All High School Graduates Should Have These Skills

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There should be a common core group of learning tools and skills. The objective of going through school is to learn how to think and process information. These common core ideas might actually put us back on the path to doing just that.

Larry A Cochran of IL 1:57PM October 20, 2011

I realize that not everyone is going to get the same job, and not everyone will be attending college. It is important though that they have basic knowledge in areas such as English and Math, as well as learning basic morals/values and other life skills.
I have seen students gradaute, or about to graduate, who cannot do the simplest math problems without using a calculator. I'm not saying they have to be an expert at everything, but just contain basic knowledge. For example, I have seen students use their calculators for problems such as 5x6 or 9/0. Basic multiplication and division should have been learned long before high school. I have also been asked how to spell words such as "Paragraph" or "Difficult" Shouldn't they at least learn this stuff? Especially before high school?
And I agree, they need to stop focusing so much on competing with other schools, states, and countries and focus on what the student is actually learning. They should also try removing some of the ridiculous things they have on the core of content. Very few people is actually going to use all the theories and equations they teach you in math. Why not save that for college students who needs to know that information for their future career?

Brittany of KY 2:58AM January 20, 2010

It sounds like such a sensible idea - but not every student leaving high school needs the same set of skills as every other. They would if they were all going to work at the exact same job at the exact same time. But is that what will happen? Do we really want it to? Not every student will go on to college, or work for a large corporation. We need all types of workers; plumbers, lawyers, mathematicians, janitors, teachers, social workers, prison guards, neurosurgeons. Does anyone really think that the same skills are needed by all of those professions? What about instilling a love of learning, a desire to pursue knowledge, creativity, the ability to persevere (self-discipline), the ability to think for oneself, civility, caring for others, idealism, stewardship of the planet? Skills that are essential for living in the 21st century. But these skills cannot be tested on any standardized test. And so, unfortunately, they are not valued by the proponents of uniform national standards.
Who will be served by instituting these standards? Not the students who will be force fed a one-size-fits-all curriculum. Not the students who are differently-abled or who learn differently, or who do not want to work for corporate America. Not the students whose test scores will rise, but not the quality and scope of their learning. Not the students who will drop out of high school rather than subject themselves to yet another test. Who will benefit from the push for standardized curricula? The corporations that write the tests, sell the workbooks, and publish the textbooks. But will our nation be better off?
We are being fed misinformation about how "poorly" our students are doing compared to other nations. We are also being misinformed as to the reasons they appear to do less well than other nations. When we lead other nations in numbers of children living in poverty and in numbers of teen births, and lag behind them in providing health care for expectant mothers and children it follows that we trail those nations in "test scores".
It is still crucial to remember that not everything that is tested is important. And not everything that is important can be tested.

Sue Monaco of VT 5:12PM October 17, 2009

Kids who want to get a job right away should have internships in what they want to do. I had latin in high school. There is also the battle with hormones. The greatest influence on a high school student are friends. It seems in Quebec, that the standards are lowered to producr more high school graduates. Some kids have so many family problems that they can not function in school. These problems have to be resolved in elementary school. In high school, it is too late. School uniforns could be an idaea so the kids can be identified. Discipline is another problem. Build schools or build prisons?
How do other countries handle this problem?
We have to make a choice.

michael tomlinson 6:54PM October 08, 2009

Standards, bandards! Schools can implement all the standards they want, if kids are not learning it doesn't mean ditly squat. This city is a prime example of there approach to implementing or enforcing more standards. High school students are instructed over a benchmark, maybe a day or two, and given a test. If they pass, they move to the next benchmark. Ask them what they learned, they can't tell you a thing. I not only call this SAD, but GENOCIDE. They're killing the next generation. Whatever happen to just outright teaching.
This may be a small town, that's affecting a small number of people, but don't be surprised if they grow up and live next door to you.

shelly of KS 11:25AM October 03, 2009

These students need to know more about U.S. History and Government and comparative economic systems and more about how our economy really works. They need to overcome any demonizing of private sector corporations and entrepreneurs by the educational establishment and then they might be qualified to cast an informed vote in an election.

Roger of MA 11:25AM October 01, 2009

More time in school will be a good thing. Many kids aren't exposed to anything positive in their homes and more time learning would be helpful. Also, if there was more time in school, there would be more time for recess and PE. The kids in this country are no where near reaching their academic potential and everyone is worried about them having enough "fun", which usually translates to more TV watching and video games. We are way behind many other countries academically. Kids need so much MORE education!

Jen of IN 5:31PM September 29, 2009

I agree with Charles, but I think there will be a never ending battle on what values are taught. It will no doubt be politicized by anyone with an agenda, unfortunately. Perhaps we can have a set of core values that, while seem "quaint" to some, are still valued in society, i.e, honesty, respect, etc.
I don't think more school time is the answer. What will that accomplish? We have already reduced PE/recess time to next to nothing, which is not healthy for young children.
I think we spend too much time pushing statistics. I don't have an answer, but we have some children in k12 who are excelling at their own pace (some faster, some slower, than public school), and finding their own way, rather than having the "way" forced upon them.

Steve of CA 4:56PM September 29, 2009

is that a "good enough" national standard of what students should know and be able to do could be placed on a $100 set of CDs by a private author and merely forced (with marketing) onto the nation like a movie, music group or TV series or video game. The kids could be racing their way through it with the promise of taking some tests, passing them and having a marketable private-label nationally-recognized high school diploma at age 14 or 15 or 16 or 17. You get it when you pass. (And, no, your school district does not control it.)
Waiting for a lumbering herd of government people (think buffalo) to reach "consensus" is why we don't have any standard and why we're falling behind. I often wonder when some entreprenuer is going to just steal the show on this.

Muser of NM 1:26PM September 29, 2009

With our school years of 180 days, compared to other countries 240 to 260 days, there is certainly room for more education time. Parenting education, as well as information on overpopulation, is needed--as are math and science skills and the elements of logic. Our extra-curricular education is a big plus. Higher social class students have the opportunity to learn all of these but ghetto and barrio schools face immense problems. There are incredibly eager students there, but the needs of the majority, particularly the boys, to show their power by rebelling against any authority, is a huge problem for teachers. Try it if you don't believe it!

Dr. Bob O'Connor of CA 3:18AM September 29, 2009