Above: Trevon James (left) and Mary Lynn Thurman hold copies of three books of writing/speaking templates provided in the Rubin Education All Access online program, a resource they use to teach employability skills to 6th, 7th and 8th graders in Northern Virginia.

A sixth grader deep in a networking conversation?

For teachers Mary Lynn Thurman and Trevon James, it’s a beautiful sight.

The two educators teach at George M. Hampton Middle School in Dale City, Virginia. The school is part of Prince William County Public Schools, among the largest schools systems in the state.

Since the start of the academic year, Thurman and James have incorporated readings, videos and short activities from the Emerge online program.

The face-to-face networking exercise was a highlight for Thurman. In the activity, students paired off and learned to ask each other questions that began with who, what, where, when, why and how.

In doing so, students understood the power of being selfless and allowing others to share their stories.

Thurman led the activity with 6th, 7th and 8th graders, all of whom grasped the objectives and participated.

“Rubin Education helps students to rise above,” said Thurman. “My kids may not know it yet, but these lessons will give them a foundation in employability skills they will need in high school and beyond.”

CTE-FACS teachers at Hampton MS are piloting Rubin Education Workplace Readiness Skills!!!
Let’s make sure ALL of our students are READY when they enter the workforce. Rubin Education gives students what they need to RISE to the TOP in a competitive world. pic.twitter.com/x9HbOlRCY2

— MaryLynn Thurman (@MaryLynnThurman) November 13, 2019

Thurman and James have also shown Rubin Education instructional videos in which young adults demonstrate wrong and right behavior for professional skills like phone calls, job interviews and leadership situations.

“Rubin Education material is modern and current,” said James. “It shows my students what employers will one day expect of them.”

If employability skills are part of lifelong learning, then 6th grade seems the perfect place to start.

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