Careers 2 Communities

Teacher Feedback

The answer to the question, “When will I ever use this?”

Imagine if students could be learning how workers apply math as part of their graduation requirement in Algebra I. That’s exactly the promise of Pathways2Careers (P2C) Curriculum.

“The greatest benefit is the practice and application of standards-based instruction within the confines of a specific career situation,” claims Jaime Acosta, math teacher at Chaparral Middle School in Gadsden, and early adopter of P2C.

Pathway2Careers Curriculum allows students to explore hundreds of career choices while deeply engaging with core math. Available for 8th grade math, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, P2C content is standards-based, and comes with its own set of formative assessments. It is free for New Mexico teachers and students and is already approved to supplement existing math curricula.

In the spring of 2021, 27 teachers across New Mexico participated in a pilot program with more than 1,000 students. This fall, nearly 200 educators have signed on.

Jim Farley, a math teacher at Valley High School in Albuquerque, attended the Summer Learning Summit to learn more about P2C. “I was hooked by the ability to answer the question, ‘When will I ever use this?’” So far, he feels the curriculum has delivered on its promise. “At first, students were a little confused and asked, ‘Why are we talking about careers in math class?’ But that was a perfect way for me to transition into the math we needed to do.”

Mr. Farley looks forward to using P2C as his primary content this year for Algebra I and expects it “will be much more engaging for students.” In Gadsden, Mr. Acosta observed that P2C decreased students’ math anxiety and reports, “Students felt empowered because they have more information to help them choose a future career.”

Mr. Farley also sees benefits for the teacher. All P2C course curricula include beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments, which are aligned to the content but also provide a MetaMetrics Quantile® measure for each student. “I think this will give me really good data to compare throughout the year, and I can see how scores line up directly with the material being taught.”

Students also get to see how their Quantile scores match up with the skills needed for careers that interest them.

If you would like to start using Pathway2Careers Curriculum complete this Get Started form.

As part of the Careers2Communities program, teacher feedback will continue to be an important component of the program. Feedback will be used to strengthen ongoing activities such as professional development support for implementation of Pathway2Careers, increasing career awareness through career spotlights, and improving math learning by connecting the value of math in everyday work experiences.  

Do you have feedback to share? Contact us today.

Note: NS4ed is a collaborative partner of the Careers2Communities Program