RE-THINKING HIGH SCHOOL BRINGING HIGH SCHOOLS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

WHAT’S WRONG WITH HIGH SCHOOLS? Same ol’ same ol’ ÐIndustrial 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 Seniors? BORED Outside jobs, interests Predisposed to expectations of the year Arrested adolescence Separation anxiety Tired of school

What’s on their minds? 56% school performance22% my parents might divorce 53% looks21% I may die soon 48% others like me19% sexual abuse 47% one parent might die18% trouble from friends 45% how I’m treated by friends 38% societal ills15% parent’s drinking 36% violence at school12% getting beat up at school 35% I might lose a friend11% I might kill myself 35% drugs/alcohol 30% might not get a good job 26% body normality 25% US nuked

The Lost Opportunity of Senior Year:Finding a Better Way (Jan. 2001) The Lost Opportunity of Senior Year:Finding a Better Way (Jan. 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 READINESS Partnership for 21st Century Schools and Society for 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 Knowledge Reading comprehension 62.5% Spoken English 61.8% English writing 49.4% Math 30.4% Foreign language 11% Knowledge of science 9%

Current 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 deficiencies Basic English Reading comprehension Written communication Critical thinking/problem solving Work ethic

Emerging 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 Personal 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: 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... 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 life 8. Socially responsible behavior 9. Ethics & set of values. Self-development Tasks of Adolescents

Solutions... Start early on; develop goals and objectives well before the senior year ÐHave them talk about their plans ÐHelp them with short-term goals

Solutions…. Use what we know about motivational techniques ÐMake the work meaningful ÐMake the work practical and relevant

Solutions... Prepare them for the senior year ÐLet them know what is expected senior year ÐHelp them to practice making decisions ÐInvolve key persons in their lives

Solutions... Mentor them ÐMake many connections with them ÐLet them try things out ÐLet them have a taste of “what’s out there”.

Solutions… Provide time for teachers to conference on student needs; Provide training for teachers to mentor students; Look at the schedule

Solutions... Think outside the four walls: ÐWhat does the community have to offer? ÐHow can they make a contribution/ difference? ÐHow can we help them to separate?

Solutions... Re-connect the K- 12 with college Teach students to make choices earlier. Consider alternate systems of assessment

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: 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.. 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?

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