Local Economy

I wouldn’t blame you if you read the word “economy” in the title to this post and wondered if you could handle any more depressing economy news at this point; thanks for reading on. I’m actually referring to the makeup of your local economy. What industries keep your area afloat? Another way to ask the question is who are the largest employers in your area? They might be the food processing plant, the hospital, lumber yard, grain co-op, insurance agency or university. Whatever, or whoever they are, it’s worth knowing for at least three good reasons.

1. Many of your students’ parents probably are employed by them.
2. These are the jobs currently available to students who stay in the community.
3. These are the jobs available to you in the area should you leave your current profession.

Let’s assume number three isn’t relevant at this point. Look at the first two as your ticket to relevant examples to draw from. When we connect and apply concepts to students in their world, we make learning more impactful. Next time you prep to teach a new skill or concept, do a little homework and provide examples of the careers in your area that apply it regularly. You can begin setting up a chart of your local examples similar to Relevant Classroom’s Making the Connection Charts provided in the My Career Kit user’s guides. Challenge yourself to provide at least two local, applied examples in your current units.

Career Development Tip for January 15, 2009