Teaching with Purpose: How Academics and CTE Work Together at Career Academies of Decatur

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What happens when English and social studies teachers join a career academy — and every lesson connects to the real world?

In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Debra Cullen talk with Angie Maples and Wes Stephenson, teachers at the Career Academies of Decatur (CAD) in Alabama. They share how academic teachers are helping students build essential workplace and life skills — from writing professional emails to conducting interviews with local employers — all while meeting state standards.

You’ll hear how CAD teachers:

• Bring career and technical education concepts into every lesson
• Use standard operating procedures (SOPs) to teach structure and responsibility
• Create projects that blend academic content with real-world application
• Build student confidence and communication through authentic assignments and presentations
• Develop a schoolwide showcase where students present to local business and community leaders

This episode shows how academic teachers can make every class career-relevant — and how CAD is helping students see purpose in every assignment.

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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