| Optimistic teachers are quick to say that every child is educable. Although true theoretically, many high schools do a poor job of adequately preparing students for the next educational level. Bob Herbert (New York Times, May 17, 2010) points out that “American kids drop out of high school at a rate of one every 26 seconds.” Herbert writes about Bard High School Early College in Manhattan which allows highly motivated students to graduate with up to sixty college credits.
“When these kids sail into college,” he writes, “they are fully prepared to handle the course loads of sophomores or juniors.” But what about the millions of other students not enrolled in schools like Bard, subjected to state-mandate standardization tests? How well are they prepared to enter colleges are freshmen?
Standardization Trumps Basic Preparatory Skills
In March 2003, a Stanford University study concluded that many high schools fail to adequately prepare students for college. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education (March 21, 2003, Vol. 49, Issue 28, p. A36), “A growing number of high school students…lack crucial information on…succeeding academically once they get there…” The report cited “conflicts between high school and college curriculums” as well as addressing college preparedness.
Jennifer Jacobson, reporting on an ACT report in 2004, states that “American high schools’ core curricula insufficiently prepare students for college-level work and even for job training…” (Chronicle of High Education, October 29, 2004, Vol. 51, Issue 10, p. A38). A 2005 poll conducted by Achieve Inc. corroborated these findings. Students polled stated that “it was easy to slide by in high school;” The areas of greatest deficiency were in writing and mathematics. (See Chronicle of High Education, February 18, 2005, article by Michelle Diament, Vol. 51, Issue 24, p. A39)
The accountability drive in most states, based on the “No Child Left Behind” initiative, has forced states to adopt standardized testing, often called end-of-grade exams. Achieving passing scores demands an understanding of specific facts. In American History, it might be knowing which U.S. president was associated with the “Era of Good Feeling.” (This has also been a question on the American History AP exam) But the expense of standardization is writing skills, research ability, and basic organizational skills.
The Loss of Intelligent Communication
Many in-coming freshmen simply cannot write to be intelligently understood. Grammar skills are an endangered species in many high schools. A report by the College Board on the “Neglected ‘R’ “states that more than 50 percent of first-year college students are unable to produce papers relatively free of language errors.” (ETS in the Chronicle of Higher Education May 18, 2010)
Professor Rachel Toor of Eastern Washington University writes that there is an assumption in all levels of collegiate academia that good writing skills have been taught to students at some lower level. That level starts in high school, where the “basics” should have been covered. “Composition instructors believe that they don't need to teach grammar because their students learned it in high school,” she argues. (Chronicle, June 9, 2009).
Other Areas of College Preparedness not Being Addressed
Success in college, at least in the first year, begins with the following skills that high schools must address:
The ability to communicate in both writing and through oral presentation
Organizational skills that include prioritizing
Research skills that teach students to vet sources as well as investigative methodologies
Critical thinking analysis projects
Understanding of contemporary global issues, including geographic placements
Basic knowledge of Art and Music as it pertains to social and cultural development
National and state education requirements that seek to graduate “globally minded citizens” must take such priorities into account and include them in curricula designed for the 21st Century. This, however, may mean abandoning sterile standardization goals.
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