Character, Values, Citizenship,
and - no surprise - not a word about training for the workplace
Caitlin Hendee, an
associate editor for the Colorado
Business Journal, asked me the best question. In an interview for her March
article (see box), after listening to my fear that the business community seeks
to change the mission of public education (to meet the needs
of the economy), she asked (and I think her subtext was, OK, but it’s not enough
just to say what you oppose): “What do you think the mission of K-12 education should be?”
|
Colorado educator, author offers critique of 'Swiss
model' career-focused approach
As
policy makers and leaders push to make high school education align with
businesses' needs, one educator says we're losing focus on what really matters.
Colorado
Business Journal, March 8, 2018
|
I mumbled a few clichés,
embarrassed not to be able to offer a concise, articulate answer. My five
newsletters last January on “The business of education – is education” (AV#171-
#175) also fell short. I focused on what
the purpose of school should not be:
training for the workplace, mere preparation for careers. But what should
it be? What is the mission of K-12
schools?
Months later, I offer here a
better answer: the mission, today, from ten of our best schools. As you will
see, good schools see the boys and girls and teenagers in our classrooms as
people—and future citizens, and not
as future workers.
These
thoughtful mission statements echo my belief in the necessity—as I argued in AV #161 - Schools with a mission – What
if all public schools (not just charters) were asked to define what they are
about? (5/23/17)—for a clear sense of purpose. There I included the mission statements of
two of the oldest high schools in the country: the Massachusetts school I graduated
from (founded 1797), and the New York school where I taught for four years
(founded 1814). (On June 15th
I will join the class of ’88, “the girls” I taught and coached, for their 30th
reunion.) Such schools have survived,
and earned a strong national reputation, in no small part because their guiding
principles do not change with the prevailing winds.
These schools do not surrender to the language and
mindset of entrepreneurs/politicians–e.g. what we hear, these days, from both our
President and our Governor (see Addendum A). Trump and Hickenlooper stress apprenticeships instead of academics, speak of training as opposed to learning,
and envision K-12 schools as the source of the economic vitality of our country
and our state. (Will our next governor
articulate a different purpose—less simpatico with Mr. Trump’s—for public
education? Based on the mission of the Colorado schools “launched” by Jared
Polis and Michael Johnston, perhaps. See
Addendum B.)
Striking, is it not—our President
and our Governor, with such different personalities, politics, and values—and
yet on this issue, speaking with one voice. Their outlook would reconfigure the
mission of K-12 education. The new purpose:
to serve the marketplace.
This is not the vision of our
best schools. In showing how true this
is, I hope it gives greater credence to my argument (AV#175) that we should be
skeptical of apprenticeship programs like CareerWise and wary of the business
community’s intent to foist its agenda on public schools.
As further evidence, I doubt any
of you who attended high school graduations a couple of weeks ago heard any
guest speaker—and, notably, any of the seniors themselves—echo the Trump/Hickenlooper
lines about schools as career prep. Instead, didn’t you hear—as I did at the
Rangeview High School
|
“The success of this country depends
on our ability to prepare citizens for active participation in democracy.” (TED
Talk[i]) Dr. Terrell Strayhorn
|
graduation speech by Dr. Terrell
Strayhorn, an uplifting message on purpose
and passion—talks celebrating responsibility and generosity, persistence and courage. To be sure, these speakers may have touched on
future jobs—also seen in several mission statements below. We see phrases like success in “college and the competitive world beyond,” in
“college and the 21st century,” and through “college and career.”
|
I focus on high
schools as it is here we are most likely to see a mission statement that
speaks of what happens after school.
The language of training for the workforce is not (or not yet anyway!)
going to appear in the mission statement of elementary schools.
|
But show me one graduation speech—or any mission statement here—that suggests we value a high school degree based on how well it prepares an 18-year-old for employment.
Good schools aim higher.
10
high-performing Colorado high schools – mission statements, guiding principles
A. From Denver’s 2017 School Performance Rating -
5 high schools with the highest rating of “Distinguished”
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CITIZENS FIRST
Note how often these mission statements speak of citizenship, of teaching “the values of a democratic
society,” expecting graduates to make “meaningful
contributions to society.”
A more profound and time-honored view of the mission of
education than the Trump/Hickenlooper/business community’s vision: future
workers.
|
STRIVE Prep –Rise
KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership
Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) – College View
Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) – Stapleton
Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) – Green Valley
B. From last month’s
release by U.S. News & World Report
on the top 25 high schools in Colorado. It included KIPP Denver Collegiate High (#2), as well as (see above) DSST-Stapleton
(#5) and DSST Green Valley #15. Here
are another five charter schools, located outside Denver, that were among the
top 20 high schools in Colorado* on the U.S.
News & World Report list.[ii]
(*There are 72 Colorado schools recognized
in 2018 among the U.S.
News Best High Schools, ”including 11 gold medal schools, 31 silver medal
schools and 30 bronze medal schools.”[iii])
|
The
Denver Post – May 9, 2018[iv]
“Four DPS high
schools named in top 10 best high schools in Colorado; No. 1 is a charter
school”
“Peak to Peak rated best high school in Colorado”
|
#1 – Peak to Peak Charter School (Boulder)
#4 – Liberty Common Charter School (Poudre)
#7 –
Vanguard School of Colorado Springs
(Cheyenne Mountain)
#16 – The Classical Academy (Academy 20)
#20 –
Twin Peaks Charter Academy (St. Vrain)
Mission statements
- from the websites for these schools
1.
STRIVE
Preparatory Schools[v]
|
I have
put in bold a few key words that appear most often in these mission
statements:
character,
values,
and citizenship.
|
STRIVE Prep commits to preparing all students for educational
success from kindergarten through college and career, by challenging them to
realize their full potential through high expectations, in a safe, rigorous,
and compassionate learning environment with shared accountability among
students, families and staff.
What We Believe
- Every
child deserves a demanding, standards-based education;
- Accountable
community develops character;
and
- Great teachers are essential for academic excellence.
What We Value
At the center of our culture we hold the STRIVE Prep values. We’re proud of our values and weave them into every aspect
of our work with scholars, families, the community and each other. Together,
these values help us help scholars
STRIVE for college.
Scholarship,
Teamwork, Respect, Intelligence, Virtue, Effort
2.
KIPP
Colorado Schools[vi]
Our Mission & Vision
KIPP Colorado is a network of five
free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools dedicated to
preparing students in underserved communities for success in both college and
life. KIPP Colorado's mission is to equip our students with the academic skills
and character strengths necessary to
succeed in college and the competitive world beyond.
Our vision is that one day, all public
school students in Colorado will have the option to attend an excellent K-12
school and to graduate college empowered to choose their path in life and make positive contributions to their communities.
Our Values
Adults, students, and alumni of KIPP
Colorado's community strive to embody these values:
·
Team & Family - We treat one another with kindness,
concern, and respect. When a teammate needs help, we give. When we need help,
we ask. We work collaboratively to solve problems. We are all focused on the
same goal. Our community is our Team and Family.
·
Excellence -
We perform to a high standard of quality in all that we endeavor. We take
accountability for our actions and performance, recognizing our own strengths and
areas of growth, and strive to meet and exceed expectations. When there
are problems, we find solutions. When there is a better way, we find it.
·
Grit
- We constantly push ourselves to do better and work relentlessly
to achieve our goals. We get up when we fall. We find a way to overcome
obstacles.
·
Zest
- We show enthusiasm for learning. We demonstrate a thirst for knowledge and a
passion for new discoveries. We all can and will learn.
3. 4. and 5. DSST
Public Schools (formerly Denver School of Science and Technology)
DSST's Mission: DSST Public Schools transform urban public
education by eliminating educational inequity and preparing all students for
success in college and the 21st century.
DSST Public Schools is a values-driven
organization and a deliberately integrated community, serving students from all
walks of life. Our six Core Values
are central to our program and to our results. These values are truly embedded in everything we do.
Respect: Appreciating
the value of a person or an object through your words, actions and attitude -
treating people appropriately with common courtesy.
Responsibility: Able
to be trusted and or depended upon to complete tasks, follow directions and own
up to your actions.
Integrity: Being truthful, fair and trustworthy in your words and actions - doing as you say and saying as you do.
Courage: Possessing confidence and resolve to take risks and make right decisions in the face of pressure and adverse or unfamiliar circumstances.
Curiosity: Eager to learn, explore and question things to gain a deeper understanding.
Doing Your Best: Putting your best effort into everything you do.
Integrity: Being truthful, fair and trustworthy in your words and actions - doing as you say and saying as you do.
Courage: Possessing confidence and resolve to take risks and make right decisions in the face of pressure and adverse or unfamiliar circumstances.
Curiosity: Eager to learn, explore and question things to gain a deeper understanding.
Doing Your Best: Putting your best effort into everything you do.
6. Peak to Peak Charter School[vii] (Boulder)
Mission
Statement
·
Provide broad
access to an exemplary K-12 liberal arts, college preparatory education that
challenges students to achieve their academic potential.
·
Be a community
that values and recognizes scholarship, academic achievement, and creativity.
·
Provide an
environment in which each student is known, respected, and valued as an
individual of great potential and promise.
·
Prepare students to become active and responsible citizens
of an interdependent world.
7.
Liberty Common Charter School[viii]
(Poudre School District R-1)
The
mission of Liberty Common School is to provide excellence and fairness in
education through a common foundation. This is achieved by successfully
teaching a contextual body of organized knowledge, the values of a democratic society, and
the skills of learning. In short, we teach common knowledge, common virtues,
and common sense.
A more extensive statement of the school’s
principles and philosophy also states:[ix]
“To thrive in work, citizenship,
and personal growth, children must be taught the values of a democratic society. These values include among others: Respect for others—their property and
rights; Responsibility for actions, honesty and social justice;
Resourcefulness—being ready to learn, to serve, and to share.
A high-school diploma should warrant that a graduate is
capable of independent thinking and understanding of what is required to “live
the good life.” A graduate must have acquired accurate familiarity with
essential concepts rooted in literature and philosophy – joy and despair,
happiness and tragedy, dignity and corruption, and other indispensable
juxtapositions.
8.
Vanguard School of Colorado
Springs[x]
(Cheyenne Mountain School District
12)
We believe that excellence in character and excellence in academics go hand in hand, and we
strive to develop a coherent, aligned K-12 program.
Our Mission is to help guide students in development of their character and academic potential
through academically rigorous, content-rich educational programs.
Our Vision is that students develop lifelong habits of
excellence in virtue and intellect, allowing them to prosper as classically
educated individuals advancing a free society. Our enduring nationally
acclaimed program prepares graduates for advanced education, meaningful
contributions to society, and a life of purpose.
9. The Classical Academy[xi] (Academy 20)
The Classical Academy exists to assist parents in
their mission to develop exemplary citizens equipped with analytical
thinking skills, virtuous character, and a passion for learning, all
built upon a solid foundation of knowledge.
Parents look to TCA as a skilled and passionate
partner in the educational journey of their school-age children--a journey
toward becoming thoughtful, virtuous, and wise individuals, today and tomorrow.
Within this values-centered learning community, TCA's dedicated faculty
cultivates and unleashes the natural curiosity of learners through a
stimulating, classically inspired curriculum. We are a relational
learning community committed to the following endeavors:
- Growing the whole person developing habits of mind, body, and spirit
- Passionately pursuing the highest ideals: wisdom, virtue, and
compassion
- Valuing the K-12th grade experience; providing
opportunity for students to experience the “seasons” of education together
- Engaging with rich academic content and the world of ideas in a way
that invites relationship and encourages student voice—thus, valuing small
class size
- Guiding students’ learning experience to engage their minds through
thoughtful questioning
10. Twin Peaks Charter
Academy[xii]
(St. Vrain Valley
School District)
Twin
Peaks Charter Academy (TPCA) provides students with a rigorous education and
the foundations of virtue and character,
while building cultural literacy
through a content-rich curriculum in an encouraging environment.
At TPCA, we believe character
education is essential in developing outstanding students. Whether at home,
school, or in play, we agree on six basic values
to define ethical behavior. These values
are known as the Six Pillars of Character:
Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.
Addendum A -
Trump and Hickenlooper: the workforce and apprenticeships
“The
one thing Trump said about education policy in State of the Union address,”[xiii]
The Washington Post,
Jan. 31, 2018
President
Trump spoke
for one
hour, 20 minutes and 31 seconds (including applause) to deliver his first State
of the Union address Tuesday night, and spoke directly about education policy
very briefly — for one sentence, or two if you want to be charitable.
And he didn’t mention school
choice, which is surprising, given that he has said it is his chief educational
priority.
This is what Trump said in
regard to education policy: (Bold mine)
As
tax cuts create new jobs, let us invest in workforce
development and job training. Let us open great vocational schools so our future
workers can learn a craft and realize their full potential.
“Trump Wants More
Apprenticeships—Starting in High School,”[xiv]
Education
Week, June 20, 2017
“The
president signed an executive order last week that envisions apprenticeships in all high schools ….
“The president's order punctuates his push for a system of workforce
development in which apprenticeships play a key role in supplying the employees
the economy needs. Trump's proposal is a response to companies' reports of difficulty finding workers with skills that
match their job openings.”
Gov.
John Hickenlooper’s State of the State Address – Jan. 11, 2018[xv]
(Bold mine)
… to
create the kind of workforce that
will keep our state at the forefront of the new economy, we need to go
beyond the funding issue – we need to rethink and retool our approach. We
need to transition from a degree-based education system to one that also
includes skill-based training….
We
will need not just engineers but huge numbers of technicians and analysts
with new sets of skills. We need to get more kids learning skills that matter….
We
need flexible solutions that can adapt to what employers need tomorrow, not
just what they need today. This means training
and apprenticeships.
Working
closely with business and education leaders, in a
public-private partnership, Colorado is igniting an apprenticeship renaissance with Careerwise.
We’re
connecting companies, talent, K-12 schools, community colleges and training centers. We have youth apprentices in pilot programs at
31 schools in four districts and we’re partnering with 40 businesses.
Gov.
Hickenlooper on “Face the Nation” – Aug. 8, 2017[xvi]
“It’s not a Republican
or Democratic issue to say we want better
jobs for our kids, or we want to make sure they’re trained for the new generation of jobs that are coming or beginning
to appear….
We need to look
at apprenticeships. We need to look
at all kinds of internships.”
Addendum B – Two gubernatorial candidates and
“their” schools
Polis - New America Schools (a network
of three Colorado and two New Mexico schools)
“The mission
of The New America School is to empower new immigrants, English language
learners, and academically underserved students with the educational tools and
support they need to maximize their potential, succeed and live the American
dream.
“The
New America School was founded in 2004
by philanthropist and educational activist Jared Polis, along with several
leaders in the metro Denver community….” [xvii]
Johnston - Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts
(MESA)
“Mission: Mapleton Expeditionary School
of the Arts is a community of students, staff and parents dedicated to academic
exploration and discovery. We ensure all students excel as critical and
creative thinkers who positively engage in the community through a system
characterized by
·
Rigorous core content viewed through the lens of
the arts;
·
Compelling, inquiry-based learning expeditions;
·
Deliberate character
development;
·
Service learning; and
“After earning his master’s in education from
Harvard and a law degree from Yale, Johnston
returned to Colorado to help found the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the
Arts (MESA) in Thornton, where he’s currently the principal.”[xix]
(April 2009)
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