”Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
-Albert Einstein
Our public schools are robust institutions we should be proud of. Students are exposed to a diverse array of topics and provided with a basic understanding and skill set all designed to set them up for a successful future.
But what does that future entail? And how do we know if we are genuinely preparing them for it?
One of the ways we’ve defined the role of schools is by measuring whether or not students are “college and career ready.”
The National Forum on Educational Statistics defines college and career readiness as, “when he or she has attained the knowledge, skills, and disposition needed to succeed in credit-bearing (non-remedial) postsecondary coursework or a workforce training program in order to earn the credentials necessary to qualify for a meaningful career aligned to his or her goals and offering a competitive salary.”
Though we may haggle over how exactly to define college and career readiness, we miss a larger picture: we are also trying to help students be LIFE READY.
What do I mean by that? College and career implies that we are helping students be learners and workers. There is a LOT that goes into this, I know. But there is so much more that goes BEYOND this, ands our schools are beginning to grow aware of these opportunities, too
Questions like:.
- How do we experience success in our relationships?
- How do we manage our money once we actually earn some?
- How do we balance our emotions?
- How do we continue to learn?
- How do we enjoy love, art, culture, entertainment, exercise, and so on?
- How do we keep ourselves and loved ones safe?
- How do we best play our role as a citizen?
There are more questions to add. (What else would you put here?)
So Who Decides What Students Learn?
This has always been an interesting question. There are state standards, there’s your Board of Education, there’s your district’s and school’s leadership, there’s your community of families, there’s students themselves, and there’s YOU.
Each stakeholder has their own take on what’s important. Our curriculums, goals, and assessments emerge from a blend of each of these inputs.
Schools are not the only place students receive education, of course. But schools are one of the core centerpieces for any community, and it is worthwhile for all stakeholders to ask, “Are we missing anything?”
It’s important to reassess the content and skills we equip our students with. There are elements that go well beyond college and career prep that may be equally important for our educational institutions to address.
I’m going to list a few here, but what do YOU think would be worthwhile for schools to cover that most currently don’t?
Nine Topics We Aren’t Teaching
Essential Skills
Employers are not looking for mere knowledge or obedience. They are looking for essential skills or “soft skills” – those human behaviors that make an individual more responsible, adaptable, and able to work alongside.
A 2016 report by the World Economic Forum projects that a surprising percentage of knowledge students are currently learning in academic programs will be outdated by the time they graduate. The report concludes that dramatic shifts in what skills employers look for will occur, emphasizing “social skills—such as persuasion, emotional intelligence and teaching others—will be in higher demand across industries than narrow technical skills.”
Forbes recently reported “a major coalition of businesses, policy experts, trade groups, and academics are demonstrating that soft skills—specifically interpersonal skills, the ability to manage and control your emotions, communication skills, leadership, adaptability, and problem solving—are critical.” While an individual might know the information related to a job, it’s the soft skills that will empower them to truly contribute.
I think these skills extend beyond the workplace, however. Soft skills represent the habits and methods of interaction that are more prone to help people find happiness and success in relationships, personal fulfillment, household management, and all sorts of other important areas of life.
I think teachers DO address soft skills with their students. We talk about responsibility, walk them through problem-solving scenarios, and encourage productive collaboration in the classroom. But do we intentionally focus on these skills, or just assume students are absorbing the lessons?
Electronics Safety, Etiquette, and Balance
Smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, YouTube, apps, social media…they are radically changing the landscape of our lives. Students are exposed to more entertainment, network connections, and information than any generation in human history. And we are finding we are all ill-equipped to harness this tidal wave of technology.
Phrases like “Netflix binge,” “FOMO,” and “SnapChat streak” are permeating our culture, denoting our increasing tendency to give in to our desires for electronic engagement. Even though teachers may gripe about students texting during class, using their school tablet to watch YouTube, and staying up late using social media, electronics are far more than an annoying distraction from learning. We are seeing dramatic shifts with how our students engage in their world.
Unfortunately, research suggests the uptick in depression and anxiety amongst young people can be partially attributed to the rise in electronic use, revealing that “after 2010, teens who spent more time on new media were more likely to report mental health issues than those who spent time on non-screen activities.”
Our technology is a double-edged sword that offers so many amazing opportunities for learning, but at the cost of introducing unexpected ramifications on our psychology, social interactions, and habits. This is compounded by the fact that most parents and teachers did not grow up with these tools; it’s difficult to navigate this new territory ourselves let alone guide our children through it.
That’s possibly where schools come in, and there are three main categories I can think of (though I know there are more).
- Electronics Safety: Basic protocols for protecting your identity, passwords, personal information, and wellbeing from those who might seek to take advantage.
- Electronics Etiquette: How to be a good digital citizen, to have a positive digital footprint, and to be aware of the relationship between the digital and real world.
- Electronics Balance: Recognizing appropriate uses and possible abuses of electronics, and appreciating the finer things in line that electronics cannot bring.
How can schools partner with parents to help students find the best and avoid the worst of these beautifully powerful technologies?
How to Learn
Schools obviously spend a great deal of time teaching students skills and content. But when do we stop and teach students how to LEARN?
Annie Murphy Paul from Mindshift points out,“We’re comfortable talking about concrete information: names, dates, numbers, facts. But the guidance we offer on the act of learning itself—the ‘metacognitive’ aspects of learning—is more hit-or-miss, and it shows.” We are comfortable passing on knowledge we ourselves have, but the process for acquiring knowledge is a bit more nebulous and an area we are more reluctant to engage in.
There are classic strategies for learning new information, like reading and annotating, discussion, note taking, flash cards, asking questions, drawing pictures, and practice. While we might ask students to engage in these tasks, it is pressing that teachers reinforce why these behaviors are important to the learning process and how students can comfortably do these on their own.
Learning how to learn goes beyond just knowing which methods to use to study. It requires a type of metacognition where students recognize what they know and what they don’t and target their efforts towards reinforcing parts they don’t understand. And once the information is in their heads, they need to be able to get it out of their heads and make use of it.
Unfortunately these are not intuitive for all students. We must help them develop the awareness and response methods for reinforcing their learning.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness can help minimize anxiety and increase happiness. It is the practice of bringing a gentle, accepting attitude to the present moment. And with anxiety and depression rates increasing year after year in children, it is important to help them develop the tools to make the most of the moment without feeling overwhelmed.
Amongst other benefits, mindfulness and meditation can “gives kids the habit of focusing on the present moment and ignoring distractions” and teach them “to stay calm in the face of life’s stressful times.” In today’s culture of electronic screens, immediate satisfaction, over-stimulation, and disconnect, teaching students to be aware of and embrace their own minds can be just as important as being aware of the multiplication tables.
I used to joke with students who would very, very reluctant remove their headphones blaring music into their ears. “Ahhh! What are these voices in my head?” Relax, I would tell them, it’s your own thoughts. Mindfulness practices have surged in prominence in recent years from homes to businesses to schools; it may be worth it for teachers to consider what role mindfulness can play in the classroom experience they offer their students.
Finances
Schools in part exist to help students develop skills to land careers…careers where they will make money and earn a living. But what should people DO with money once they earn it? Schools are largely mute on the question, aside from a few electives or a state-required consumer education course. Should schools equip students with a broader exposure to money conscientiousness?
American households and businesses struggled during the 2008 recession, and thankfully the economy has grown exponentially during the last decade of recovery. Incomes have largely outpaced living expenses, but debts has also risen. Credit card debt, for example, has increased 34% over the past five years.
There are a great deal of resources for parents and teachers out there to help instruct minors on the basics of money sense, including how to budget, how compound interest works, how debt works, how to invest, and so on. Two problems are that students often don’t have much or any money of their own to connect their education to reality, and teachers don’t feel qualified to instruct students on personal finance.
Life Balance
I’ve written previously about my own ongoing attempts to balance work and life. Our American ideal culturally indoctrinates us to work hard and work long: we tend to eat at our desks or in our cars, send emails after work hours, hardly ever take all of our paid vacation time off, and work more hours per week compared to other countries. This trickles to our students, too, whom we encourage to spend all day in school and then complete homework after hours while participating in multiple extra-curricular activities. Families find themselves pulled in multiple directions at the same time trying to keep everything afloat.
Being involved and productive is a good thing – even part of what we take pride in as Americans – but at what cost? To what extent do we, as learning institutions, promote a healthy balance of work, recreation, connection, and health?
Universities are often the first place students are intentionally taught about work/life balance…but why wait until then? Teachers first must assess their own balances, and conscientiously incorporate this conversation into their classrooms as they help students navigate the challenges of a loaded schedule of responsibilities.
First Aid
There’s nothing worse than having an emergency occur right in front of you and not knowing what to do. Whether a sprained ankle or a heart attack, it is important for every citizen to have a basic knowledge of on-the-spot steps they can take.
First aid basics are not difficult to learn, and even little kids can be taught how to apply a bandaid or prepare an ice pack. If schools make intentional time to instruct and review these essentials, society will be better equipped with individuals who can provide immediate assistance should an injury occur.
Boundaries and Consent
The headlines abound with public figures accused of sexual assault and unwelcome advances. Although these are bringing attention to an important problem, most cases of sexual assault unfortunately go unreported. As society continues to confront the epidemic of sexual assault, schools can adopt this national conversation and play a role in educating students about the importance of establishing boundaries for oneself and respecting the boundaries of others.
The concept of “consent” does not have to relate solely to sexual contact. Some schools are introducing consent as early as elementary age, exploring areas where boundaries need to be defined and respected. These conversations can be reinforced in conjunction with a variety of topics, and can be appropriately adapted for students’ age and maturity.
Due to the nature and sensitivity of the topic, many teachers (and parents, too) may feel uncomfortable broaching the topic. Some schools may have specially trained staff members to work with students; other schools may bring in a sexuality educator or prevention specialist to bring the topic to light.
Reflection
Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard taught us, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Looking backwards at the portion of life we’ve already lived helps us understand ourselves and prepare for the steps ahead.
Reflection is critical for helping students make sense of their learning. Instead of merely going through the motions and perpetually moving forward, reflection gives students an opportunity to look at their previous performance, effort, and outcome, and draw conclusions about what they’ve accomplished as a learner. Students can then use self-reflection – in conjunction with teacher feedback – to grow stronger on the task and prepare for their next one.
Authors Arthur L. Kosta and Ben Kallick say “In the reflective classroom, teachers invite students to make meaning from their experiences overtly in written and oral form.” While we often imply that reflection is necessary through quiz reviews, grade outcomes, and study preparation, are we intentionally setting aside time within the classroom to encourage students to answer questions about their process and performance?
This has implications beyond academics as well. Reflection is a habit of mind that trains us to look at our process and performance in any area of life, contributing to developing a growth mindset. Students might reflect on the speeches they gave in your class, but the skill of reflection can then be turned toward any scenario students encounter and help them strengthen their experiences through the rest of their life.
We Probably Are Teaching Some of These…
I have no doubt that we broach each of the topics in some way throughout our year with students. Effective teachers are likely incorporating discussions on how to learn, soft skills, reflection, and so on within the midst of their interactions with students.
The question is: to what extent do we intentionally incorporate these elements into our classrooms and into our broader schooling experience? If we are strategic, we can create a robust experience related to each of these, helping students encounter universal language and reinforced concepts that carry with them no matter which specific classroom they happen to be in.
Of course, each of these elements needs to be understood and practiced by teachers themselves before they can be emphasized to students. Students are going to receive better instruction and guidance from individuals who already embrace the characteristics they are seeking students to adopt. I was always baffled by the teacher who said, “I don’t do this myself, but you should…” Either it’s a valuable practice or it’s not, and if teachers are going to preach the virtues of these elements, it is essential they have personal experience incorporating them into their life.
Perhaps most importantly, schools should not be the only ones addressing these topics. PARENTS, of course, play a critical role in shaping their children’s perspectives towards finances, work, learning, boundaries, and so on. To what extent can schools partner with parents to find appropriate ways to communicate and reinforce these messages?
Lots to digest in this post. Please share your thoughts below! What else would you add? What ARE we teaching and how can we do it better?