Bill Gates is back! This time it takes in America's public high schools. But Bill is not alone. Educational Testing Service survey, "Ready for the real world?" Eminent business author Dan Pink (A Whole New Mind and Free Agent Nation), and many others have criticized our secondary school system, if it is not up to the task.
Why do I care? Simple! I have been involved in education for over 50 years. I have always looked to the future and howwe had to change to meet the changing needs of society places upon us. I think there is great interest at national level to change things, but we stick to old models, try new wine in old barrels, and I find it simply will not work. Want to learn more about my background, please visit our new website [http://www.eye2theworld] and read my biography.
In fact, our schools are up to the task they were designed. The only problem is thatlife in the year 1940. Prepare students for the world exploding telecommunications and globalization, while dealing with students as if they were replicas of Leave It to Beaver puts us on the road to disaster.
As Susan Patrick, director of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology, said, what is needed is not education, is the transformation of education. Before you can expect a significant improvement in the academic system needs an overhaul,not just tweaking around the edges. This is not a call for more tests, better teachers, students more attentive, or more money. These problems can be examined further. I argue for structural change from the ground up, how our buildings are organized, how teachers work with students and with each other, as our curricula are developed, and how we hyperactive Generation M to motivate students.
I want six points that should be a starting point to make. Now I'm notnaive to think that would take me at face value. I heard the songs: "Where is the evidence?" Well, I have a model, one that is the one which for many years was the passage of the child's education, ie professional "shop classes" or "vocational schools" as we used to call them. These were in school and less able students were diverted academic. They had not a curriculum in college!
Elkhart, IN is blessed with amagnificent structure, the Elkhart Area Career Center (eAAC) which shows how excellence can be generated year after year, whether the facilities, courses, staff and community are committed and work together. About 1200 students from 12 school districts in the region to spend half a day for two years in one of 22 specialized programs. EAAC students represent a cross section of the student body. Many run with Straight A's. About 55 percent go to training aftergraduated high school. See the website for eAAC http://www.elkhart.k12.in.us/eacc
The following steps can form the basis on which to build schools for the academic and technical-oriented secondary schools. Is not it ironic that in high school, which for decades was considered the landfill of non-students "now a model for the transformation of education?
STEP ONE: buildings designed for the integrated problem-centeredprograms. Ever walked into the lobby of a typical high school? How are lessons organized? All Language Arts classes together, usually in the same room. It 'similar to social studies, foreign languages, science, mathematics, business and the arts. The Career Center, on the other hand, organizes the space program in six cluster areas: Business Technology, Graphics & Media, Manufacturing & Engineering Services, industry, transport and construction.
Why notorganization of secondary schools in the areas of clusters, each cluster with space for each academic specialty? Teams of language arts, science, math and social studies teachers should work together to give instructions to their respective specialties, and students to address the issues visual and performing arts teachers might be willing to give a wider dimension. The world does not divide the tasks in special places. Solve the problems, the integration of the ideas of each discipline. Letstudents work on "real world" problems, do not install unreal world environments.
STEP TWO: curriculum development Criterion. Organize the curriculum around mastery criteria sequenced. Each Career Center program follows a set of criteria that students complete correctly. When the course is the master list of responsibilities is completed with the students and is a part of their portfolio. Much of the work part-time students in teams, some formal and someinformal. If the regular high school academic programs have been organized around problem solving, each instructor offer similar sets of criteria. student records would show what they have learned in each discipline. At the end of the course record would follow students to the next grade. After graduating from the lists to determine the level of each student's proficiency in each area, such as Language Arts, Mathematics, etc. These may be available as part of university or workapplications.
STEP THREE: Dual credit and certification options. At the Career Center, students have the opportunity, in most programs for both high school and receive college credit. In some cases, a semester or more can be gained for the university ... Special certification programs from Cisco, Microsoft, General Motors, Ford and other companies are also available in technical courses.
Students have specific goals toward which to work. These incentives go a long way. Inbuilding program, for example, students build a new home literally from scratch. At the end of the year is sold and the money will support the construction schedule. academic programs have similar incentives. Some schools focus on Advanced Placement courses. However, this criticism because of their narrow focus.
Step Four: Stages. Students at the Career Center works not only on the projects of the 'real world' in class, but many trainees haveopportunities during their second year. Because these valuable experiences are limited to special schools for special education? Can not be set up internships for students in academic programs as well? One of the biggest mistakes that we made to allow students to divide into so-called bound or college offers career. How College Prep students must keep their noses buried in books. There is no reason why students in traditional programs do not have the ability to use what they havetaught in schools with their contributions outside their school environment.
STEP FIVE: Community input. One of the main keys to the success of the Career Center with its staff of community consultation. Each of the 22 programs has its own advisory committee and an advisory committee for all good. These people, the various technical areas, are useful links to the larger community. The programs that receive direct input fromactive in the community. Because there can be similar committees in mainstream schools? Again, a direct link to help students, showing how lessons learned in class the value of the larger community, and Board members may be supporters of the schools for the rest of the community.
Step Six: Several students incentives. In each program, there should be opportunities for students to participate in competitions leading to the state and nationalrecognition. The Career Center is open every year, when many students to achieve success of the state and even nationally. Similar programs should be available and highly recognized in all secondary schools in the country. Here is the list of the 2004-05 school year:
• State award for General Excellence: 1 Winner of State
• Ability to U.S. State winners medals: 7 gold
Users (students went to Kansas City for the national
contest June 19 to 24, all costspaid)
6 silver medals
6 bronze medals
• Writing: two state winners (2nd and 3rd place)
• Regional Scholastic Art Awards: an American view Award (5 pc.Portfolio)
3 golden keys
1 silver key
9 honorable mention
• National Art Awards, a school student (received at Carnegie Hall)
• Lincoln welding Art: 6 awards
• Automotive Youth Educational Systems 10 senior trainees
Junior 6interns
• Ford AAA Student Auto Skills State team ranked third
Finally, through the generous contributions of S. Basil Turner, one of the original benefactors, career centers, and other members of the community, there is a gifted Scholarship Foundation is currently worth about $ 400,000. Each year, awards 12 scholarships to talented students to continue their studies in technical schools or colleges and universities continue. The program is a chapter of the dollar for the Scholars program(Www.scholarshipamerica.org /).
In short, here is a description of the mission of the Career Center and its relationship to traditional academic programs.
There is no separation between the students of college bound and career-bound. After all, the goal of a good education is the challenge students to perform at the highest level and with the tools so that their goals are attainable. I suggest the career center of the declaration must be repeated for eachhigh school in America.
"The Elkhart Area Career Center, we have certified math and English instructors working with vocational and technical education instructors. We provide all students with any professional, academic and higher thinking skills needed to operate effectively in a technologically advanced society, a market globally competitive and information-based economy.
"By integrating math and English graduates into professional training and technicalskills, we improve student learning through a real life, hands-on 'opportunities to use their academic and professional skills. The basic problem solving and academic are the same so as to strengthen mutual learning. Students learn strategies to recognize the real problems in the academic and skills reinforced by hands-on applications.
"The results of course are in line with the educational standards of the State of Indiana. Integrationstandards of academic and career to help a career linking education to employment. "
For more information about exemplary educational programs for all ages and be challenged by new ideas about learning, visit www.eye2theworld.net.
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