Words of Wisdom Beyond “One Way to Win” Thinking Optional Title: You don’t really expect me to think about schooling differently, do you??? “The choices [students] make as freshmen or sophomores often constrain their college options . . . Choice [limits] rather than increases options for many high school students who wish to go to college.” David Conley, College Knowledge Does this problem need fixing? “It will no longer be enough to say that our students are ‘proficient’ on state tests. Employers want to know if a student can think, problem-solve, create new solutions, communicate clearly and effectively, use technology as a tool, and – yes – get to work on time and do the job assigned. No state test measures that.” Glenn Barger, retired-and rehired Superintendent Catawba County Schools, former Co. Commissioner Are we teaching these skills?” “…the belief is that those who do non-professional work are not very bright and are ill-mannered and generally unsophisticated . . . ” Gray & Herr, Other Ways to Win Do our policies and practices in schools communicate this belief? “High schools [and colleges] may be hindered by their departmental structure {WHAT?!} and consequent compartmentalization of knowledge.” David Conley, College Knowledge Implications? Is there a better way? “The other way to win and the BEST way to win for those in the academic middle is preparing for those occupations in the technician and precision/craft classification.” Gray & Herr, Other Ways to Win Is this tracking??? Ethical??? “Education policy should focus on meeting the needs of the entire society and all students. Otherwise, we will offer only dreams and delusions to roughly half our young people, who will not only fail to earn a college degree, but also lack the basic habits and skills needed to have a productive, respectable job in society.” James E. Rosenbaum, “Prepared for What?” Agree? Why? Proof? “For some kids it’s awfully important that they see a job at the end of a sequence of classes . . . CTE classes provide the application – The real question is how to use their heavy emphasis on hands-on learning to strengthen core academics so that students are engaged and understand ‘why they need to know this.’ ” Ready for What? – Diplomas Count, 2007 Are we effectively linking academic and career skills . . . courses? “Education today must prepare students for the 21st Century – and give them the skills they need to be successful in a rapidly changing, global economy.” Ken Kay, President Partnership for 21st Century Skills What are 21st Century Skills? “I’m tired of people telling me I need to know more about the economy. I’m a teacher – not an economist. I’m concerned about education. Let the politicians and business people worry about the economy.” North Carolina Teacher, 2007 Yes? No? Why? “The core problem is that our education and training systems were built for another era. We can get where we must go [to survive economically] only by changing the system itself.” Tough Choices or Tough Times The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, 2007 - NCEE What might this new system look like?