While I am more than willing to hear about what educational pundits say the children of this country need to compete in the world market, I put far more weight on what employers tell me every day.
What do employers want? What do they expect from their employees? Is it the ability to program software in the latest open architecture platform or successfully run a diagnostic program on the latest MRI device?
In commercial real estate I speak very bluntly with CEOs of some of the largest companies in America as well as the proud owner of a 3 man shop who straightens the frames of damaged trucks. They both want the same thing from their workers. In fact, I have never heard a different answer to this question: What skill(s) do you want from our school district’s graduates?
Their answer: “We want them to show up!” “You give me that and we have something we really need.”
Logically, the second item: “Have them get here on time or at least tell us when they are going to be late.”
How can this be? They know we want our kids to be prepared for a profoundly different future and have the skills to master technology that has not even been imagined. How shallow of the not to see the big picture.
The fact of the matter is you cannot operate the “stem cell phone production machine” in the year 2525 if you are not there to operate it, much less invent it. You have to show up.
Well, I have some bad news for the employers and wealth generators of our world. Parents have ownership of instilling responsibility to your children-not the schools-sorry.
This will come as good news to perceptive parents. They already know that instilling the basic skill of showing up, and arriving on time, will put your child far ahead of those who have greater abilities and talent but can only demonstrate them when they decide to make an appearance.
Coincidentally this applies to school as well. The more you are there the more you will learn. Even the most cynical skeptic of public education has to concede that showing up at school is more beneficial to learning than staying in bed.
Two days ago MPS gave the option to students and parents to either stay home on a very cold day or come to school. A little over 50 % showed up. It is striking how close that percentage is to the MPS graduation rate.
2007 MPS graduation rate: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=711746
