Project: Contextual Connections
Professional Development Provider Organization:
South King County Tech Prep Consortium
12401 SE 320th Street
Auburn, WA 98092
Contact: Arlene McCollum (253) 833-9111 x2583
Vision and Goals:
The vision for Contextual Connections is to expand the South King County
Tech Prep Consortium's nationally recognized Workplace Applications Program. The program
connects educators with the workplace, helps educators create contextual lessons based on
industry issues and processes, and aligns lessons with state Essential Academic Learning
Requirements. Each participating organization has a strong initiative, and inter-team
collaboration the regional consortium to build capacity for initiatives such as
locally-derived standards and peer coaching.
Participating Institutions:
| Auburn High School 800 Fourth Street Northeast Auburn, WA 98002-5018 Phone: (253) 931-4719 FAX: (253) 931-4701 |
Enumclaw High School 226 Semanski Street South Enumclaw, WA 98022 Phone: (360) 825-2585 |
| Tahoma High School P.O. Box 710 Maple Valley, WA 98038 Phone: (425) 432-4484 FAX: (425) 432-8977 |
Federal Way High School 30611 Sixteenth Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003 Phone: (253) 945-5400 FAX: (253) 945-5454 |
Summary of Project Activities:
Teams involved in Contextual Connections will define a pathway or area
of interest, and then educators will spend a minimum of two weeks visiting businesses or
community-based organizations engaged in the related pathway. Educators will become
oriented to the workplace by interviewing and shadowing employees, supervisors, managers,
shop stewards, and others. After the orientation period, educators will complete projects
at the workplace, and begin developing CTL experiences for students. The CTL experiences
will be aligned with Washington's Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs).
Business partners will continue their linkage to educators by becoming involved in
curriculum development, implementation, and student evaluation.
Educator learning will be supported through peer coaching. All participants will be
trained as peer coaches and then will observe and provide feedback on peers' CTL plans.