MBA Research partners with state Career Technical Education (CTE) Directors to provide resources for schools that help build high-quality business programs preparing learners with the skills and knowledge needed for success in the workplace.
By nature, educators are deeply attuned to the needs of their learners—and often even the needs of their families. But these days, many educators are navigating how to respond to the often-increased needs and greater numbers of crises within (and sometimes outside of) their classroom ecosystems. Where is the game plan for—as we are frequently reminded—these unprecedented times?
Recently, I heard a story on NPR’s StoryCorps. Tesia Williams tells the story of being a first-generation college student intent on making her family proud of her work at the Pentagon. When the Pentagon was struck on 9/11, she ran outside with her colleagues. She described how several of her colleagues then reentered the Pentagon to help rescue others, but she did not. Tesia described feeling frozen and in shock, with her feet rooted firmly to the ground. She said that for years she felt ashamed of her lack of action.
On the podcast, Tesia was sharing this personal story with her adopted daughter, Mikayla. Tesia explained that those events were what laid the foundation for her decision to adopt Mikayla and her younger sister. She said that when she got news that a good friend had passed away, leaving two girls orphaned, Tesia recognized that moment as her time to “step in”—to become unfrozen, to take action.
Educators don’t have time to freeze, or even slow down. They have to keep moving—and it’s our job to help them. It’s our moment to provide the tools educators need to make differences every day in the lives of their students. This, in turn, will help shape the next generation into well-rounded, productive citizens of the world.
One way that state CTE leaders can help educators respond in an ever-increasingly complicated world is to provide them with curriculum—a plan of action—that helps learners develop a framework for choosing between right and wrong, responsible and irresponsible, ethical and unethical. Developing an ethical framework, as well as ethical leadership skills, can help learners establish sound footing, refocus, and move forward in this increasingly complex world. These ethics-related skills cross all industry sectors and provide an opportunity for CTE to assume a leadership role in delivering ethics-based education. Over one million students world-wide have been exposed to these materials!
Take a look at MBA Research’s free ethics education materials at the middle school, high school, and community college levels. We have resources with ready-made, ready-to-teach lesson plans that allow teachers to spend less energy developing lessons and more energy guiding students to recognize their full potential and embrace a future of limitless opportunity.
Holly Atha, President/CEO, MBA Research & Curriculum Center
Tags: 21st Century Skills, CTE Fall Meeting, curriculum, Sponsor