Exploring Sage Oak’s CTE Programs: Child Development and Sports Medicine

Exploring Sage Oak's Career Technical Education Programs

In this episode of Sage Studio, host Tiffiny Webster invites experts to discuss the Career Technical Education (CTE) programs at Sage Oak. Panelists Crista Bross, Pam Werner, and Marion Tell Cofield share insights into the Child Development and Sports Medicine pathways, detailing the program structures, experiential learning opportunities, and career prospects for students. The conversation emphasizes the importance of CTE in preparing students for college and careers by offering hands-on experiences, guest speakers, and field trips. Viewers also learn how to get started with these programs and the comprehensive support available at Sage Oak.

00:00 Introduction to Sage Studio and CTE Programs
00:33 Meet the Panel: Crista, Pam, and Marion
01:43 Understanding CTE: Purpose and Goals
03:26 Child Development Pathway: Courses and Experiences
06:39 Sports Medicine Pathway: Courses and Experiences
08:56 Real-World Applications and Career Opportunities
17:10 Getting Involved: How to Join CTE Programs
18:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts




 For enrollment information, visit the Sage Oak website at www.sageoak.education.

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

Sage Oak Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

Transcript

0:14

Welcome to another episode of Sage Studio. I'm Tiffiny Webster and today we are diving deep into some of the CTE programs here at Sage Oak. if you are not exactly sure what CTE means, don't worry Our experts on the panel today are going to be diving in and letting you know all the details. Hi, everyone. My name is Crista Bross. I work as an educational advisor here at Sage Oak. This is my second year here. I teach Child Development 1 and Child Development 2 here at Sage Oak as a part of our Career Technical Education program, otherwise referred to as CTE. I absolutely love it. So good. Pam, tell us a little bit about what you do here at Sage Oak. I know you wear a couple hats. I've been with Sage Oak for seven years now. I'm teaching Sports Medicine 1 this year and also PE 1 2. So if you come to any PE events, we're going to be hosting in person hiking, surfing, Topgolf, batting cages. If you're interested in all of that, be looking for those. You'll see me there. And then also running the Sports Medicine I program. And Marion, welcome. And you are new to the Sage Oak family. So tell us a little bit about what you do here at Sage Oak. Hi, I am Marion Tell Cofield. My students call me Miss TC. I'm teaching the Sports Medicine II class. The PE 3, 4 class Health. And I started last year with the dance program, which hopefully we'll be able to bring back. nice. Thank you so much for being here today. Crista you gave us a little bit of a taste there, but tell everyone what is CTE and why are these programs so special to, Sage Oak and valuable to our students? So basically these, classes are designed to be tracks. So there's two classes. designed to be a two class series, to support career interests. So today you'll hear from Child Development and Sports Medicine, but we also have an Art, Media and Entertainment track and information and computer technology track and also Marketing We are hoping to continue to grow as students express different interests. So what is the thought behind the CTE programs? How did they come about and what are they hoping that students gain out of participating in these programs? So the main goal is that students leave high school, college, or career ready. What these specific classes do is within a field that students, are interested in, like Child Development, for example, you'll learn the concept and skills of Child Development, but also be exposed to different careers. So you can leave high school and start looking for certain careers that you already are exposed to and have learned about through these courses. Or you can engage in, post high school education, at the local community college or to four year school with a more direct focus, instead of it. just taking general education requirements and not really sure what you want to do. These classes help to focus you on your next step after high school so that you can use that secondary and post secondary education to guide you to a later career. Love that idea. It's just kind of like this nice on ramp to a career path or to a college path for our students. What are some of the classes that students are taking in the Child Development Pathway? What are some of the skills that they're learning? So Child Development one is focused on the development of the child from pregnancy all the way to infancy, like around, the end of the first year. within that time, there's a ton of different, development, different skills and concepts to learn, to have kind of the highlights of the program. Is in the first semester, students receive a pregnancy suit to, simulate the third trimester of pregnancy. from personal experience it is a very accurate representation of the weight. You won't get any weird cravings or anything Just back aches. It's a really cool experience, for students to feel what that's like. A lot of them feel nervous about it, but realize it's not too bad. you don't have to wear it for a week or anything. It's just 20 minutes, 30 minutes, to really feel that experience. So that's first semester. And then second semester, they have a more of an advanced simulation with an infant simulator. they get what looks Like a baby doll, but it's a really advanced computer, and it can tell when the baby's been changed, their diaper, when they've been fed, when they've been picked up, when they've been mishandled. And students get to experience what life with an infant would be over a five day period. And lots of them report that it's really hard, and I think that's really good first hand knowledge for them to have. So those are the big simulations for Child Development One. In both Child Development One and Child Development Two, we have lots of guest speakers people from different industries that are related to Child Development and also field trips related to what we're learning. Child Development to picks up where Child Development one left off start around year one, and we discuss the different physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development as kids from age one, all the way to age 14 When we're working with our students to help them learn what it's like to go from. Pregnancy or working with an infant to a toddler to school aged Children. What types of careers are we preparing them for? What types of programs would they need to have that knowledge to go on to post high school? I think, traditionally folks, education is like the most natural segue, right? Early childhood education, preschoolers, caregivers in homes, that sort of thing. Even, abroad, au pairs, that sort of immediate connection there. What we're doing in our program is really trying to broaden students perception of that and looking at how Child Development plays in different medical fields how plays in business, law, policy, just trying to really see how we can really affect Child Development and a lot of different fields. I love that you brought wider scope ideas to the conversation. So good. with that in mind, hang tight with me, Crista because I want to hear about our Sports Medicine pathway, this is really exciting, and I know that the kids are really enjoying this, and there are some fun little simulations and equipment and things that they get to do on the sports med pathway as well. Pam Tell us about the sports med pathway and how this came about at Sage Oak. Sports Medicine was introduced last year. It was our first time having Sports Medicine one, and we were seeing how kids were going to react and we've had great feedback about the program. so this year we added Sports Medicine 2 complete that pathway for students to go into Sports Medicine. Sports Medicine. really is a health pathway and we see. we have a lot of kids interested in that health I know just from being a a former EA that when I was working with my students, the students are really excited about sports and they're really excited about the idea of thinking that they could cross that passion of sports with a career, but they're not exactly sure. how to do that and what steps to take, right? And I can see that this can be really helpful. So what are some of the things that they learn in sports one that might help them to just start to take one step and walk down a sports career? Yeah. So the first thing we dive into is really what is Sports Medicine and what careers Go under that umbrella of Sports Medicine. Careers in Sports Medicine is anywhere from a strength and conditioning coach or nutritionist all the way up to a physician or an orthopedic surgeon. There are so many fields within Sports Medicine that actually, the more I've researched, I was actually surprised. I mean, they have dentistry. That's just in Sports Medicine. There's psychology and nutrition and science and biomechanics and math. So there's many different fields if you're interested in it and you love sports and athletics or helping people, there's probably somewhere in Sports Medicine where those can be combined and you can do your job with the passion of helping athletes a lot of Sports Medicine when we think about it, we think professional teams. But there's a lot that even businesses and organizations help for their employees to help keep their employees healthy. Our high schools, colleges. So it's not just. in those professional sports areas. It goes across a lot of different organizations. I think that's a really great point. I think this is something powerful about these CTE programs broadening the perspective of what's possible. Marianne, are you seeing this with your students too that they could really apply this to a wide range of career possibilities or college degrees? I currently have two students that aren't. technically interested in Sports Medicine, but they knew that they would get the medical information, the anatomy, the kinesiology, and they actually want to go into nursing. So they're not interested in a direct path of Sports Medicine. But this is just giving them a chance to get their feet wet and start to learn some of the things that might further their interest in a more health or medical oriented college or career pathway. I also think that it gives students an understanding of what this pathway looks like, because a lot of times we're asking students what do you want to be when you grow up? And they'll throw out an answer, but here's an opportunity to dive in and find out what this career is. like that. That's a great opportunity. So let's talk about that. what is the program? What are some of the things that they're learning, Pam, in Sports Medicine? So once we get done covering careers, we start going into like medical terminology kind of give like a base for that. So as they develop up, we're going to go into anatomy and physiology. We're going to look at. We look at different muscles and bones, then we start going into injuries, how to treat injuries, how to assess a situation. We look at what if you're like on the side of a field, you're an athletic trainer, what would you do in these scenarios? So we start looking at different scenarios and how to address them. We get CPR first aid certified. We learn taping techniques. of how to tape an ankle to whether it's from an injury or to prevent an injury. that's when they start going into Sports Medicine too and dive deeper into those fields. Okay. And Marian, tell us a little bit about what they can expect in Sports Medicine too. You mentioned kinesiology, you mentioned that you dive a little bit deeper in that area. tell us some of the specifics So once they get into Sports Medicine too, they start to find out this is really movement medicine. It's not just Sports Medicine because we can work with anyone starting in the sport or injured, or maybe an elder person dealing with osteoporosis or things of that nature. they start to find out this is bigger than just a sport related movement. We also we move into preventative medicine. We move into business of Sports Medicine, because as Pam was speaking to earlier, we're looking at these trainers, whether it be the athletic trainer, the conditioner, the nutrition, because nutrition is training as well. And these people are oftentimes not part of a business, but contracted. I think that's a great point you could become an independent contractor where you are just a health coach or a fitness coach dietician, something like that, where you can, be hired just for your, particular specialty. A lot of different opportunities in here for kids. Do you bring in any guest speakers or any college representatives to help them navigate what's next? Yeah, so this year we're going to be touring Cal State San Bernardino. They have a great athletic training facility out there. It's one, state of the art. They do a great job taking these kids on a tour through all their buildings. They talk to them. About college, what degrees they offer to be able to help these students get into that field. They get some hands on experience, you know, looking at things or touring the weight rooms and the fields and just different things that are in there. We will do that. I believe that tour is going to be second semester this year when they hold that. And then we also get to go to a Sports Medicine seminar. And Clippers game. And while they're there, they get to speak to professionals about Sports Medicine. They also rotate to different stations where they get some hands on experience, whether it's CPR, taping, different exercises that they could do. And that's in connection with Cal State Northridge. What a great way to get that hands on experience and really see Sports Medicine in action. Crista how about for our Child Development pathway? Are there in person opportunities for our Child Development students to tour college campuses or get a chance to see what some college Child Development careers look like firsthand? About once a month we'll have an in person opportunity. A field trip our campus tours are still to be confirmed, but we're looking at touring also Cal state, San Bernardino and Cal state, San Marcos. Okay. Great Child Development centers. In addition, we're going to go to the California science museum. They have a great interactive early life exhibit. also there's a new children's museum in Rancho Cucamonga called Second Stories, in addition to college tours, we'll be touring other sites that are promoting Child Development in their own ways and sort of analyzing their effectiveness, their approach, just discussing the different opportunities that both children have to experience. experience enriching activities and then thinking about how that could translate into a potential career down the road. So good. Marian, before we wrap up I want you to share a how you got involved in Sports Medicine and the Sports Medicine pathway and what does it mean to you? What is it that you love about teaching this type of content to students? So my path to Sports Medicine was non traditional. I was a professional dancer for 17 years and the dance company had an athletic trainer. And so that was my interest. I said, Oh, I could do this for the dance company. When I got to college my fifth year, I moved into kinesiology. I spent a lot of time on fields as an assistant trainer and found a great love for the body, how it moves, reacts and heals itself. We just have to learn mentally to give it patience and time and to find the right Sports Medicine practitioner for our injuries. So what is it that you hope students gain out of this program? Having had those types of experience for yourself, what do you hope that they discover by being part of the CT Sports Medicine program? I truly hope the students discover a part of themselves that they weren't really aware of. If they think they're interested, that they discover how much interest they have and where that interest can take them. There's some skills that are developed, throughout all the CTE pathways, but especially with Sports Medicine, the skill of motivation is not something that we talk about often, but that is one of the biggest parts of what's developed from our students. if I can see them motivating each other and motivating themselves to and continue their pathway, I would be in heaven what is it about the pathway that helps them to dive deep into that motivation and motivate others? How does the pathway bring that out in the students? We are all about helping someone be better. People don't feel good or don't feel right about themselves. the psychological part of Sports Medicine is almost innate to motivating. the skill develops when they don't realize it's developing. you have to tell your athlete. That this will take this long, but you can do it. This is how we're going to get there. Don't doubt yourself. Don't doubt your body. Work harder in this area. Oh, don't you see the growth? there's a lot of dictation and note taking in the field. So not just because doctors do it, but your athletic trainers have to do it. Your nutritionists have to do it. There's a lot of documentation. And when you get to see growth and you can show that to someone else, It gives them the power to grow more. I just think that is so powerful and such a special component of the program that maybe sometimes doesn't get listed as a standard of a class, but really is an amazing outcome that students are gaining as a part of being in that program. I know that our families are going to want to know. Where to find more information about this. Marian, tell us where our students should start. If they want to get involved in a Sports Medicine CTE pathway, what should they do? The easiest, way is to ask their educational advisor. That is the easiest way. It's on our website. There's information available to them, but if they ask, they will be given. so start with your EA. Let them know you're kind of interested in this. You've heard some things about it and that you want to get started in the EA can put you in some direction to where to find these classes and get you enrolled in the right pathway. Crista same with the Child Development program? Yeah, absolutely. EAs are a great first step. I would recommend if you can starting in the fall for all of your CTE classes, because they are year long classes, it's possible to join at semester, but definitely beginning of the year is best. Awesome. Such good information. Such good tips. Thank you all so much for being here today. I think that was a really powerful episode and I think our families just are going to be thrilled to know that not only do we have these amazing programs here at Sage Oak but we have these amazing leaders that are teaching the students and guiding these courses and careers and college opportunities. So thank you so much for all you do. As always, if you want to find out more information about our CTE programs, you can check our website, sageoak.education or check with your EA if you're a high school student and they will help you get more information. Thanks so much, everyone. Have a great day and we'll see you on the next one.