Education Inspiration

I've never done two blog entries in the same day, but this has been rambling around in my head all week, and maybe I can move on easier if I write it down.

Between hearing about my own kids' views of high school and remembering my own experiences, our current education system at the high school level doesn't make much sense.

True when I was that age, and apparently even more true today is the fact that most kids pretty much are marking time their Junior and Senior years in high school. For me, those years were much more about having fun in my sports and music activities and making money on the side than the education I got between 8 and 3:30 every day.

Sure, I was serious enough about my education to want to get good grades and go to college. But I'd have to say that was well down the list from my sports, playing trombone in the Jazz Ensemble, and the various singing groups and youth trips and just hanging out with friends. Academically, my senior year in particular was of very little value, and I was mostly just marking time and having fun while trying to get a decent SAT score and apply to colleges.

If anybody's really serious about "fixing" education, they should first face reality. By the end of the 10th grade, probably 80 percent of kids have all the education they will need, at least to get entry into college. Juniors and seniors are either taking the AP and college-prep classes, some are marking time in Vo-Tech programs, but most are just taking the easiest classes they can find and getting into trouble.

I think it's really easy. Public schools should be reconfigured to end after the 10th grade. After finishing the 10th grade, students should then be free to choose from a myriad of options. Some form of the good old "vouchers" system would probably be the main source of funding, but imagine the possibilities:

Kids who are headed for the trades could go directly into apprentice programs or Vo-Tech schools. Some might go to work immediately for construction companies, HVAC companies, Plumbers, Electricians, etc.

Others who just want to go to work are free to do so. They can go ahead and get the factory job, fast food job, retail, whatever. But, until they turn, say 19, they can access their "voucher" benefits to finish their education in evening or weekend programs at local schools or community colleges.

College-bound kids can go to college prep schools, community colleges, or the actual colleges and universities, where they would start with the fundamental courses they need before entering the degree programs one or two years later. This could lead to specialized schools and programs that cater to students interested in engineering, math & sciences, medicine, music & arts, or general studies programs for those who aren't sure yet.

Bottom line, give the kids freedom after the 10th grade to start their lives by going directly into their chosen life and career path, rather than have them mark time for two more years in dinosaur high schools. That means they will enter an environment of their own choosing, and be able to pursue their career aspirations through education and training that is relevant to their chosen life path. That would allow kids of similar interests to study together in a safer, smaller environment that's actually productive for them.

If this had happened when I was in school, my main concern would have been losing out on the stuff I really enjoyed, sports and music. Of course, none of that has to go away. For those who are interested in participating, the schools they go to after the 10th grade can still sponsor similar programs, either within their curricula or as extra-curricula programs. It seems to me that this approach would provide much greater opportunity for these types of activities instead of less, as there will be more, smaller, and better schools in the community providing the education they really want. For example, instead of 1 or 2 high schools in the county with basketball, soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, etc., imagine there are 10 or 12 schools fielding teams. More kids get to participate, there's a lot more competition, and a lot more fun.

I know better than to think this idea has much of a prayer of catching the attention of enough people to make it a reality. There are way too many people who would fight this idea to the death even if it started to gain momentum, and too many politicians willing to pander to those entrenched interests.

It's still a good idea.