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High School: "High Schools at the Tipping Point"
What do you believe the purpose of high school should be? What is the current system missing that would make it more successful at preparing all students for the 21st century?
10 comments:
I think the purpose of high school should be to help make productive citizens out of students so that they can funtion in our current world. The current system is not designed to meet the needs of college bound students or employees of industry. There needs to be improvement on communication with these post high school institutions so that high schools can deliever the educational experience students need to be productive at these levels (college, employement, etc) so that ultimately they will be contributing to society rather than a drain on the economy.
The purpose of a high school is to prepare students to be productive members of society. To be prepared for the 21st Century the students need advanced communication and literacy skills, the ability to learn and unlearn (as new technology and ways of thinking are increasing exponentially), solid math skills, and the capability to not only work well with others but to value difference.
The article states, "90% of well-paying jobs require post-secondary education or training." So on one point, the purpose of high school is to teach & train students to become successful in a post-secondary setting as well as the workforce. We also need to motivate students to be lifelong learners & thinkers since many of the jobs in the future have not been created yet and many problems today need solutions.
The current educational system is missing a component to "even the playing field." It should not matter what school a student goes to in order to get the best education. It should not matter if the student goes to Radnor High School or Philadelphia Charter School. They should get the same level of education, supplies, technology, etc.
I believe that the purpose of high school should be to teach students adaptable, transferable skills as well as specific content knowledge to be successful in their future as they move onto a post-secondary school or a career. In order to be more successful at preparing all students for the 21st century, we need comprehensive federal policy that works in conjunction with local efforts. We need federal-level support to meet the increasingly global, complex, demands placed on our education system. Students need the personal attention, flexibility, skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college, at the workplace, and as a citizen.
I wonder if the federal approach is the best way to fix the problem. It is clear that the end goals of public education are somewhat outdated, and massive, sweeping reform is required to make the needed changes; however, it could be that the federal government's perspective is too broad, too inclusive. Despite the fact that we are "one nation," we also are 50 states. Lifestyles, jobs, incomes, and culture can differ widely from place to place. The national lens may miss some of the intricacies that make each region what it is.
More vital than a change mandated by the federal government, we need a deep, philosophical rebirth. We, teachers, are not the "sage on the stage." We do not have all the answers. We are fallible, and have questions.
We must embrace the attitudes of the Sophists, the first teachers. We must focus more on encouraging inquiry, engaging curiosity, and helping to engender a love of learning in our students. The old-fashioned model where a teacher's primary role is to fill students with information is sadly outdated. More information is available than ever before. We are not the treasuries of knowledge that teachers once considered them to be. What we do (or ought to) know, is how to effectively find, apply, and adapt information. Those are the skills our students need, whether their end goal is college, the military, or a job.
The advantage to this approach is that there is no money involved. There are no public debates about how tax dollars will be disepersed. It does not need to be voted on, debated, sent to congress. It is not subject to Act 1.
Certainly, an educational revolution orchestrated by the goverment would make changes, and quickly. But, no legislation will have the desired impact without every teacher having a change of heart.
Dave J
I think it is the purpose of the school to ready a student for the work force. It was interesting to see how rapidly the work force has changed and how s-l-o-w-l-y the educational system has adapted - not even changed but adapted. I do believe that the schools cannot do this job alone, however. When you see drop out statistics, etc, there is more to them than just the schools - family is a HUGE piece as well.
I do think that we may not set the bar high enough for some of our students - there is a balance between encouraging them to try and accepting mediocrity. Secondly, it is a challenge to learn the new technologies that the jobs will be using. Oftentimes, the knowledge of a subject lies with the older generation but the current ways to share it (technology) is with the younger and that can be a bit of a problem.
Very interesting....
The purpose of High School should be to prepare each student for the next stage or stages of his or her life. I believe many high schools today are missing options for students who want to go directly into the work force or to move on from high school sooner than their 4years.
The purpose of high school should be to develop a productive citizen. The current system needs to do a better job funding low income students education needs. This would require a Federal mandated plan that would work to educate and prepare all students for advanced education or training in a field that will be needed in the future. A skill set that will provide students the ability to live a happy productive life and be contributors to society
The purpose of every high school should be to instruct each person as an individual and to equip each individual student to not only become a functional member of society but also a benefit to their society. Each graduate should be able to serve or provide a service in some capacity for the positive good of the community. High school's need to have a vision outside their school walls and work closely with their local communities, universities, and businesses. This collaboration should look to these resources as the high school's purpose in order to serve the community's needs. Use the resources as peer partners to meet the needs of both the individuals and the society. By enlisting the assistance and knowledge of the entire community, this may improve the so-called 25-75 hurdle and increase more than 25% of the population having a direct and vested interest in the public school system.
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