21% over 18 in TN can't read a food label; new hs graduation requirements link attached (Memphis: 2009, credit card)

[soulful]

Tennessee High School Graduation Requirements

I am honestly concerned that the new requirements, starting in 2009, are too tough for math and science (especially math). Will this cause even higher rates of dropout?

Right now, 21% of those over age 18 in Tennessee cannot read a food label or complete an application. Shouldn't we focus more on basic skills before pushing all of these students into an advanced "college prep" curriculum?

I almost feel we need two tracks depending upon whether the student is college or simply tech school bound.

p.s. this is a link to the story that mentioned the "21% can't read a food label/fill out an application story" http://www.herald-citizen.com/index....C60EA560DD2B55

[mbmouse]

I agree that the standards should be raised. These kids NEED to be ready, not only for college but to learn the basics in life, to be out in the REAL world. I have one son who is graduating this year and has to have the 20 credits and a freshman that will need the 22 credits to graduate. There used to be the duel track course, college or trade school. It didn't work, it was the easy out for the kids that didn't want to learn or try. The teachers need to have the one hand that is tied behind their backs by all the P.C. and "treat all children the same" junk, untied and let them teach and get kids to want to learn and achieve. Raising the standards effects their pay check, it will give them more incentive to make sure all the kids learn.

Personally I believe all kids need to be taught the 11 basic truths in life, over and over again so they "get" it so some day they can leave all the entitlement attitudes and the safe haven bubble of unreality of school behind and make it in this world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your
self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president until you earn it.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault , so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now.. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

(Bill Gates is one smart/grounded guy.)

[DubbleT]

What, there aren't two tracks anymore? When did that happen? My DS has only been out of HS for a couple of years and the two track choice was an option for him. I like the two track option. I've seen many, many kids in Memphis who simply were not college material. Vo-tech is an excellent alternative for kids who have absolutely no interest or ability for a higher education.
I like the these new requirements, for college bound students they make a lot of sense. I especially like the personal finance requirement.
LOL at the "life is not fair" MB~ I bet my kids heard that from me at least every other day when they were growing up!

[mbmouse]

Entering freshman's this year (09/10) do not have the two track option any longer. But this way they don't have to decide when they are 15 what they are going to do when they are 17/18 and graduate. This way all kids who graduate can choose then, college, tech school,service or work force. I think it is too young, to easy to take the easiest route and not try. What 14/15 year old says "oh please, I want to take the hardest route!" (well, I should recant that as my youngest is planning to start taking college courses as a junior.)
I keep that list of rules on my fridge and point it out to my boys when they start complaining about how hard life is.

[540_804]

I am so excited that Personal Finance is on the new requirements.
I have been saying that personal finance should be mandatory in high school since I was a freshman in college (only 3 years ago..lol). I would see other freshman who absolutely had no idea how to handle their finances and it seemed like retailers, credit card companies, banks and even the school took advantage of their ignorance. So having a finance class in HS is great.

But, I also agree with what soulful said. In my human resource management class we were discussing some of the major problems and negative trends in employment and what we heard over and over again is that nationally there has been an increase in illiteracy among new entrants into the workforce. I was completely floored. Who would have thought illiteracy was going up?!?! But then they explained what was meant by illiteracy. It wasn't just the ability to read and write, but the ability to read and comprehend, as well as writing on a level that would be acceptable in a business environment. And then it all made sense. I'm a junior in college now and it still alarms me at the number of my peers who have no reading comprehension skills and are horrible writers. Unfortunately they aren't the exception, either; they're the rule! So I agree with soulful, maybe its time to revisit some of the basics and build a stronger foundation.

[soulful]

Although I didn't say it in my original post on this thread, I am actually concerned about the students who simply don't have the IQ to master the math, and perhaps science, requirements under the new guidelines.

I don't want these kids to become disillusioned and simply drop out. And many of them don't have the money for near full time tutors to try to help them make it through Algebra ll and Geometry.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by soulful

Although I didn't say it in my original post on this thread, I am actually concerned about the students who simply don't have the IQ to master the math, and perhaps science, requirements under the new guidelines.

I don't want these kids to become disillusioned and simply drop out. And many of them don't have the money for near full time tutors to try to help them make it through Algebra ll and Geometry.

Most of the schools have special extra services for these students. My oldest has had to utilize them quite a bit through out high school. However, if the teachers do not recognize they need the help and push them to getting it, or the parents don't step in and request it, that is when the kids fall through the cracks.

[checking out]

That's why they put pictures on the label.... duh.

[soulful]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Most of the schools have special extra services for these students. My oldest has had to utilize them quite a bit through out high school. However, if the teachers do not recognize they need the help and push them to getting it, or the parents don't step in and request it, that is when the kids fall through the cracks.

I don't have exact statistics, however, it would seem to me that a percentage of the population simply does not have the capacity to pass advanced math and science classes.

I still feel these kids will become disillusioned and that's concerning.

[RS-1080]

I'll have to save rule 11 til my boy gets home from school, ... can't wait to see the look lol