Response to Not Your Father's Shop Class

Response to Not Your Father’s Shop Class

Thankfully there are now programs in schools like the ones described in Pino-Marina’s article. Although I was somewhat familiar with the computer courses available because my stepson is taking many of them, I was not aware of the certifications and internships being offered to students. These programs allow students to get a jump on the competition – something American students need in the world today.

“Vocational programs that are not refined won’t survive.” How true that is. I think many of us still have the vision of vo-tech being an auto or beautician class that kids attended who weren’t going to college. As the article put it, vocational education was “the ghetto.” Now that the line between vocational and academic education is blurred, more students will have the opportunity to be successful in so many ways. With the pressure of NCLB, so many students are becoming frustrated and quitting school because they feel there is no place for them there. With a variety of meaningful programs that can lead to so many opportunities, students are more likely to gain confidence that will be seen in all areas of education. The more methods we can utilize to “produce” students who can walk out of the school system truly ready for the next challenge, the better. Our society will benefit economically and socially more than I think many people realize.

Although I don’t see high school in my administrative future, there are things elementary and middle school principals can do to prepare students for these programs. Utilizing business partnerships, using real-world simulations and activities on a regular basis, giving students a variety of ways to learn the same material, and hiring forward-thinking teachers will all help these students in the long run whether they choose a vocational program or not.