Educational Thought #3

Yesterday was an interesting day that involved a lot of counseling to students who need some type of alternatives. In the traditional high school setting you have four years to complete 12 classes per semester or the equivalent of 230 credits/units in California. Most schools around the nation have a similar model with varying schedules that make this accessible to most students. But what happens when you have students who are in their third year and have only earned a quarter of those credits? These our the typical students who become dropouts not because they don't show up to school every day, but because they have not mastered the system of education.

I had the pleasure of guiding a few of these students to alternatives that will help them realistically earn their high school diploma. In both cases, the students had passed the exit exams, which demonstrate some mastery in reading and math. Having given them some options seemed to lift a burden from them in a way that felt refreshing. In the process of educational reform we must take into consideration that all students don't fit in the "systematic" model of the instructional settings we have created. We must give them the options that will lead to success otherwise face the wrath of their "failure" through crime and helplessness.

There are more than one way to earn 230 credits or a high school diploma lets find and provide students with all options. They deserve this chance. Happy Giving!