Child Development & Education is a part of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) program at Washougal High School
Washougal High School students in the Child Development & Education course are gaining hands-on job experience by assisting in classrooms at Gause Elementary School. The innovative program exposes Washougal High School students to possible career paths in the education field while earning high school and college credits.
“Students learn highly transferable skills in this class,” said Washougal High School teacher Carla Ecklund. “Students taking Child Development & Education may be interested in becoming teachers, pediatricians, childcare workers, paraeducators, children’s dieticians, and more in the future.”
Child Development & Education is a part of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) program at Washougal High School. The class is a prerequisite for the Careers in Education class that completes the Education & Training career pathway at the high school. CTE courses are designed to allow for early career exploration.
“I do a mix of observing and helping out and then I go back to my class at the high school and write notes about what I did and what I learned and what was being taught,” said Claire Zakovics, student in the Child Development & Education class at Washougal High School. Zakovics spends time in Gause Elementary School classrooms each week helping to assist with homework grading, provide one-on-one support to younger students, and more.
Elementary and high school students both benefit from the extra help in Gause classrooms. Older students are not only helping hands in the classroom, but also serve as positive role models to younger children. “When we’re feeling like this is too hard, they’ll come and help us,” said Emmalyn Pfeifer, second grade student at Gause Elementary School.
“When we’re mapping out course curriculum, our focus is on how to best prepare students for successful careers and lives in the future,” said Director of Career & Technical Education Margaret Rice. “This class prepares high school students interested in working with children for successful futures. It gives them the opportunity to apply classroom learning while supporting elementary school students in their classroom.”
Washougal School District challenges all students to rise to their highest potential by creating opportunities for career experiences and growth. CTE classes like Child Development & Education bring job-readiness and employability to the forefront of curriculum at Washougal High School.
Information provided by Washougal School District.
Also read:
- Children’s Entrepreneur Market set to open in Southwest WashingtonA nonprofit initiative that started in Utah in 2017, the Children’s Entrepreneur Market is now in 25 states, including a local market for set up for Southwest Washington.
- Hockinson High School band hosts Music from The Jazz Vault fundraiser on April 27The annual fundraiser for the Hockinson High School band is set for April 27, with Music from The Jazz Vault, auction, raffles, food, and more.
- Volcanoes name director of youth basketball, schedule camps this summerPorter Troupe, a former player for the Vancouver Volcanoes and now the team’s associate head coach, will lead the organization’s youth basketball program, and the Volcanoes have announced a series of camps this summer, including one in a partnership with Nike.
- Woodland High School announces the 34th Annual FFA Plant Sale on May 3Woodland High School’s agriculture department announces the 34th Annual FFA Plant Sale featuring in-person shopping on Friday, May 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Union High School student scores Evans Scholarship through caddy program at Royal OaksMadison Kao has learned a lot about herself as a caddy at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver, and her experience has led to one of the most prestigious scholarships in all of golf, the Evans Scholarship for caddies.