"America's high schools are obsolete" -Bill Gates
In these days of accountability, standards, and focus on closing the achievement gap, everyone agrees that high expectations and equal access to rigorous coursework and study are instrumental in improving our schools.
While it is true that expectation of success both on the part of teachers and students is critical in motivation, a larger piece of the formula is often overlooked -that is the value of the outcome. Just telling students that "this is important" will no longer bear much weight in a modern world full of television, computers, ipods and war. The most common reason students report for "dropping out" is boredom, yet we still deliver a curriculum that is essentially the same as it was 75 years ago- before television or computers.
I advocate:
- An expanded range of courses in all schools for students to choose from-including media studies, contemporary history and issues, and independent, rigorous study of self-chosen topics and projects.
- Ensuring that science, social studies, physical education and the arts are included in all schools' daily programs- and not ignored because they are "not on the test."
- Encouragement and professional training for teachers and schools to best identify individual students' interests and talents to facilitate higher standards and rigorous learning.
- A longer window of learning and opportunity when necessary, particularly in mathematics, so when students attend college, take more advanced coursework, or enter the job market, they are ready, interested and motivated-not bored.
- Teaching and learning that focuses on skills for 21st century life and work;
- knowing more about the contemporary world
- creative and collaborative problem solving
- information and technological literacy
- skills for lifelong learning
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