Next Generation Learning: How Can I Help?

"So Keith my question is this, how can I help support students? How can those of us who are not in the classroom help the next generation be more successful? What can we do?  Because while we’ve established the fact that education is indeed everybody’s business, I am not sure we know exactly where to begin"

Ronda,

These are all great questions, and I'm hopeful that we can get more and more people who are not involved in the classroom to start (or continue) to think about these questions. Working at The Met School in Providence has afforded me the opportunity to truly connect students with community members, which has enhanced their education or (in some cases) changed their lives. To the surprise of a mentor, they usually get just as much of an education out of the experience as a student. 

The students at The Met are out at internships twice a week beginning in the middle of ninth grade up until they graduate. Becoming a mentor to a student is just one simple way to help the next generation become more successful. The real world experience a student gains from being at a workplace, having to be professional and punctual, listen intently to direction, while learning to enjoy the work and be creative are just a few simple life lessons learned. In some cases, students are leaving high school with a greater sense of how to manage the responsibility that comes along with freedom. How many bright young students enter college and leave because they don't know how to manage their time? Academic preparation is important AND knowing how to navigate various systems, communicate effectively with adults and peers, create a schedule, maintain organizational skills, etc. are also key components to being successful. As a mentor, you can help young people develop and hone these skills, so they are more prepared for college and life's challenges. 

Being a mentor can be time consuming, depending on the structure of the school or after school program. If you just don't have the time (but still want to help) allowing visits at your workplace or being a guest speaker will help students realize the relevance of certain learning. When the information is applicable to something that exists, the students can better make connections and see purpose to their education. This contributes to motivation, which in turn helps with work ethic, performance and minimizes behavior issues. These experiences can help the community build a relationship with teachers in the school, which could help teacher's have reference points for students and assist in the design of a more modern, relevant curricula. For community members and businesses, it can help tailor a more specific workforce that will be competent and prepared for future jobs. For students, it gives the opportunity for exploration and the possibility of pursuing their true passion. 

There are two other ways to help: money and advocacy. Using donorschoose.org to give resources to specific classroom projects is one route. Contacting the school and talking to teachers, department heads or administration can help narrow down what in particular the school may need. Also, if you talk to classroom teachers, (typically) you can get closer to the truth of what works for students and what policies help or hinder student learning. Inevitably teachers know the details differently because they are with the students in a learning environment throughout the entire school day. This information may help you become a more informed citizen on what an effective education could look like in your region/district, which can help you advocate for the positive things that will help students, which in the future will have ripple effect benefits we may not even be able to foresee.

- Keith 

Change to the blog

All,

To enrich the conversation, I'm pleased to announce that a colleague and friend will be joining the blog. Ronda Alexander is a member of the Ford Next Generation Learning National Team (Ford NGL)  (see her bio for more detailed info). Ronda has a great perspective on the bigger picture of education and the impact it has on societal changes. This will give a great boost to the blog as Ronda is well traveled and has the great opportunity to collect empirical evidence on what works in communities around the U.S. and what does not. Combined with my "classroom" or advisory experience with high school students, as well as coaching work, the hope is that we can more intentionally attack the broad issues of public education and get to the details of effective practices, programs and policies. 

Here is Ronda's first post: 

Inaugaration

Dear Keith,

Last Monday I was given the opportunity to attend the second inauguration of the 44^th President of the United States, and as I stood there among the million or so people in attendance I began to think about just how important education is to this country.

President Obama made a couple of statements that really hit home for me and reminded me of why I continue to advocate for the education of all people in this country. He said:

This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience.  A decade of war is now ending.   An economic recovery has begun.  America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands:  youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention.  My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it -- so long as we seize it together.

We are in this together so the future of our country depends on each and every one of us. What does that mean?  It means that in order to ensure the success of our economy, businesses, and culture we need to prepare our young people for success; and that does not mean just educators by trade, but rather each and every one of us who cares about the future of this country – in short, education is everybody’s business.

Those of us outside of the world of education may wonder why education matters, but I am a firm believer that education is key to success.  I don’t mean the education of old either; I’m not concerned whether or not students can recite facts and figures or characters out of book – it’s 2013, we have Google, so facts/figures are irrelevant.  What I mean is making sure our young people can identify and solve problems without being given all of the information; students need to be able to think critically, communicate and work collaboratively in a team. 

Furthermore, we need to accept that the way our parents and grandparents were educated is totally useless today.  “Learning” is not confined to the classroom; it happens at home, out in the community and in real-world working environments.

So Keith my question is this, how can I help support students? How can those of us who are not in the classroom help the next generation be more successful? What can we do?  Because while we’ve established the fact that education is indeed everybody’s business, I am not sure we know exactly where to begin.

Sincerely,

Ronda