In a message dated 96-01-11 01:05:09 EST, Rol Fessenden wrote:in response
to mbrady et al
> I have been asking business leaders what their highest need is from the
educational system. ...(the answer) "create good citizens." ..people who
can read the paper critically,who can make reasoned decisions in the
voting booth, who can work with mathematics confidently, who can function
comfortably and constructively in a group. ... it is a pretty serious
indictment that these skills are not already being delivered. Finally, let
me add that the failure to provide these skills is not a failure of
educators, but of society. This is truly a systemic issue if there ever
was one, and every one of us can to some extent look in the mirror to see
a cause of the problem. ** end of quote **
For better than a decade business groups have been sharing their needs
with educators. National surveys and several major reports have noted
exactly what you have mentioned above. Part of the problem is that
educators don't usually listen to their customers (or even think they have
any).The average high school drop out rate is approximately 25% per year
and up to 50% in many urban areas. Any business that lost 25% of their
customers, year after year, would be out of business. Case in point: I
have attached an article written by high school students.
As for systemic issues, I agree that we all have a role to play. Health
care issues are not solved by hospitals alone and education issues will
not be solved by educators alone. Yet, many people who do "look in the
mirror" (as opposed to those who don't even bother) don't have a clue as
to what they can do. Perhaps we should collaborate and create a shopping
list of to-do's from different vantage points -e.g. more businesses could
encourage executives to run for school boards, etc. I would be glad to
print it.
Carol Sager
The Critical Linkages II Newsletter
21 Wallis Rd.
Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
617/469-9644 v
617/469-9639 fax
sageredent@aol.com
Article written by high school students:
DOES HIGH SCHOOL PREPARE US FOR SURVIVAL IN THE REAL WORLD? FROM THE
STUDENT'S POINT OF VIEW
By Student Advisory Board members Mark Jesionowski and Marielin Lopez
After high school, most students go off in one of the following four
directions:
7 Attend college;
7 Enter the work force;
7 Enlist in the military ; or
7 Hang in a sort of "limbo" until they can make a decision about what they
want to do.
With these options and the end of high school comes the issue of what skills
does one need to survive in the real world.
Our List Of Survival Skills
Some skills we feel are most necessary are.
7 Budgeting Time: In todays fast-paced world, time-demands have greatly
increased. Besides being punctual, you are expected to meet several different
deadlines almost at once. Then theres the need to find time for yourself and
your family.
7 Organization: People need to know how to set goals, make plans, and keep
track of what they are doing. Organizational skills help us accomplish things
and keep our lives from being hectic or in chaos.
7 Budgeting Money: People need to know how to figure out what it costs to
support themselves and their families. They need to know how to handle money
so that they can make payments on any bills, save for what they want to do,
and plan for the future.
7 Communication/Psychology: Today, it is important to be able to understand
and communicate with many different people in all aspects of life. You have
to know how to work as a team on the job, with family members, and socially.
7 Knowing a Second Language: Many companies are recommending or even
requiring a second language because of the need to communicate with people
world-wide.
7 Computer/Typing: In a society becoming more technologically advanced and
linked, computers are now part of every aspect of our lives. Its important
to know keyboarding, how to use computers, and what computers can do for us.
7 Health/Nutrition/Personal care: People need to know how to take care of
themselves properly. They need to know the actions they can take to stay
healthy. They need to know how to cook and other skills so that they can be
self-sufficient.
How These Skills Are Learned?
In school, for the most part, these skills are taught in courses that are
optional. You can go through high school without taking computer science,
learning a second language, or how to budget money, etc. Many of the high
school courses designed to teach these skills, dont teach them well
enough for students to actually apply them in society.
At home many parents work longer hours and spend less time with their
kids, More and more, these skills are self-taught, which is why many
students dont learn them very well.
Given the importance of these skills, they should not be treated as
incidental or left to chance
-- SAGEREDENT@aol.com