Teacherly Musings 2–Continued
At this point in time, and, specifically, from this vantage point on the scene, what can be done?
I’ve concluded that until there is significant change in the attitudes and approaches that drive the way we do school, I can’t change much in the kind of work load we foist on students.
One thing I believe would have to change is basing our graduation requirements on state regulations but doing it in a much shorter school year than is usually used in public systems..
When I graduated from a public high school in 1969 I was just shy of my 17th birthday. In three years I had completed 17 credit hours of work, which, at that time, was the amount required for high school graduation. For graduating early, I forfeited the privilege of taking several classes–economics, world history, and physiology are the ones I remember regretting. I also could not be considered as the school valedictorian or salutatorian. (At that time I thought it didn’t matter because I wouldn’t get it anyway. But I was a little sorry that the proclaimed salutatorian had a lower GPA than mine after all. My sister was valedictorian.) From the vantage point of multiple decades later, I know now that 17 hours of high school credit did not hinder me from excelling in college, even with an entrance delay of almost ten years. Also, because I graduated early, I had an extra year of learning homemaking skills and being in the workplace, while still under my parents’ roof. I consider these opportunities valuable components of my educational journey.
Students who graduate from our school in three years typically have completed 22 credits. This reflects changes in Kansas state law since 1969, and the decision our school administrators made first a long time ago (and renewed their commitment to at various times) to take state laws as a guide for our program. I understand the logic and believe it has some merit, especially for people who pursue higher education, but I am less and less happy with the direction in which it drives our program. Since my high school days, graduation requirements have escalated, and our school year has shortened.
More and more students axe from their schedule any class that does not seem to them to maximize the accumulation of credits. In practical terms and among other things, it means that, in order to graduate on time without an overwhelming work load, the required extra math and science courses trump the Home Environment elective–too much time for too little credit. This year, in a class of eight, I have only two classroom-schooled students. When I taught the class previously, I had a majority of classroom-schooled students, many of whom very freely spoke of it as the favorite class of their high school career. (I can’t help relating this to an earlier observation: Not only are we isolating girls from the learning opportunities in their own home, we are isolating them from homemaking education available to them in school–in favor of another math and science class).
(to be continued)
I’ve concluded that until there is significant change in the attitudes and approaches that drive the way we do school, I can’t change much in the kind of work load we foist on students.
One thing I believe would have to change is basing our graduation requirements on state regulations but doing it in a much shorter school year than is usually used in public systems..
When I graduated from a public high school in 1969 I was just shy of my 17th birthday. In three years I had completed 17 credit hours of work, which, at that time, was the amount required for high school graduation. For graduating early, I forfeited the privilege of taking several classes–economics, world history, and physiology are the ones I remember regretting. I also could not be considered as the school valedictorian or salutatorian. (At that time I thought it didn’t matter because I wouldn’t get it anyway. But I was a little sorry that the proclaimed salutatorian had a lower GPA than mine after all. My sister was valedictorian.) From the vantage point of multiple decades later, I know now that 17 hours of high school credit did not hinder me from excelling in college, even with an entrance delay of almost ten years. Also, because I graduated early, I had an extra year of learning homemaking skills and being in the workplace, while still under my parents’ roof. I consider these opportunities valuable components of my educational journey.
Students who graduate from our school in three years typically have completed 22 credits. This reflects changes in Kansas state law since 1969, and the decision our school administrators made first a long time ago (and renewed their commitment to at various times) to take state laws as a guide for our program. I understand the logic and believe it has some merit, especially for people who pursue higher education, but I am less and less happy with the direction in which it drives our program. Since my high school days, graduation requirements have escalated, and our school year has shortened.
More and more students axe from their schedule any class that does not seem to them to maximize the accumulation of credits. In practical terms and among other things, it means that, in order to graduate on time without an overwhelming work load, the required extra math and science courses trump the Home Environment elective–too much time for too little credit. This year, in a class of eight, I have only two classroom-schooled students. When I taught the class previously, I had a majority of classroom-schooled students, many of whom very freely spoke of it as the favorite class of their high school career. (I can’t help relating this to an earlier observation: Not only are we isolating girls from the learning opportunities in their own home, we are isolating them from homemaking education available to them in school–in favor of another math and science class).
(to be continued)
posted by Mrs. I at
12:04 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home