This quick-reference guide presents examples of teacher and student behaviors and learning artifacts found in classrooms that embrace six Powerful Career and Technical Education Instructional Practices. Teachers who embrace these practices create high-quality learning experiences and high-performance classrooms that motivate students to make the effort needed to achieve rigorous technical, academic and workplace standards.

1. The learning environment sets high expectations and uses the protocols of business and industry to promote and sustain student motivation, persistence and effort (Culture of Learning).
    
2. Planned, authentic units of study and summative tasks align with workforce expectations and allow students to demonstrate their mastery of technical, academic and employability skills (Plan with the End in Mind).
    
3. Intentional collaborations with teachers, families and business, industry, postsecondary and community partners enhance the relevancy of lessons and assignments and promote students’ retention of the concepts, skills and competencies that are valued in the workplace (Collaboration).
    
4. Integration of relevant literacy, math and science concepts and skills helps students deepen their understanding and transfer skills across academic and technical disciplines and career fields (Academic Integration).
    
5. Opportunities to engage in experiential learning* using industry-standard technology and equipment empower students to apply what they learn in the classroom or lab to solve authentic workplace problems (Experiential Learning).
    
6. Rigorous assessments and learning activities allow students to receive feedback from teachers, peers and authentic audiences, engage in personal reflection and apply their understanding of academic, technical and workplace knowledge and skills to solve authentic problems (Assessment and Feedback).

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