Have you ever taken one look at the restaurant meal placed in front of you, then immediately placed your order for a ‘doggie bag’ or ‘take-out box’ before the waiter/waitress even left? I think that’s what’s happening to me. A serendipitous collection of recent events has placed this 3-course-meal of a topic right in front of me. I want to tackle it all, but there’s no way I’ll manage all the courses in this space. So, I’ll take part of this home with me, keep it in the idea-fridge, and warm it up for at least one more meal in a column to come
Witness the various entrees:
- On of those ‘fast-stat’ graphics that we see so often in USA Today recently proclaimed “66% of Americans say students graduating high school are not prepared with the experiences necessary to succeed in their careers.”
- Correspondence from a new-friend/frequent-reader shared a recent Facebook ‘debate’ over where students should learn ‘life skills’ such as (the proverbial) balancing a checkbook, changing a tire, or cooking a meal. Not to mention, for that matter, the relevance of these particular skills!
- A recent group conversation (at a weekly breakfast of fellow ‘old farts’) yielded humorous anecdotes of variations of courses we all took in what was then labelled Junior High. These included Shop, Home Ec, and others. (Part of the humor related to who was allowed – or even required! – to take such courses. You might be surprised!)
All three of these seem closely related – as any balanced meal should be – but where do we start? Which is the salad, which is the main entrée, and which is the dessert? If we can’t finish this meal today, where do we begin?
The more I think about this, the more it seems appropriate to remember that if we’re going to explore these topics, it would be wise to make sure that we’re asking the right questions in the first place.
So, in preparation for our discussions – and to allow all of us to ponder these things in our own minds – let’s start with what seem to be pertinent ‘perspective’ questions that may help us. Since all of us reading this column form the society that tends to decide these questions – intentionally or haphazardly – perhaps we should all take some time thinking about these.
It appears to me (what about you?) that some of the questions that need to be asked in preparation for our discussions are as listed below. (What others am I missing?) I invite you to think about these – even respond if you wish.
- What, after all, are the ‘experiences necessary to succeed’ in a career? And who defines those experiences?
- What are the most important ‘life skills’ needed to enter adulthood in general?
- Where (which is to say from whom) should students/youngsters gain those experiences and learn these skills?
Perhaps this is only re-phrasing #3, but finally, (I know you saw this hiding there all along
- What roles do/should K-12 (or even K-16) education be playing in these preparations? And what roles do/should it be avoiding?
I guess I’ve switched gears since we started, haven’t I? I’ve only nibbled on the appetizer and am now taking the whole meal home! BUT, I’m inviting you to re-gather and share the pot-luck with me. The only dish you need to bring with you is the collection of your own first thoughts about the important questions above.
So, sharpen your appetite, and mark your calendars. We’ll dine together soon.
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