LANSING – More master craftsmen could teach in K-12 schools and certified teachers could count efforts to incorporate career and technical education into their classrooms under a package of bills discussed in the House Workforce and Talent Development Committee on Tuesday.
All involved made clear that the bills are intended as a starting point for discussions to further enhance vocational education in the schools.
Among the provisions of the package (HB 5129, HB 5140, HB 5141, HB 5142 and HB 5145) that drew some mixed reception was including some career education as early as kindergarten.
Rep. Daire Rendon (R-Lake City), sponsor of HB 5139, said career education efforts need to start as soon as kindergarten because “that’s when a child’s natural interest in the world around them is really piqued.”
But Rep. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) warned that students that young can also be easily misled about the values of certain careers. “I would be cautious about being too didactic in how we navigate our (young elementary students) toward careers,” she said.
Teachers would be encouraged to bring career education into their own classrooms by having those efforts count toward the continuing education credits needed to renew their licenses under HB 5145.
Teachers from Northwest Community Schools in Jackson County outlined the work they do to encourage career education.
Tina Delbridge, an eighth grade teacher at Kidder Middle School, said her classes do career exploration, including a single day visit to both a college and a manufacturer.
“To work on curriculum, we really aren’t given much time,” she said. “Finding people who can help and networking in the community is essential.”
Abby Tanner, a high school history teacher, has also taken on the task of a career fair at Northwest High School.
“Kids aren’t self-identifying to be the people to go into these trades,” Tanner said. “Part of that is because we’re not offering those things in high school.”
She said she spends some 50 hours, on top of her other work, in putting the fair together and convincing business leaders to attend and present.
She said it would help to have that time count toward her continuing education.
Rep. Leslie Love (D-Detroit) agreed that the state was asking much of teachers, but she and others questioned what standards would apply to using the time. She also questioned why the tasks were not being moved to school counselors, especially with the recent legislation requiring that they have training in career counseling.
“If I’m a history teacher, I’m a specialist in teaching history,” Love said. “I would like to see our counselors have these responsibilities.”
Love also questioned whether there would be state standards under HB 5141 and HB 5142 that would allow districts to hire experts in career fields to teach courses in those fields.
“It’s important that you not only know your subject, but that you know how to teach your subject,” she said.
The committee is planning at least one more day of testimony on the bills next week, said Rep. Ben Frederick (R-Owosso), chair of the committee.
This story was published by Gongwer News Service.
