Did you know that a large percentage of children across the United States are dropping out or not graduating from High School with any kind of usable diploma In some states the percentage of dropouts is over 50%. Why is that
Some of the reasons behind students dropping out are lack of interest in school, no vision for their future, poor academic skills, and families that do not seem to understand the importance of a high school education. These are only a few reasons, there are many, many more. But, let’s address these few.
Lack of interest in school. Why would a child not find school interesting Children go to school primarily to learn. But, what are they learning We teach math, English, science, and history. These are the basic courses all children are required to graduate. Most states require that you take three math courses, four English courses, two to three science courses and three history courses during your high school years. Many of these courses are geared toward students attending college. Do we really need to stress college to all of our students
I graduated from high school in the 1970s. During that time we had several tracks for graduating a basic high school diploma, business, vocational and college prep. Depending on which diploma you chose, your courses were structured for the pursuit of that diploma. Everyone took the same math, English, science and history courses for ninth and tenth grade, but things changed by the time you got to eleventh and twelfth grade. Students on a basic high school diploma took courses that would prepare them for work in retail, factories, or some kind of service job. Students seeking a business diploma took courses related to business (typing, shorthand, computers, etc.) and they often worked in offices connected to the school or outside jobs part time for credit. Students seeking a diploma in vocational took courses related to the vocation they chose and also had the opportunity to work in the field during their senior year. Finally, students seeking a diploma in college prep took advanced courses to prepare them for college.
As I recall, we had very few students dropping out of high school and most students found employment right out of high school, if they didn’t continue to college or a vocational school. Very few of our schools are using more then one curriculum. We have become so focused on getting as many students prepared for college, that we have forgotten those other paths. Not everyone is ready for college or even wants to go to college after high school. We need to redevelop more tracks for our students to choose from.
No vision for their future. Our children are exposed to so many odd things nowadays, that many of them seem to think that they won’t be around for a long period of time. They have no vision of what the future might hold for them. Schools need more hands on classes. We need to form cooperative studying with outside entities. By this I mean, hospitals, government offices, factories, and even colleges. Children should have plenty of opportunities not just in elementary school but in middle and high school to get out and explore the world around them. Taking a field trip now and then just doesn’t show the true meaning of what life has to offer.
My daughter had a rather unique experience in high school, in which she was able to participate in a program where she left school for a portion of the day, twice a week. She spent one semester working in various offices around the community. Usually she would spend up to two weeks in each office. According to her, it was a lot of fun and she got to discover what other people did for a living. The idea behind the program was to give students real life opportunities to experience the working world. Many businesses in the community participated in this program. All the students who participated had to keep a log of where they worked and what they did. Then they had to write a paper explaining what they liked and disliked about the jobs. What a fun way to give children a unique perspective on possibilities for their future.
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