According to the school-to-work (STW) program philosophy, STW efforts should be comprehensive and begin as early as preschool. At the elementary school level, the developmental process of career education begins with career awareness designed to broaden student knowledge about careers and connect academic learning to the workplace. Developing basic, academic, and employability skills represents another major component of students' STW education that, when linked with career awareness, provides a strong foundation for a successful STW system. The main challenge for elementary school teachers teaching STW is to create an environment where students see the connection between school learning and the real world. Strategies for making this connection include the following: student-centered teaching, contextual teaching and learning experiences, and collaborative and cooperative learning opportunities. Integrating curriculum across subjects and establishing business-community partnerships are two of the most common practices for promoting STW connections at the elementary school level. These practices must be incorporated into a broader school vision for STW that includes the following: (1) carefully selected community partners; (2) curriculum aligned with the STW mission; (3) adequate financial resources; (4) linking of academics and careers; (5) professional development of staff; and (6) building on existing school strengths. Successful STW programs are described. (Contains 12 references) (MN)