Jim Nebeker

I had an interesting thought. Any major life changes can trigger any form of trauma. For example, uprooting the family to move to another state can be traumatic to teens. They now face the daunting task of making new friends, mourn the loss of their friends back home, get used to a new culture (every state has their own). Although I haven't experienced any form of abuse, I did experience some major changes which appear to have resulted in some of the somatic responses outlined in the lesson.

I've personally experienced some of the behaviors mentioned in the lesson, but can't recall if they are due to any specific type of truama. I'm certain that the misinterpretation of certain behaviors can go both ways. Maybe the behavior is tied to other issues (i.e., learning disabilities, laziness). As teachers we need to remember that it is not our place to make a diagnosis, but we can report troublesome behaviors that can be addressed by trained professionals.

I'm happy to hear that there are a number of resources out there for new CTE teachers. I have been concerned about the amount of work that needed to be done for the school year and, with only 2 months before the new school year begins, I am going to need help from an advisory board and especially a mentor. It's only hard the first few times, and with time and experience I can be a mentor for a new teacher too.

Recognizing that I am coming from a professional career in business, but I'm essentially starting over in a new career as a CTE teacher is comforting. I'm excited for the opportunity to teach in the public schools, but switching over from a peer experience to a teacher/student relationship was creating some anxiety with the start of the school year right around the corner. We're all new at something, and knowing this makes me feel more comfortable with my learning process as a new teacher.

I loved learning more about student engagement techniques, especially when it comes to their assessments! I plan to utilize the ideas presented in this module as part of my lesson development and execution. CTE is exciting stuff!

A very important part of student engagement in CTE is "Show, don't tell". Students typically do not like to sit in a classroom listening to someone lecturing - they want to be shown and then be able to duplicate and understand the concepts taught. This involves more of a true learning experience vs. memorization. Just because you know the correct answers doesn't mean you can churn out the proper results when tasked with a project.

As a new instructor in CTE: Business, I began to consider ways to teach and reenforce many of the 21st century employability skills in the classroom. Some of them, like showing up on time, respecting colleagues and management, and critical thinking are some that are already expected within the school. Show up to class on time and ready to learn, respect your peers and teachers, etc. One that I feel would be more difficult, especially in the secondary school environment is dressing appropriately. In the business setting there is professional dress, business casual, and just plain casual. Most students may… >>>

I'm excited about the teaching possibilities that each of the learning domains offer. This is very important to student engagement which can lead to achievement in CTE and into post secondary learning. Can't wait to get started!

I have a better understanding of the part CTE plays in promoting effective learning and making it possible for students to transition into post secondary education and the workplace. Who wouldn't be excited about the prospects of CTE? Wish it would have been in place when I was in high school.