Teacher Externship

(Employer Guides)

Teacher Externships

Teacher externships provide an opportunity for teachers to learn more about the current workforce expectations and how it can align to the academic content. The experience allows practicing teachers the opportunity to learn more about the industry and use those experiences to bring relevancy to the academic curriculum.

Approximate time commitment for volunteers

Approximate amount of staff needed

Teacher Externship Outcomes

Provide opportunities for educators to participate in professional development to learn the current workforce expectations

Provide opportunities for educators to learn the newest skills and employer expectations for workers in a career aligned to opportunities their students may want to pursue

Provide the opportunity for educators to learn from industry professionals so they are better able to connect classroom learning objectives to employer/industry expectations

Preparing for a Teacher Externship

  • Teacher externships can be paid or unpaid depending on an agreement between industry and school in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations

  • Work in collaboration with the leadership of the educational institution to determine appropriate compensation (if applicable)

  • Decide if teacher will stay in a particular role for the entire duration of the externship or if they will rotate through various departments

  • Decide on the type of project, responsibilities, and/or deliverables the teacher extern will need to complete in the given timeframe

  • Provide an explanation of employer expectations and company/organization overview to teacher externship participant prior to the start date

Following-Up after a Teacher Externship

  • Industry/Host provides support and feedback for lesson plans created by teacher extern that incorporates externship learnings

  • Attend teacher-executed lesson with students

  • Teacher creates lesson plans that align industry expectations to the academic content

  • Review lesson plans shared by teacher extern to host

  • Host and teacher participate in a debrief and reflection of the experience. Feedback is shared between all parties.

Examples of Teacher Externships

Business Suggested Externship Activities.docx

Suggested Activities for a Teacher Extern

Example provided by the Office of the State Director of CTE

Typically one-time experiences at school or through a huakaʻi or field trip to build student awareness of the wide range of career, college, and community options available to them

Exploration experiences go beyond brief exposure of awareness-building experiences by extending the experience through multiple interactions or more rigorous student participation

Preparation level experiences strengthen student content knowledge and skills through coursework linked to extended interaction with community and industry professionals

Training experiences are extended interactions that require the application of the learned technical, employability, and academic knowledge in real-world industry settings