Why ‘College and Career Ready’ isn’t Working

It’s no longer enough to just go to school. Kids have to have goals, dreams and ambitions for what comes after their schooling ends. The phrase ‘college and career ready’ encourages schools to revamp their systems and culture to support the idea that students are preparing to take one of two courses: college or career (or it might be that students choose college first, followed by a career- the most desired of pathways for students by all stakeholders). This phrase implies that its the duty of the school to prepare students for whichever course they decide to take. So much so that teachers are showcasing their own school journeys via clothing and college paraphernalia in their own classrooms all the while encouraging students to dream big dreams whether its college or a trade, or both!

What’s the Problem?

For most kiddos, this philosophy is just a saying. Their future, whether it be to go to college and begin a career, is too far in the future to really grasp the concept in a way that makes it real and urgent. For example, a high schooler is much more motived to buckle down and study to prepare for college than a kindergartener who starts their day with a fun college chant but makes no connection to the hard work required to get there in 12 years.

What most kids need is guidance to get to this big goal. These smaller milestones make the big goal smaller, more manageable and the urgency more sudden. We as educators are taught to plan backwards with our edu-goals in this very same way by starting with the end in mind (a big goal) followed by mini milestones (smaller goals) leading up to this goal to ensure such checkpoints get to the finish line. Kids need this too. Its not enough to just say ‘here is your goal you will achieve years down the line.’ Some kids can get their head around that idea, but others are too far removed from that date in time and/or struggle with long term goal achievement to be focused and motivated in order to turn that goal into a reality.

What Can Teachers Do?

Teachers should still implement the college and career ready notion in their everyday scholastic endeavors. However, they need to layer in differentiated milestones that help students achieve their long term goal of either 1) entering and completing college, followed by a fulfilling career or 2) entering into a trade and landing a life-long job turned career. To do this, teachers need to:

• Meet with each student individually to find out what it is they want to be and do in their future. This will change as students grow older, but its important to start having the conversations early and documenting them so the following year’s teachers can pick up the discussion, planning and implementation.
• Once teachers know what it is the students dream, they need to set up subsequent meetings to plan out steps to turn this dream into reality. For example, if a child wants to become a doctor, a teacher needs to help the child see the importance of doing well in science courses, research summer programs for enrichment, or even sign up for the school’s science club held after school. These daily choices create habits that put the student on the path towards achieving their goal. Revisiting goals on a consistent basis allows for easy redirection, recalibration or even a celebration.
• Parents need to be part of these conversations to help students implement their plans. Educators and parents together can help students dream, plan and execute while at home and/or school. Being on the same page creates accountability structures that ensure goal achievement. Including other stakeholders, such as counselors, administrators, and other support staff, in the conversation is encouraged and only increases the likelihood students will achieve greatness.

The only way these kids will be college and career ready is if we educators move beyond a conversation of a cool slogan into daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly actionable steps. Students need the ongoing structure and support to think, plan, and achieve their future goals and its the job of educators to provide this to them.

How can you help your kiddos become college and career ready?

About the author, Gretchen

I am a teacher trainer and coach. Working elbow to elbow with teachers and teacher leaders to ensure instructional proficiency and student achievement soar lights me up. We have a real need in our nation for strong educators to remain in the field. My blog, book, podcast, courses and instructional materials are geared towards empowering teachers (and those that lead them) to receive the support needed to grow and thrive today, tomorrow and always.

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