Communities: Business

Businesses undertake many efforts to support Rhode Island students and schools. In this rapidly changing technological world, school and business collaboration is important in both student learning and 21st century workforce development. It is clear from educational research that children are more likely to be successful learners when they have engaging experiences that link classroom content and skills to real-world issues. Likewise it is important that the business sector understand what students in Rhode Island's PK–12 system are expected to know and be able to do.

As schools help students with their career-development goals, they must provide opportunities for students to acquire the content, skills, habits, and responsibilities necessary for them to be contributing citizens and productive workers. By working closely with businesses, schools can understand and define these essential attributes. All students will transition to the workplace, whether immediately after high school, or after a post-secondary educational experience. Therefore, they must become aware of, explore, and/or prepare for a career during grades PK-12 through instruction and experiences that integrate applied learning.

Partnerships between schools and businesses can provide significant resources for relevant learning opportunities. Too often students moan: "Why must I learn this?" Educators can work with business representatives to develop and present lessons that answer that question. The core academic subjects become more meaningful when students see the application of the content. This contextual teaching and learning improves student understanding, engagement, and achievement. The outcome for businesses is a well-prepared and skilled emerging workforce that can contribute intellectually, technically and economically to society.

Rhode Island Statewide Curriculum is designed to support quality education for all children in Rhode Island and encompasses the key elements of high quality instruction and assessment: student engagement, an environment conducive to learning, access for all students, the use of questions to monitor and promote student understanding, and the support needed for students to make sense of content. One of the main goals of the interactive Rhode Island Statewide Curriculum is to help all partners know that each is vital in contributing to learning and teaching. The Rhode Island Statewide Curriculum demonstrates effective instructional techniques, provides professional development for educators, and offers resources for all who share responsibility in the education of the youth of Rhode Island.

As a business member, you may use this Web site to:

• Discover the Shared Beliefs that support the process of building this curriculum.
• Access the Grade Level and Grade Span Expectations (GLEs and GSEs) for all grades from kindergarten to grade twelve.
• Refer to the instructional continuums which are designed to more clearly demonstrate the learning involved in the GLEs and GSEs.
• View Lesson Plans linked to the Grade Level and Grade Span Expectations.
• View Lesson Video Clips (some from Rhode Island schools), which demonstrate type of classroom activities used to teach certain skills and concepts.
• View samples of Student Work related to many of these lessons.
• Explore informational documents and PowerPoint presentations.
• Explore Online Learning.
• Access other resources for businesses as school partners.

Like any research-based educational model, the Statewide Curriculum is dynamic and evolving. All partners are encouraged to identify how they may contribute and participate in order to improve student achievement.

Thank you for visiting the Rhode Island Statewide Curriculum Web site. Your feedback is welcomed.

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