Return-Path: <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f5MImVf12174; Fri, 22 Jun 2001 14:48:31 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 14:48:31 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <3B3391E4.E43ADE06@labor.state.ak.us> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Amy Iutzi-Mitchell <amy_iutzi-mitchell@labor.state.ak.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-LD:3547] Re: Encouraging Kids to Drop Out X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.7 [en] (WinNT; U) Status: O Content-Length: 3495 Lines: 67 In Alaska the school districts have a choice. Some of the school districts allow a young student to re-enter and complete their high school work even if at one point they "dropped out" and acquired a GED. Karen Stange wrote: > > As a GED instructor, I can see outrage at the "just drop out and get a GED" > advise, however why doesn't the education community try to actually live > the "life long learning" rhetoric and allow people to move in and out of > education with need and desire and with no "drop out" labelling? No, I > don't think a 13 year olds are probably ready for such step, but maybe some > 16 year olds are. Hopefully, they then see the need for education. If so, > there should be an open door. Counselors need to be educated about the > difficulty of the GED and students need to be told of the requirements also > so they all can make informed decisions. > Just on a rant, but sometimes we in education tend to be a little > hypocrical about things. > Karen Stange > At 02:03 AM 06/22/2001 -0400, you wrote: > >Art wrote: > > > This is gross negligence on the part of public school > > > administration. And yes the student, as an adult now, resists going > > > back. And why not. Look what that system did to them the first time. > > > > > > We need to fix this. Yesterday. > > > >I'm troubled about some of this. On one hand I'm disturbed when I hear about > >schools encouraging kids to drop out. On the other hand I can envision > >situations where I'd question whether encouraging a kid to drop out is gross > >negligence. > > > >There is something very accepting and respectful in not judging or trying to > >interfere with one's decisions, including the decision of whether or not to > >drop out. Maybe the student is making a mistake, maybe not. Regardless, he > >or she will learn from the decision. Maybe the student is not ready to > >complete school at this time; maybe he or she is ready to learn other > >lessons outside of school. Maybe he or she will be more ready to complete > >school in the future. Maybe not interfering with one's choice to drop out, > >and even encouraging him or her to follow his or her instincts is better in > >the long run, and will keep the door open for the student to return when he > >or she is ready. > > > >One thing I can say about many of my students is that when they get older > >they are much more interested, more eager, more dedicated more receptive to > >learning. The young ones are resistant, they don't want to work toward > >something that is so intangible, so far off. Like Mark Twain suggested, the > >17 year olds already know everything. > > > >It could be in some cases that a guidance counselor is acknowledging and > >accepting a student's decision to drop out, knowing that the school has > >little to offer the student given the school's and the student's present > >situation. It's just not black and white for me. Maybe it could be made > >clearer by asking whether we are putting the school's or the student's > >wishes and needs, as he or she has determined them, first. > > > >Tom > > Karen Stange > Curriculum Specialist > Finney County Community Learning Center > 1401 West Jones Avenue > Garden City, KS 67846 > 316-275-7390\stange@gcnet.com > ********************************************************************** > "You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him find it within > himself" Galileo > **********************************************************************
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