Planning a CAPP Course

When developing plans for teaching a Career and Personal Planning (CAPP) 8 to 12 program at any grade level, school-based educators will need to consider how to:

• involve parents in program activities
• deal with sensitive topics and issues
• avoid infringing upon students' privacy or breaching confidentiality
• establish a respectful yet open climate for student participation
• draw upon school and community resources available to assist with student learning in this area
• meet the needs of a diverse student population

Parental Involvement

The family is the primary educator in the development of children's attitudes, standards, and values. The school plays a developmental role by focussing on the prescribed learning outcomes in the Personal Development component. To maintain a partnership between home and school, it is important that parents be kept informed about all aspects of CAPP. There are a variety of strategies teachers (along with school and district administrators) can use:

• encourage parents to attend orientation sessions and workshop presentations
• inform parents and students, via a course outline at the beginning of each CAPP course, of the prescribed learning outcomes for that course
• encourage parents to participate in lesson activities
• respond to parent requests to discuss course unit plans, overviews, learning resources, and so on
• tell parents that they can opt for alternative delivery of Personal Development topics they consider too sensitive for their child's classroom participation

Sensitive Content

The Personal Development component of CAPP 8 to 12 addresses issues and concerns that students and their parents or guardians may consider sensitive. This document suggests instructional activities that may lead to classroom discussion of such topics. Here are some guidelines that may help teachers (along with school and district administrators) deal with sensitive issues:

• Inform students and parents before addressing topics that could be considered sensitive.
• Provide opportunities for parents to be involved in their children's learning.
• Be aware of provincial and district policy and legislation (e.g., disclosure related to child abuse, protection of privacy) regarding instruction involving potentially sensitive topics.
• Avoid dealing with sensitive topics until class members have had enough time to become comfortable with each other and understand the process for addressing those topics.
• Ensure that any external groups or organizations making a presentation to students have met the district's guidelines for external presenters. Also ensure that these external presenters understand that they should stay within the topic boundaries, inform them of any issues that should be avoided, and review the appropriateness of any materials they may use, especially any handouts.
• Explore alternative delivery arrangements with parents if they do not want their child(ren) to participate in class discussions related to Personal Development topics that they consider sensitive. (Districts should have policies and guidelines explaining how alternative delivery can be accomplished.)

Confidentiality

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies to districts, schools, teachers, and students as well as to all curricula. The Information and Privacy Commissioner has responded to complaints from parents concerned about the perceived invasiveness of the CAPP curriculum. Although the commissioner found the CAPP curriculum did not violate the principles of the act, the commissioner has made some recommendations to ensure that students' and parents' rights are protected. Recommendations that teachers, school administrators, and district staff are expected to consider are:

• Be aware of district and school guidelines regarding the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and how it applies to all courses, including CAPP.
• Inform students of their rights under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, especially the right to have access to their own personal information in CAPP records and in other school files.
• The Personal Education Number (PEN) should not be used on CAPP records, especially the Student Learning Plan. This addresses parent concerns that using the PEN might make it possible for someone to gain access to a student's personal information.
• Minimize the type and amount of personal information collected and ensure that it is used only for CAPP purposes.
• Inform students that they will be the only ones recording personal information about themselves in their SLPs unless they have consented to teachers collecting that information from other people, including parents.
• Inform students why they are being asked to provide any personal information in the context of the CAPP curriculum.
• Ensure that any information used in assessing students' progress is up to date, accurate, and complete.
• Inform students that they can request that the school correct or annotate any of their personal information kept in records at the school.
• Ensure that SLPs and other records containing personal information are kept secure.
• Be aware that parents' rights to have access to their children's personal information are limited to that which pertains to their child's progress.

Copies of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act are available from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, Fourth Floor, 1675 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 1X4.

Establishing Classroom Procedures and Expectations

Teachers should aim to establish and maintain a classroom climate conducive to student learning in Career and Personal Planning--that is, open to free inquiry and to various points of view. Early in the course:

• Involve students in establishing guidelines for group discussion (these might include demonstrating respect for others by using appropriate listening and speaking skills and agreeing to maintain confidentiality if sharing of personal information occurs).
• Develop and discuss procedures associated with the SLP and the CAPP files.
  • Where will they be kept?
  • How and when can students access their SLP and CAPP files?
  • Who can access the SLPs and CAPP files?
  • What is the role of parents? Of the teacher-adviser?
  • How will the CAPP prescribed learning outcomes for the grade level be covered?
• Promote critical thinking and open-mindedness and refrain from taking sides, denigrating, or propagandizing one point of view.

Accessing and Developing Support Within the School and the Community

Because CAPP 8 to 12 addresses a wide range of topics and helps focus many transferable skills that students are developing in other areas of their lives (including other subjects), it is important to recognize that learning related to CAPP prescribed learning outcomes extends beyond the CAPP classroom. The grades 11 and 12 Work Experience requirement, of course, provides one example of CAPP-related learning that does not depend solely upon instruction from the CAPP teacher. Likewise, teachers with various areas of expertise can make an important contribution. For example, the school's physical education program and components of the CAPP curriculum (e.g., prescribed learning outcomes that promote awareness of active, healthy living and physical fitness) are intended to be mutually supportive. Aspects of the school's programs in language arts (e.g., media awareness), social studies (e.g., human behavioural patterns), or science (e.g., human biology) also complement what students learn in CAPP.

The support services provided to students in the school are another important complement to Career and Personal Planning. One significant component of these is the school-based team, ideally consisting of the student's teacher, a school administrator, the learning assistance teacher, and a district or school counsellor. The team can be augmented by the public health nurse and, where available, by district special services staff. Other professionals such as educational psychologists, speech pathologists, or multicultural workers may be involved as well as professionals from community services agencies. The school-based team plays a vital role in co-ordinating the orderly and efficient delivery of services in the school and ensures that appropriate referrals are made when required.

The services that should be available to students reinforce the preventive aspects of this curriculum and provide support and intervention to those students at risk or in crisis. These services are thus a critical complement to any instruction occurring in the area of personal development. They should include screening, assessment, in-class support services, placement, counselling, first aid, immunization, treatment, and disease surveillance. Some of these services can be provided by school and district personnel. Other services should be provided in or outside the school by legal, social service, or health professionals, such as diagnostic teaching centre staff, personal care attendants, family physicians, dentists, community health nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists.

Parental involvement in health matters can also provide support and reinforcement for the objectives of the school-based curriculum. By drawing on the energy, skills, and creativity of community members, activities and programs can be developed to effectively and meaningfully support the CAPP curriculum.

At a more general level, having a healthy school environment supports the achievement of the goals of the CAPP 8 to 12 curriculum. Having a healthy school environment includes having a positive psychological and social climate as well as well-planned and well-maintained physical surroundings. A healthy school is clean and safe, and enhances learning. It has good lighting, appropriate ventilation and heating, fire and safety protection, clean water, and proper waste disposal. It promotes health through positive staff and student rapport, positive staff role models, the provision of nutritious food choices in cafeterias and vending machines, and readily accessible facilities for physical activities. The concept of a healthy environment can also be reinforced by the school board through such policies as setting up health advisory committees and ensuring safe facilities.

A Learning Environment for All Students

The optimum learning environment for CAPP provides opportunities for students to interact and take risks without fear of criticism.

The goals of this curriculum are appropriate for all students, including those with special needs (e.g., children with learning disabilities or hearing, vision, or chronic health impairments). The goals are best achieved when students have opportunities to use a variety of learning styles, strategies, and processes in a collaborative and co-operative way.

A wide range of student needs can be addressed by one or more of the following:

• adjusting the pace of instruction
• using specialized equipment and materials
• using alternative teaching methods
• providing appropriate support services

The rate at which material is presented must be developmentally appropriate for all students. The diversity of learning styles that students bring to the course may require alternative teaching methods and strategies. Some examples of these are direct instruction (either with individuals or with small groups), peer tutoring, modelling, co-operative learning, role plays, field study, multisensory learning experiences, and discussion using concrete examples.

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Revised: June 4, 2002

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