Page 11 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Cooperative Education

Participating in cooperative education can be a powerful tool for helping students to understand the value of postsecondary education and to capitalize on the possibilities and pathways available to them. Cooperative education can also support students in making meaningful community connections in the longer term, helping them to realize their potential as individuals, to participate in a highly skilled workforce, and to be ac- tive, engaged, and compassionate citizens.
EDUCATION AND CAREER/LIFE PLANNING THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION CURRICULUM
The goals of the Kindergarten to Grade 12 education and career/life planning program are to:
• ensure that all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed education and career/life choices;
• provide classroom and school-wide opportunities for this learning; and
• engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning.
The framework of the program is a four-step inquiry process based on four questions linked to four areas of learning: (1) knowing yourself – Who am I?; (2) exploring opportunities – What are my opportunities?; (3) making decisions and setting goals – Who do I want to become?; and, (4) achieving goals and making transitions – What is my plan for achieving my goals?
Classroom teachers support students in education and career/life planning by providing them with learning opportunities, filtered through the lens of the four inquiry questions, that allow them to apply subject-specific knowledge and skills; explore subject-related education and career/life options; and become competent, self-directed planners. The curriculum expectations in cooperative education provide opportunities to relate classroom learning to education and career/life planning that will prepare students for success in school, work, and life.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
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