Learning Through Internships/Interests places students with mentors in real-world internships two days per week. The internship format is a personalized teaching and learning process that involves each student in a variety of relationships with mentors who have expertise in a specific area of student interest. Internships help students develop relationships with adults who become role models, resources, and guides. San Diego Met has developed academic internships with over 500 community businesses and organizations.
Mentors work as part of the student learning team in collaboration with teachers. Most importantly, mentors connect student learning to the real world. An internship may be in a small or large business, or within a community-based organization. The mentor, student, and teacher work together to plan an in-depth real-world project. Academic projects can be worked on at the internship site, within the school days, and as extended learning at home. The LTI Coordinator (Ms. Mann-Diebert) serves as a liaison between the Met, business partners, and the workplace mentor to ensure a minimum of 3 learning goals from the 5 learning objectives of the Met are the center of the internship experience.
Teachers visit the internship site a minimum of three times to meet with the mentor and student. Frequent communication and monitoring of students occurs between teachers and mentors to discuss academic projects, areas of growth, and areas of need. Students are placed in internships based on their college and career interests as well as meeting workplace criteria (i.e. pre-requisite internship experience, specific skills or knowledge required, etc.).