Kelly Parrish – Page 7 – Apprentice Learning

June 27, 2014

I Got the Job!

Franchesca called full of excitement to share this news. It’s her first job and one that she worked to obtain by attending informational meetings, two interviews, and by following up weekly to make sure her application was on track.

The skills involved in each of these aspects of obtaining a job are an essential part of the Apprentice Learning experience. The world of work is more than showing up and shaking hands. It’s learning how to advocate for oneself and how to be persistent in the face of obstacles.

Franchesca is on her way to the Hyde Square Task Force as part of the youth leadership program, a competitive summer leadership program that will pay her a weekly salary. Participation extends into the academic school year and includes lots of related job opportunities throughout high school.

We are proud of Francescha and all of our Apprentices.

This year 88% will spend the summer before 9th grade engaged in some type of program or meaningful enrichment activity. This includes jobs, medical programs, academic programs, science and recreational camps. Experiences that will stem summer learning loss and offer meaningful relationships with adults and peers. These experiences are what help close the Opportunity Gap.

May 29, 2014

Don’t Lollygag

At Apprentice Learning, our mission states that we, “give apprentice students authentic opportunities to learn good habits of work, gain a better understanding of what it takes to succeed, and learn how to measure success in one’s chosen field.”

Apprentices have completed Spring apprenticeships, giving me pause to think about these authentic moments. When did I see them? When did Apprentices notice them? Are they carefully planned, haphazard, or do they occur as an integral part of an apprenticeship?

So we interviewed students. Here’s what one Apprentice picked up during her workplace experience, “Make sure you are good at the job, don’t lollygag, don’t sit in the corner, don’t use your phone when you are not supposed to, make sure you have your eyes open and you are doing the job right. If you mess up, apologize, and hopefully they will understand. Don’t be rude to your boss, that’s the main person who will give you a recommendation.”

Observation is such an important part of the learning process. We don’t want to discount what young people learn from what happens around them. It’s one of the most important reasons for having Apprentices travel to a workplace. Placing Apprentices in work environments where they observe adults who don’t “lollygag” helps reinforce these basic lessons that begin at at home and are reinforced at school, in our program, and in the workplace.

April 21, 2014

Needed in Education: Interesting Adults in the Workplace

An April article in The Atlantic magazine (“Don’t Help Your Kids With Their Homework,” Dana Goldstein) shares research on what types of parental involvement have an impact on academic achievement. Aside from reading aloud (good!) one practice stood out as particularly relevant: adult role models, especially those who have attended college and/or who are doing interesting professional work. These adults and the interactions they have with young people matter for their academic achievement.

“Robinson and Harris posit that greater financial and educational resources allow some parents to embed their children in neighborhoods and social settings in which they meet many college-educated adults with interesting careers. Upper-middle-class kids aren’t just told a good education will help them succeed in life. They are surrounded by family and friends who work as doctors, lawyers, and engineers and who reminisce about their college years around the dinner table.”

These conversations are at the heart of how children develop career aspirations at an early age. Having parents who are lawyers, technologists, or engineers means that children of these adults take college and professional success for granted: it’s normal.

And for those who have not attended college? It’s a different type of dinner table conversation. What are these young people taking for granted?

Apprenticeships can fill the gap. At Apprentice Learning, we create intentional relationships between a middle school student and an adult. Over an apprenticeship in the workplace, adults help a young person imagine themselves in their shoes. It’s powerful and something that is hard to teach in the classroom–or at home.

April 7, 2014

Valuing Know-How

How do we teach children to do? I was reminded of this lovely article by Addison Del Mastro. What are the skills that make us competent and self-sufficient? Have they changed with technology? Are we educating young people with this in mind?

Know-how is an old-fashioned sort of word. I associate it with my grandfather tinkering under the hood or with the creation story of the industrial United States. Know-how is making a come back! Certainly this is true in the world of computers. The skills for communication are accessible to larger numbers but require more technological knowledge of 2.1 navigation, design, photo imaging, multi-media usage and messaging. We all know those whom we turn to who are better skilled than others! This is also true in the kitchen and in growing food. Lots of people are taking the time to learn the skills required to be self-sufficient and to take pride in their work. Making cheese, pastry production and other highly specialized arts are more accessible to people who also may have a day job but who care about a doing work that is meaningful. Urban farming is another wonderful example of learning skills that have are well-regarding. And sharing know-how with others is happening more and more!

Addison is an intern at the Center for a New America Dream

February 12, 2014

Fewer Dropouts in High Schools

A new report from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education indicates that the high school dropout rate is decreasing across the state, and especially in urban areas. Last year, 5.9 percent of students quit school, representing 969 students out of 16,293, according to state data. This is down from 9.9% in 2005-2006.

That’s a big jump! Why?

The Boston Private Industry Council (PIC) played a significant role in helping young people stay in school with its innovative program, The Re-engagement Center. Another important element included connecting students to jobs and internships. These authentic learning experiences give credence to the value of a high school diploma and to the importance of a college education. Students, now employees, quickly learn the value of academic knowledge and good work habits that can be applied to the workplace.

Read the full article, “Stay in school efforts get high marks in Mass” in the Boston Globe.

Kudos to the staff at Boston’s PIC and the Re-engagement Center for their remarkable work in Boston and let’s not let up with our continued efforts to keep all students engaged and in school.

January 20, 2014

Using 8th Grade to Prepare for the Worst

Ninth graders have the lowest grade point average, the most missed classes, the majority of failing grades, and more misbehavior referrals than any other high school grade level. The 9th grade also has the highest enrollment rate in high schools, mainly due to the fact that approximately 22% of students repeat 9th-grade classes. This number can be even higher in large urban high schools.(McCallumore, Kyle Megan; Sparapani, Ervin F., October 2010, Educational Digest)

Exposure to work at a young age is thought to contribute to the focus and direction young people need to make decisions about their future life pathways. Working at an early age generates a set of additional and longer lasting benefits that are manifest in improved lifetime employment and earnings outcomes as well as improved educational attainment outcomes. (Signaling Success: Boosting Teen Employment Prospects, Commonwealth Corporation 2013)

Ninth grade as a critical year. More students fail ninth grade than any other grade in high school. While nationally, nearly one third of all high school students drop out before completing high school, 75% of students who fail one course in ninth grade will drop out of school before graduating.

There is an urgent need to prepare young people before high school and equipping students with a variety of opportunities to motivate them to succeed such as a part-time job, career goals and pathways, and caring adults who can advise and support them outside of school.

See additional data on the impact of ninth grade on high school dropout rates.

Read a recent article about the importance of 9th grade: Ninth grade: The Most Important Year in High School, The Atlantic, Nov 1 2013

November 4, 2013

E.O. Wilson: Advice to Young Scientists

“So swift is the velocity of the techno-scientific revolution, so startling in its countless twists and turns, that no one can predict its outcome even a decade from the present moment.”

E.O Wilson, the venerable scientist, has written a book aimed at young scientists to encourage them to delve deeply into the ever-changing mysteries of our civilization. Every citizen, every leader needs some understanding of scientific concepts, especially as our world grows more complex. How do we make science accessible? These questions inspire us to reach out to scientific organizations across the city for apprenticeships in their area of expertise.

Watch Professor Wilson’s inspiring TED Talk here: http://on.ted.com/Wilson2012

September 8, 2013

What the Job Creators Want

I came across an article by Evan Burfield in the Huffington Post. It was written a year ago and it still resonates, especially as Apprentice Learning begins Year 2. This week I am reaching out to businesses and organizations to identify placements for Apprentices from two Boston Public Schools, the Mission Hill School and the Boston Teachers Union School.

In securing Apprentice placements, it has been the entrepreneurs who have been the most open to mentoring young adolescents and teaching them about the world of work. Many want to support the young people in the educational pathway. See our Partners Page for a full listing.

Burfield’s article explains another aspect of those willing to invest precious time with 8th graders. It is the future: as Byfield states, “Startups need people who are constantly figuring things out on their own, learning from their peers, and reaching out to mentors for guidance rather than rote instruction. It’s not about what they know, it’s how they learn, think, and communicate.” These are precisely the skills Apprentices practice beforehand and on the job. The newest jobs require flexible thinking and broader skill sets. And many of these skills are best learned and practiced outside of the classroom.

This skill set must be good for business. Entrepreneurs who launched within the last five years are leading the way, part of the fast growing job sector in our new economy. These folks are the job creators. And they are wisely investing in the next generation of people who can get things done.

September 3, 2013

“Hands on as much as possible.”

In a NYTimes article today, “Expecting the Best Yields Results in Massachusetts”, researchers and teachers alike, agree that science education is much more effective using hands on experience. Hands on experience meant that students had to ‘explore and explain.’ After all, this mimics some of what science professionals do. One science educator describes their district’s approach, “hands on as much as possible.”

Apprentices at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering worked alongside of scientists and engineers learning science concepts. More importantly, they explored materials, asked questions, and shared ideas with science professionals. Apprentices at Wyss meant numerous engineering standards for the 8th graders. According to students, their apprenticeships offered a more complex and interesting view of science.

Watch our video on Apprentice reflections where science became a wider world of professional opportunities.

June 27, 2013

Our Pilot Year

With our pilot year concluding, we have much to celebrate. Apprentices gained poise and keen insights into workplace culture. Our Site Partners were unanimously positive in their feedback, noting that Apprentices arrived ready to go to work and exhibited a seriousness of purpose that belied their ages. And Apprentices have landed in highly selective jobs and summer programs!

It’s still a little early to know if we have helped students over the long term. One of our goals is that Apprentices will be successful in their ninth grade year in high school, typically the most treacherous year for becoming ‘off-track’ for graduation. But we are off to a strong start: seven students have been accepted to programs that combine academics and career interests. And will support them through high school.

Five Apprentices have been selected for Summer Science Academy, at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a paid summer internship where students explore science topics while working in various hospital departments. Two Apprentices have been accepted with full scholarships to MassArt’s program, ArtWard Bound, a four-year college preparatory program that combines academics and study of the arts. And, four students applied to ABCD Summerworks jobs program and will be notified this week if they have been selected from the lottery for paid summer jobs. The remaining students have summer plans that include residential summer camps, academic programs, or family travel. All Apprentices will move into high school next year with a career portfolio and a sense of their own work competencies.

All of our Site Partners expressed an interest in hosting an Apprentice next year.