Comments on: Should Every Student Go to College? http://www.insidetheschool.com/articles/should-every-student-go-to-college/ Teaching strategies and tips for secondary educators Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:54:12 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: diane http://www.insidetheschool.com/articles/should-every-student-go-to-college/comment-page-1/#comment-1685 diane Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:01:28 +0000 http://www.insidetheschool.com/?p=1557#comment-1685 Thanks for the comment, Louise. I think this is a very good debate. I've had students for whom the classroom wasn't a good fit, either. I remember Sean wanted to be a machinist. His junior and senior years he attended classes in the mornings and went to his job in the afternoon. Sean was in my homeroom and had been for four years.I really think that the apprenticeship program was what kept him in school. Sean might never go on for more education, but neither will he be intimidated by it. He has the skills that he needs to continue on in technical college, if he chooses to. Your student who is a barber is in a recession-proof job, which is terrific. However, in our economy there are very few recession-proof jobs. People will change jobs many times and education will give them that flexibility. Sean was definitely happier in the working world, but you should have seen the pride he had when he graduated. He had worked hard and his diploma proved that. I think it's a subject that's worthy of debate and I'm glad you've joined the conversation, Louise! Diane Thanks for the comment, Louise.

I think this is a very good debate. I’ve had students for whom the classroom wasn’t a good fit, either. I remember Sean wanted to be a machinist. His junior and senior years he attended classes in the mornings and went to his job in the afternoon. Sean was in my homeroom and had been for four years.I really think that the apprenticeship program was what kept him in school.

Sean might never go on for more education, but neither will he be intimidated by it. He has the skills that he needs to continue on in technical college, if he chooses to.

Your student who is a barber is in a recession-proof job, which is terrific. However, in our economy there are very few recession-proof jobs. People will change jobs many times and education will give them that flexibility.

Sean was definitely happier in the working world, but you should have seen the pride he had when he graduated. He had worked hard and his diploma proved that.

I think it’s a subject that’s worthy of debate and I’m glad you’ve joined the conversation, Louise!

Diane

]]> By: diane http://www.insidetheschool.com/articles/should-every-student-go-to-college/comment-page-1/#comment-1672 diane Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:52:47 +0000 http://www.insidetheschool.com/?p=1557#comment-1672 This comment came to my e-mail InBox. Comments were't working this morning, but the problem's been fixed - sorry! - Diane Trim, editor from Lynn Anderson, Educator After reading your article "Should Every Student Go to College" I had to give you my comments. I agree with alot of your opinions in the article and I'm not debating the necessity of 'a back up plan'. After more than thirty years in the education arena, and the mother of two successful sons, I am concerned over what seemed to be a tone of 'less than' for careers that did not require college. The referencing of milking cows, plowing fields, fishing, and general construction as the non-college examples does not do justice to the magnitude of apprenticeship jobs that are available and necessary. Here are a few careers that should be included: -Crop Asset Manager -Cattle Precurement Specialist -Soil Conservation Technician -Field Technician -Collision Repair Tech -Industrial Sales Estimator -Electrician -Industrial Safety Technician -Surveyor -Finish Carpenter -Ironworker -Plumber -Landscape Design Tech -Greenhouse Management We both want our children to have options, let's not diminish any of those choices. This comment came to my e-mail InBox. Comments were’t working this morning, but the problem’s been fixed – sorry! – Diane Trim, editor

from Lynn Anderson, Educator

After reading your article “Should Every Student Go to College” I had to give you my comments. I agree with alot of your opinions in the article and I’m not debating the necessity of ‘a back up plan’. After more than thirty years in the education arena, and the mother of two successful sons, I am concerned over what seemed to be a tone of ‘less than’ for careers that did not require college.

The referencing of milking cows, plowing fields, fishing, and general construction as the non-college examples does not do justice to the magnitude of apprenticeship jobs that are available and necessary.

Here are a few careers that should be included:
-Crop Asset Manager
-Cattle Precurement Specialist
-Soil Conservation Technician
-Field Technician

-Collision Repair Tech
-Industrial Sales Estimator
-Electrician
-Industrial Safety Technician
-Surveyor
-Finish Carpenter
-Ironworker
-Plumber
-Landscape Design Tech
-Greenhouse Management

We both want our children to have options, let’s not diminish any of those choices.

]]> By: Louise http://www.insidetheschool.com/articles/should-every-student-go-to-college/comment-page-1/#comment-1674 Louise Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:25:42 +0000 http://www.insidetheschool.com/?p=1557#comment-1674 I do not agree that college prep is for everyone and am convinced that it is partially responsible for the ever growing high school drop out rate. Also, forcing college prep on some students can cause additional low self-esteem and feelings of isolation and disconnect. It can plant a seed or be a constant reminder that they are deficient and can never measure up to the standards that someone else has set for them. I can recall how devastated I was when I learned that one of my former ninth grade students had dropped out of high school after completing his junior year. I knew what it had taken for him to complete his junior year, including taking some math classes more than once. However, I can recall how equally excited I was when he passed the high school exit exam on the first try during his sophomore year. During what would have been his senior year I kept in touch with him through his friends. Within a year he received his G.E.D.and was working full time as a licensed barber at a local barber shop. I would hear various students mention him by name and sport his trendy cuts. Then it came flooding back to me how he had informed me as a ninth grader that he already knew what he wanted to be and was already cutting his friends' hair. He also added that he didn't understand why he was being forced to take algebra. Four years later at age 22 he is still a successful barber. As far as a back-up plan, I do not think that barbers have been affected by the recession. I know that some of you have different measures of success for a 22 year old. However, I would be willing to place a wager on the fact that this young man is most likely in the process of buying his own shop if he has not already done so. What's even more, he has not become another statistic. I do not agree that college prep is for everyone and am convinced that it is partially responsible for the ever growing high school drop out rate. Also, forcing college prep on some students can cause additional low self-esteem and feelings of isolation and disconnect. It can plant a seed or be a constant reminder that they are deficient and can never measure up to the standards that someone else has set for them. I can recall how devastated I was when I learned that one of my former ninth grade students had dropped out of high school after completing his junior year. I knew what it had taken for him to complete his junior year, including taking some math classes more than once. However, I can recall how equally excited I was when he passed the high school exit exam on the first try during his sophomore year. During what would have been his senior year I kept in touch with him through his friends. Within a year he received his G.E.D.and was working full time as a licensed barber at a local barber shop. I would hear various students mention him by name and sport his trendy cuts. Then it came flooding back to me how he had informed me as a ninth grader that he already knew what he wanted to be and was already cutting his friends' hair. He also added that he didn't understand why he was being forced to take algebra. Four years later at age 22 he is still a successful barber. As far as a back-up plan, I do not think that barbers have been affected by the recession. I know that some of you have different measures of success for a 22 year old. However, I would be willing to place a wager on the fact that this young man is most likely in the process of buying his own shop if he has not already done so. What's even more, he has not become another statistic.

]]> By: diane http://www.insidetheschool.com/articles/should-every-student-go-to-college/comment-page-1/#comment-1673 diane Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:33:54 +0000 http://www.insidetheschool.com/?p=1557#comment-1673 Well said, Lynn. I really didn't mean to diminish these students' choices and I'm not saying that these apprenticeship programs aren't valuable. They are. For many kids, they provide an incentive to graduate as well as a profitable trade. However, I want those CNAs to have the option of going back to school to get their BSN RN, if they want. If a stylist becomes a salon owner and wants to take accounting classes, I want her to be prepared. I think we both want the same thing, Lynn. Thanks for the comment. Diane Well said, Lynn.

I really didn't mean to diminish these students' choices and I'm not saying that these apprenticeship programs aren't valuable. They are. For many kids, they provide an incentive to graduate as well as a profitable trade.

However, I want those CNAs to have the option of going back to school to get their BSN RN, if they want. If a stylist becomes a salon owner and wants to take accounting classes, I want her to be prepared.

I think we both want the same thing, Lynn. Thanks for the comment.

Diane

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