At a Glance
In each program of study at Greene County Career Technology Center, students use academic journals at the beginning and/or the end of class in order to make full use of the instructional time and to improve numeracy and literacy skills.
Overview
Greene County Career and Technology Center (GCCTC) is a comprehensive career and technical school serving students from five school districts in Greene County. At GCCTC, students in each program of study use journals in order to improve literacy and numeracy skills. Journals in each program have unique writing prompts and numeracy problems to be addressed by students at the beginning of the class before all students arrive, or at the end of the class when students dismiss at different times due to varying sending school schedules.
With the help of academic teachers, writing prompts and math application problems were developed specific to each program. The journals are updated on a monthly basis to align the CTE subject matter with academic content. Literacy and numeracy prompts come from curriculum maps designed by program instructors. At times, journal math problems act as an introduction to the math that students will be expected to use in the program of study. Program instructors note that taking the time to introduce and teach the academic content ensures a smoother transition when teaching the technical content.
In addition to strengthening academic skills, this activity ensures students are engaged in learning at the beginning of each session before all sending schools have arrived and at the end of the session as students are dismissed at staggering times. This strategy makes use of 100 percent of the instructional time while providing an activity to increase literacy and numeracy of students
Origin / Implementation
GCCTC implemented this initiative in the 2011-12 school year in an effort to reduce lost instructional time due to the staggered starting and stopping times for each session based on the sending school districts bus schedules. Instructors have found that journaling makes great use of each students time while enabling teachers to integrate literacy and numeracy skills that the students need to be successful in the program of study.
Results / Impact
Journaling ensures that that teachers are making full use of the instructional time despite varying student arrival and departure times. Instructors have also noted that since implementing the use of journals, students need less academic remediation when the CTE content is being taught.
Contact
Greene County Career and Technology Center
Karen Pflugh, Administrative Director
Email: kpflugh@grvt.org