by Laura Joy Perales

TheEducational Workroom

Getting Real: Transform Your Classroom into a 21st Century Workplace!

An introduction to the Educational Workroom

The Educational Workroom: a classroom design that mimics the 21st Century work environment

It sounds like:course companyclassroom workroomstudent employeeteacher managerclass departmentclass time workclass work taskhomework workout

Curriculum: individual and collaborative tasks engage students in real-life, applicable, concepts, content, and skills.

Educational Workroom: Benefits

Yearlong, on-the-job training transfers to real-life application.

Students experience the working world here and now.

Students gain familiarity applying/interviewing for jobs.

Community building occurs when students belong to a group.

Students develop critical thinking skills for the future.

The Basic DesignEducational Workroom

- complete employee training

- Become employees of the company

StudentsTeacher- work towards

individual and department goals for performance and productivity yearlong

Employees- dreams up a

company concept for a course

- converts the existing syllabus into an employee handbook

Visit a 10th grade English educational workroom in Nashville, TN

applications to obtain info on student strengths, interests, etc., & give practice

interviews conducted in the workroom open dialogue of peers as professionals

multiple classes form departments within

the company, compete for honors (Employee/Department of the Quarter)

challenged to come up with department names, employees begin to listen, share the floor, and make compromises

in the Educational WorkroomSuggestions for Enhancement

Offer applications for management positions to grant students more responsibility

Correlate employee orientation with procedures for procuring a job in the real world

Encourage competition in individual performance & teamwork by setting individual/department goals

Treat students as employees in all endeavors, filtered through the expectations of a real job

Guidelines for Effective Use

See It Before You Try It!Experience the virtual workshop

The workshop includes:• documents/forms you can use and modify

for your own educational workroom• guidance for implementation divided

into high, middle, & elementary levels• videos of employee interviews

and orientation• in-depth guiding PowerPoint with

specific examples, support, and explanations

Making School Actually Apply to Real Life

Or view a real model!