RE-THINKING HIGH RE-THINKING HIGH SCHOOLSCHOOL

BRINGING HIGH SCHOOLS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

WHAT’S WRONG WITH HIGH WHAT’S WRONG WITH HIGH SCHOOLS?SCHOOLS?

Same ol’ same ol’Ð Industrial model/agrarian calendar pigeonhole schedule

Too much emphasis on tests 14year-olds taught the same as 18 year-olds

Requirements completed by grade 11 Dependence culture

What’s Wrong with What’s Wrong with Seniors?Seniors?

BORED Outside jobs, interests Predisposed to expectations of the year

Arrested adolescence Separation anxiety Tired of school

What’s on their minds?What’s on their minds?

56% school performance 22% my parents might divorce53% looks 21% I may die soon48% others like me 19% sexual abuse47% one parent might die 18% trouble from friends45% how I’m treated by friends38% societal ills 15% parent’s drinking36% violence at school 12% getting beat up at school35% I might lose a friend 11% I might kill myself35% drugs/alcohol30% might not get a good job26% body normality25% US nuked

The Lost Opportunity of Senior The Lost Opportunity of Senior Year:Finding a Better Way (Jan. Year:Finding a Better Way (Jan. 2001)2001)

1. H.S. diploma, w/o college education, leads to low-paying jobs;

2. The tyranny of low expectations leads to lost chances;

3. Each part of the ed. system seems to operate independently of others;

4. Senior year is a lost opportunity to link students with college or work;

5. Students receive little guidance about opportunities and requirements for work/college;

6. Assessments are ill-timed;

7. Teachers are ill-prepared to do these tasks.

WORKPLACE READINESSWORKPLACE READINESSPartnership for 21st Century Schools and Society Partnership for 21st Century Schools and Society for Human Resource Management 2006for Human Resource Management 2006

How adequate are work skills? What basic skills are important?

How will this change over the next 5 years?

What are the “most critical” content areas?

What are the “most critical” applied areas?

Current Basic Current Basic KnowledgeKnowledge

Reading comprehension 62.5% Spoken English 61.8% English writing 49.4% Math 30.4% Foreign language 11% Knowledge of science 9%

Current applied skillsCurrent applied skills

Professionalism/work ethic 80.3%

Teamwork/collaboration 74.7% Oral communication 70.3% Ethics/social responsibility 63.4%

Critical thinking/problem solving 57.5%

Current deficienciesCurrent deficiencies

Basic English Reading comprehension Written communication Critical thinking/problem solving

Work ethic

Emerging skills/content areasEmerging skills/content areas

Foreign language 91% Critical thinking & integration across disciplines 77.8%

Information technology application 77.4%

Creativity/innovation 73.6% Diversity 67.1%

Emerging Importance of Emerging Importance of Personal ChoicesPersonal Choices

Health/wellness Financial responsibility Entrepreneurial skills Understanding of economic issues Understanding of global markets Participation in government Use of non-Eng.languages to understand global markets & cultures

Consider:Consider:

Is the content of our curriculum still relevant, or will we have prepared students for a world that will never again exist?

Employers and colleges do not look for proficiency in a traditional curriculum(e.g.The Apprentice)

Some Solutions...Some Solutions...

Use what we know about adolescent development, paying particular attention to their development tasks

1. Achieving mature relations with age-mates of both sexes;2. Achieving a masculine or feminine identity;3. Accepting one’s body;4. Achieving emotional independence

5. Selecting & preparing for career;6. Achieving financial independence;7. Preparing for marriage & family life8. Socially responsible behavior9. Ethics & set of values.

Self-development Tasks of Adolescents

Solutions...Solutions...

Start early on; develop goals and objectives well before the senior yearÐ Have them talk about their plans

Ð Help them with short-term goals

Solutions….Solutions….

Use what we know about motivational techniquesÐ Make the work meaningful

Ð Make the work practical and relevant

Solutions...Solutions...

Prepare them for the senior yearÐ Let them know what is expected senior year

Ð Help them to practice making decisions

Ð Involve key persons in their lives

Solutions...Solutions...

Mentor themÐ Make many connections with them

Ð Let them try things out

Ð Let them have a taste of “what’s out there”.

Solutions…Solutions…

Provide time for teachers to conference on student needs;

Provide training for teachers to mentor students;

Look at the schedule

Solutions...Solutions...

Think outside the four walls:Ð What does the community have to offer?

Ð How can they make a contribution/ difference?

Ð How can we help them to separate?

Solutions...Solutions...

Re-connect the K-12 with college

Teach students to make choices earlier.

Consider alternate systems of assessment

Some more solutions:Some more solutions:

Prepare them for work as well as for college.

Prepare them for life as well as for work and college.

Prepare them for senior year. Motivate them: give them meaningful work

Furthermore: Furthermore:

Do we need a complete overhaul of high school?

Do we need four years? Does it have to be in school? What about bright kids? What about those who need more time? What do teachers need? What about those not attending college?

Some Final Thoughts..Some Final Thoughts..

Have we contributed to the prolongation of adolescence?

Have we prepared them well to confront life situations?

Have we helped them to consider all their options?

Have we maximized the senior year as our last “crack” at them?

Do we have any idea what we are producing?

Want to dazzle your Want to dazzle your colleagues?colleagues?

Here’s my e-mail address:srcarol150@aol.com