Other Ways To Win: Creating Other Ways to Win

In the final part of "Other Ways to Win", Gray and Herr focus on the book's main purpose: The challenge to create other ways to win in students high school experience. Almost immediately, they dispel 5 common myths about education:

1) In the future, most jobs will require a 4-year degree
2) In the future, most new additional jobs created will be in technical areas that require a 4-year degree
3) In the future, all high wage occupations will require a 4-year degree
4) The labor force demand for college graduates will be enough to commensurate employment for all who receive a 4-year degree
5) In the future, there will be so many persons with 4-year degrees that they will take all the good jobs, including the ones that don't require a degree

After reading, I share the authors belief that students should be focused on obtaining job skills rather than degrees. If they find a career they like that has job skills that require a 4 year degree, that is fine. However, we need to stop leading students and parents to believe that a degree is the only option. Once these myths are dispelled, they lay out a three-step strategy to create other ways to win:

1) Create systematic career guidance for students and feedback for parents. This includes the students creating Individual Career Plans (ICPs). They allow students to explore career options as well as predict success in the post-secondary level. Keeping parents involved through meetings is essential. (This sure sounds like SAE and home visits to me!)

2) Re-design the meaning of "College Prep". Create more guidance in a less structured learning environment for these students.

3) Motivate the academic middle. Give career incentives and hold all student to the same high level.

I believe that as educators, we hold the key to convincing students, parents, and employers that there are worthwhile options that do not require 4 years and thousands of dollars. In ag classes, we see all students from those who are on the verge of dropping out to valedictorians. Through teaching financial literacy and career exploration in SAE, and most importantly forming one community of all types with the blue jacket, I believe that the three circle model already supports the theories researched in "Other Ways to Win". I can not wait to have my own classroom and put these ideas into practice.