Saturday, June 1, 2013
Graduation Musings
As I listen to the superintendent and BOE president present my sisters' graduating class, a few statements stand out. In announcing the graduates, he reads that the graduates have "met the requirements of the state and district". In between my feelings of pride for my sister's many accomplishments, I can't help but consider this statement. Never during the presentation does he mention the graduates as well prepared individuals capable of contributing to society, of competing in today's global marketplace. And rightly so- according to Tony Wagner in Global Achievement Gap, many business leaders cite the virtual unpreparedness of today's graduates. Is the common statement of the superintendent an acknowledgement of this lack of workforce readiness? Is it an unspoken disclaimer much like the small text at the bottom of a car commercial? Ill let you be the judge of this.One thing I do know, however, is that our education system has a long way to go in the way of true college and career readiness.
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Great point....when did "met requirements" be the goal? It is frustrating to think of education as a series of check marks to full completion.
ReplyDeleteI agree! What does this really tell us about our educational values, our current system, and our future as a country? Thanks for being my first commenter!
ReplyDeleteFunny. You should read Creating Innovators by Wagner if you liked Global Achievement Gap.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! I'll check it out when I'm done with grad school and have time to read something other than my school texts! :)
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