Striving for Excellence [microform] : Middle Schoolers Study "Work." Ideas for Action in Education and Work, Issue 5 / Art Greenberg and Andrea Hunter

The Work as a Topic of Study program is described as a vehicle for making academic study more relevant to the middle school student's future role as a productive worker. Following an argument for maintaining a flexible middle school curriculum which contributes to the social development of students, the five school districts currently participating in the program and the criteria under which they were selected are listed. Sample activities from the Teacher's Ideabook are presented for the three levels of the program: (1) infusion of work concepts into the traditional curriculum; (2) classroom-based experiential learning including the use of community resource people, peer teaching about personal work roles, a decision-making unit, and team learning projects; and (3) community-based learning including preparation, group visits to local sites, small group projects, and shadowing (a student spends one-half day with a worker at a job of the student's choice). A fourth level involving community internships is outlined although it is not yet part of the program. Possible concerns of educational and community groups regarding the program are presented along with responses to those concerns. Three planning steps are then offered. Comments and news items from the five current sites are provided as well as names and addresses of contact persons. A bibliography of selected resources cites 5 organizations and 11 print resources. (DC)