management; transportation industry; and warehouse wholesaling(McClure, Chrisman, & Mock, 1985, p. (1985). These differences between a vocationalviewpoint and a liberal philosophical viewpoint have not yet been resolved. Researchers have found that social skills are the highestdetermination factor for success in work, especially for learning disabledyouth. Those in aprofessional position to guide students in their efforts to adjust to theworld of working after leaving school must accept the gravity of theresponsibility of their influence. F., Chrisman, J. These students who have a wide range of various capabilitiesoften do not know how to make decisions in regard to their future. The traditional philosophies ofidealism and realism that in the past influenced the content and methodsprevalent in the schools emphasized truths other than the world of work--concepts of ideological consistency and the laws of physical nature.However, in recent decades teachers and parents have required a closerrelationship between what is taught in the schools and its usefulness inlife after school. 122). This confusion and oftenresulting isolation from peers makes the career choice a poignant andpainful challenge because for the highly gifted, career choice meansexcluding various options--not doing something in favor of doing somethingelse. Should career education provide a student with specificskills or a broad, humanistic understanding of work? Aside from the special populations of the disabled or the gifted, sex-role issues have come to be recognized as significant in the transitionfrom school to work. 336-345.Eby, J. E., Jr. D., & Wiles, J. In 1971 the concept of exploring the world of work as a part ofschooling was given a new name by Dr. Sidney P. This rather sophisticated approachincludes a thorough examination of the student's attitudes in the areasthat will influence his probable success in chosen work--locus of control,self-esteem, and future goals. This learning gave him a strong feeling ofempowerment in his life and on the job (Ryan & Price, 1992, p. (1992, February).Simulated and In Situ vocational social skills training for youths withlearning disabilities. Thefact that they can do something is not a valid reason for a career choicebecause they are able to do many things. 6 ). Decisions regarding transition from school to work are not simple.As mentioned before, such concerns relate to the most central questionsabout the nature and purpose of the educational process. The Aquarian conspiracy: Personal and socialtransformation in the 198 s. (199 ). In particular, the transition from school to work has been aformidable challenge for the learning disabled students and teachers whoattempt to assist them. ReferencesAmerican Vocational Association, Inc. 131). Shapiro and Lentz identified that the effort to facilitate thetransition from school to work has been noted as a major priority by theOffice of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (1991, p. W., & Smutny, J. F., & Horn, E. 17). This may be true, but often psychologically, great support is needed.Highly gifted and talented students may be interested in a large number ofdifferent areas and can benefit from practical exposure and real-worldexperiences in a variety of settings to determine what might be the mostsatisfying. For the majority, the occupations chosen after graduationwere not related to their interests, and income levels were only at minimumwage or slightly higher (Shapiro & Lentz, 1991, p. Another theme in the 196 s and 197 s was a trend called "distributiveeducation." This term was applied to cooperative arrangements betweenschools and businessmen who were interested in the education of youth.Small owner-operated stores, large retail chains, and merchant associationsgave high school students hands-on experiences in varied aspects ofretailing, wholesaling, supervision, and support which proved to be quitepractical for application after graduation. The essentials of teaching:Decisions, plans, methods. Theunfortunate result of this change was a growing dissatisfaction with work.Job development had not kept up with the rising expectations and increasededucational background of the workers, and many Americans found themselvesreduced to boredom in mass production jobs (McClure, Chrisman, & Mock,1985, p. The specialty of vocational education as we know it today arose inthe 196 s and 197 s in connection with federal legislation and amendmentswhich provided for vocational education in the secondary schools.Additionally, public and state agencies have become active in the fundingand administration of vocational policies, partly to decreasediscrimination of various kinds, and partly to provide in greater measurefor persons with disabilities. Such awareness enables the student to make practicaladjustments to the demands of work that increase the likelihood of success. Appropriate and stimulating role modelsmay be scarce, and responsible teachers and administrators might make ittheir business to bring into the classroom successful women who areemployed in non-traditional jobs that would prove appealing to girls of allages. E. Adults with LD in the199 s. According to his basic plan, the typicalstudent would examine basic occupation types during the elementary grades,particular job clusters in junior high, and learn specific skills and jobtypes in high school. Adults and thechanging workplace. Super's four-phase approach includes parents in the evaluationprocess of gathering general information, assessment of specific careerinterests, determination of a specific career focus, and final review andfollowup (Biller & Horn, 1991, p. S., & Lentz, F. The nature of work itself may come intoquestion, especially for the most competent student, and this questioningis to be welcomed. Unfortunately the types of jobs andlevels of earning do not match well with the training and incomeaspirations. 59). (1985). He also found that he had trouble sequencinginformation and did better if it was given to him in very small bits. G., & Price, L. (199 ). New York: Longman.Ferguson, M. Another study designed to teach students social skills relevant tooccupational situations directed attention to asking for help, acceptingcriticism, apologizing, and persuading others. Vocational-technical programs: Follow-up of students with learning disabilities.Exceptional Children, pp. Various different types of enrichment programs and mentoropportunities can support the gifted student who is trying to determine thebest place to focus in the world after school (Eby & Smutny, 199 , p. (1992, September). 9). 165). It was found that the students could learn therequired behaviors, but not always was it easy to apply them in the workcontext. Career education became a popular educational concept, although it isnot without critics. Education forwork: The historical evolution of vocational and distributive educationin America. 339). One such person found that he could not process instructions that weregiven to him verbally. Along with the general concern of career education, greater emphasishas been placed upon practical career assistance for students withdisabilities. During the last three decades, 6 percent ofthe nation's new workers have been women (American Vocational Association,1985, p. The term "transition" was first applied to the fields of special andvocational education in the mid-198 s. Under this plan students would be prepared to enterwork after graduation or pursue areas of chosen study at the post-secondarylevel. 211), and the earnings of these women are crucial to a decentstandard of living for their families. It is not knownwhy there is so little relationship between the students' interests andskills and what they are able to find in actual employment. Intervention in School and Clinic, 28 (1), 6- 2 ).Shapiro, E. With the social changes of the 196 s and197 s, this has all changed. Hefound that with specific assistance on the exact behaviors that weredifficult he could practice them, learn them, and use them in school and insuccessful employment. This program, developed by Clement-Heist, Siegel,and Gaylord-Ross, taught students specific behaviors such as making eyecontact, asking for information, giving instructions, and handling aconflict (1992, p. Arlington, Virginia: Yearbook of the AmericanVocational Assocation.Biller, E. Marland, Jr., the UnitedStates commissioner of education at the time. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.Ryan, A. The School Counselor, 38,279-286.Clement-Heist, K., Siegel, S., & Gaylord-Ross, R. At the other end of the ability scale, students who are gifted oftenneed assistance in transition from school to work and for quite differentreasons. P. Should careereducation prepare him for a specific job or for a general grasp of what itis to be a part of the economy? Often this special segment of students is forgotten in career educationbecause it is assumed that they will do well, no matter what the situation. R., & Mock, P. (1991, March). School to Work Transition Not all teaching philosophies would lead us to believe that there isa relationship between education and work. It was found that theinstructional techniques that worked best as a part of this trainingpackage were modeling, verbal rehearsal, visualization, cueing, feedback,and active role-playing (Clement-Heist, Siegel, Gaylord-Ross, 1992, p.337). (1991, September). This concern came about as a result of thenation's shift from an agrarian society to an industrial society. Section5 4 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 enabled many colleges anduniversities to offer direct support for students with learningdisabilities (Ryan & Price, 1992, p. Marland termed thisviewpoint "career education" and became its most avid proponent (McClure,Chrisman, & Mock, 1985, p. This attitude toward the purposes of education is morein line with the philosophy of existentialism, which assists educationalprofessionals in the challenging task of aiding students to find theirplace in relation to society (McNeil & Wiles, 199 , p. Unfortunately, nearly 8 percent ofthe women workers are employed in the lowest-paying occupations--clerical,sales, service, and unskilled factory jobs. As at other levels, thetransition from post-secondary settings into the world is the focus.Examples of useful skills that facilitate this process are everything frombalancing a checkbook to asking for a promotion in the workplace. 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