More on preparing them for college

Hello everyone,

I will get back to the subjects from last week that I had intended exploring (intelligence and understanding), but I received a comment on one of the emails posted on my blog that I would like to comment on.

My thoughts are in CAPS.

Here is the posting:

I like your points of view, but is everyone fit to be college material?

IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU WANT TO DEFINE "COLLEGE." FOR THE SAKE OF MY STUDENTS, I CHOOSE TO DEFINE IT AS "POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION." IN THE BROADEST SENSE, THIS COULD INCLUDE MILITARY TRAINING, THOUGH I TEND TO CLASSIFY MILITARY TRAINING AS A SEPARATE THING.

I INCLUDE VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE POST-SECONDARY AS WELL AS APPRENTICESHIPS IN MY PERSONAL DEFINITION OF "COLLEGE."

THE REALITY OF THE AMERICAN MARKETPLACE IS THAT IT IS VERY RARE FOR ANYONE WITH ONLY A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES, LET ALONE A FAMILY. IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARKET, WHERE FURNISHED ROOMS REGULARLY RENT FOR MORE THAN $500 A MONTH AND TRANSPORTATION IS PROHIBITIVE, MINIMUM WAGE OR COMMISSION-ONLY JOBS ARE SUFFICIENT ONLY FOR THE MOST FRUGAL AMONG US.

SOME POST-SECONDARY TRAINING IS NECESSARY.

FOR THOSE AMONG US SO DISABLED AS TO BE INCAPABLE OF POST-SECONDARY TRAINING, I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR SOCIETY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.

THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO THE QUESTIONS IS, "NO, EVERYONE IS NOT COLLEGE MATERIAL," BUT THERE ARE SO MANY QUALIFICATIONS TO THAT ANSWER THAT I HAVE TO GIVE THE LONGER AND MORE COMPLEX ANSWER I'VE GIVEN.

How about training someone, giving them a skill, a career?

IT USED TO BE POSSIBLE FOR HIGH SCHOOLS TO GIVE SUFFICIENT TRAINING IN A VARIETY OF SKILLS FOR STUDENTS TO MAKE A LIVING FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. I HAVE KNOWN STUDENTS FROM GARFIELD'S COMPUTER MAGNET TO EARN GOOD MONEY RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL USING THEIR PROGRAMMING SKILLS, BUT THAT WAS MORE THAN 15 YEARS AGO. I HAVE ALSO TRAINED STUDENTS AS FILM EDITORS WHO GOT WORK RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THAT WAS PRE-DIGITAL. AUTO MECHANICS NEED SPECIALIZED COMPUTER TRAINING. CARPENTERS MUST BE TRAINED BY THEIR UNIONS, MAKING WOODSHOP A PREPARATORY SKILL, NOT CAREER-LEVEL.

How about technical education. It is another opportunity to succeed. What is your opinion about career tech?

I CONSIDER IT COLLEGE.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION IS NECESSARY FOR THE SORTS OF CAREERS IT SUPPORTS. FEW HIGH SCHOOLS ARE EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY TRAINING, SO MOST OF IT IS DONE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

HAVING SAID ALL OF THIS, I MUST ADD THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HIGH SCHOOLS MUST CONTINUE TO BE ONLY INTRODUCTIONS TO THE SORTS OF TRAINING THAT LEAD TO A REAL CAREER. I THINK THAT IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO RESTRUCTURE EDUCATION IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS FOR SOMEONE TO PURSUE A CAREER PATH IN HIGH SCHOOL. I DON'T THINK THERE IS CURRENTLY THE POLITICAL OR SOCIETAL WILL TO DO SUCH A THING, HOWEVER, SO WE CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT MODEL OF PREPARING STUDENTS BROADLY FOR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION THAT TRAINS THEM MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR THEIR CAREERS.

JEFF COMBE