Taking HS Students to Visit Colleges

This past week I accompanied thirty-two students on a three day trip to visit colleges in Maine. While on the campuses of Bowdoin, Colby, University of Maine and New England School of Communication, my students met college students, participated in tours and info sessions, and ate in college dining halls. Being that we are a college prep school, part of our mission includes getting our students on college campuses and gaining perspective on the range of possibility that college has to offer. To graduate from Bronx Prep our students must visit at least ten colleges and must be accepted to at least one college at the time of graduation, so attending these trips comprises an important part of a student's curriculum.

I had an amazing time over the three days in Maine. The highlight had to be the deep conversations about diversity and prejudice that took place throughout the three days, as our thirty-two black and latino students visited one of the whitest states in the nation. Our students learned to ask admissions officers important questions about diversity and retention rates, financial aid and student support services. In addition we subsequently worked with them to analyze the meaning of this data. The trip also presented multiple instances when we had to address proper conduct and demeanor when traveling with a group, out of one's home community, and when others might be inclined to prejudge us based on race or class.

I do have some reservations about the way we conduct our college trips: for instance, we have students "apply" for the trips, but we haven't found a way to capitalize on these process to make a substantial learning experience. Some of our students aren't prepared to fully appreciate how much they can learn from these visits, and others still have to work on their behavior. Despite these limitations, the fact that we take our students to visit colleges, especially a wide range of colleges, is impressive and remains one of the greatest assets of our school. We will certainly continue to improve this aspect of our program, and through collaborative dialogue with others we may teach and learn about providing the best range of opportunities for America's youth.

Finland, Big Schools, and The College Dream

As our nation today struggles though divisive debates about education reform, Linda Darling Hammond would have us look at the recent accomplishments of Finland, the world's number 1 school system based on the PISA scores, "an international test for 15-year-olds in language, math, and science literacy" (Rethinking Schools, Vol 24.4). In discussing the high performance of students in Finland, Hammond argues that Finland's "teaching and learning system" achieves results because of decentralized curriculum design and assessment, emphasis on qualified teachers, and thoughtfully supportive school environments. 

Hammond's account makes important claims about what a good educational system needs. Placing this in context of another recent development, we get an interesting picture of what makes good education and where it is happening. A September 27th NYT article called "4,100 Students Prove ‘Small Is Better’ Rule Wrong” discusses the turn-around of large Massachusetts high school that now outperforms 90% of the schools in the state. The reason was almost simple: according to Mr. Driscoll, who since 2007 has headed the National Assessment Governing Board, “In schools, no matter the size — and Brockton is one of the biggest — what matters is uniting people behind a common purpose, setting high expectations, and sticking with it.”

Yet not all the reforms in this school, particularly cultural ones, correspond with the finding in another recent piece of scholarship, this one called “College for All? Exaggerated Claims and Overlooked Options Prevent Some Students From Finding Their Way” (Rosenbaum et al. American Educator Vol 34.3). This lengthy treatment of the misperceptions and realities of the college experience and outcomes demonstrates how the one-size-fits-all mentality that we often recognize as problematic in pedagogy is also flawed when it comes to counseling for higher education. The statistics are staggering. While 89% of high school students in 2004 planned to earn a BA, the reality is that most of these students never will, and probably shouldn’t. High school students and Americans at large are misinformed about the benefits of other forms of post-high school education besides the BA, such as certificate programs and Associates degrees, credentials that are cheaper, attained more quickly, and often yield satisfying and lucrative career opportunities. In fact, students in the bottom quartile in their high school class who go on to earn an BA earn less than their top quartile high school peers who never earn a post-secondary degree (Baum, et al. Education Pays 2010, NY: College Board, 2010). The critiques from Rosenbaum, Stephan, and Rosenbaum provide a clear picture of how our educational system and expectations are flawed in their narrowness. All too often we prescribe BAs to students without giving them the information and preparation to earn them, or to consider alternatives that are both rewarding and utilitarian.

Just to look at these three articles in the same posting, especially with such a brief treatment, may seem transitory or shallow, but the purpose of this discussion is to reveal a pattern of efficacy even in these articles’ contradictions.  Teachers, schools and school systems that are successful hold students to high expectations, but more importantly differentiate their instruction and support to help students achieve ownership of their education. They leverage all available resources, emphasize the provision of accurate information to students, and use assessments strategically, whether they are locally produced or standardized.