HONABLE PROFESSIONS

Money, Prestige and Employment

Periodically surveys are conducted to determine what professions have the most respect from people. In nearly all instances the top three professions that garner the most votes are medical doctors, clergy and teachers. Teachers should be ecstatic by the results: the first group thinks they are god and the second group tries to talk to God. That leaves teaching as the top earth-based profession!
Joking aside, parents of school age children have a different view. Their top career choices for their children are: CEO of a large company, ownership of a company, medical professional and professional athlete rank as top choices. (Employment as an educator is in the top ten.) Noble, socially-conscious work, such as clergy, social work, counseling or agriculture is not employment areas typically regarded by parents as choice alternatives. Ironically, even though much emphasis has been placed on renewable energy sources such as corn to relieve energy shortages, farming is typically seen as “something poor people do.”
While the emphasis in K to 12 is on reading and math comprehension, higher education’s mission is less scholarly. These institutions are tasked in delivering high paying and high prestige jobs. University presidents struggle to keep alive the myth of “get a good education and get a good job!” They constantly remind parents that college graduates earn significantly higher wages than people with a high school diploma. They are hoping that parents are not ready to challenge them with current data.
Over the past year many researchers and journalists have reported on the myth of higher education. Salaries/earning power are declining with few exceptions, less than 30 percent of graduates are hired in their chosen field and the debt of college can financially undermine the future for many students and their families. A typical response from higher education is to encourage students to “keep going” by staying in school to earn a master’s degree and eventually a “terminal degree.” This keeps higher education stoked with students, deflects negative reviews and keeps the myth of higher education alive.
Going back to what parents expect for their children, higher education has very limited success. There are a limited number of CEO positions, even with the mass exodus over the past two years, and none are likely to be offered to “fresh” graduates. In fact, it is rare to find a company CEO with a doctorate degree that was conferred and not awarded with an “honorary” tag. The ability of someone with a doctorate degree to effectively run a company is as rare as finding a CEO who teaches effectively at the graduate level.
Higher education offers courses in business, not necessarily designed for people who plan to run their own company. Entrepreneurial courses are offered as after-thoughts through adult continuing education. There are not many university professors have run successful entrepreneurial businesses, so their credibility diminishes beyond the business curriculum. University professors, like other professors on campus, build their reputations through research and publishing papers and books.
Add to this dilemma that higher education is using more part-time professors in order to avoid tenure and benefits and the likelihood that students will see an entrepreneurial curricula developed is remote. Courses will be offered to the “bulk” of students and not to “niche” students. Of course, the invitation will be extended to take adult continuing education courses and piece together the courses necessary for small businesses such as marketing, accounting or consumer psychology. Unfortunately at $400 a credit and 3 to 6 hours a week, not many small business owners can afford the cost or the time.
Another area, pre-med, is a popular choice among students who view a career in the medical profession as both financially rewarding and meaningful. The bottleneck is acceptance into the graduate programs that lead to a professional degree and licensure. Take your pick: medical, pharmacy or physical therapy programs; they all have more applicants than openings.
Parents want their child to be a professional athlete. Higher education is doing its best work in this area because of the lucrative TV contracts and merchandising fees that follow sports programs. Over the past two weeks (July 2006), Auburn University has come under fire because of a whistle blower on the Auburn faculty who has stated that he never saw any of the athletes in his program that received special credits to boost their GPAs. Basically, he was annoyed that these students graduated with honors, went on to pro sports yet he never taught the persons involved. This is one of many examples that surface every year as universities push the limits to create successful athletic programs to present the illusion that many of their student-athletes become college-educated pro athletes.
The University of Texas football program, the NCAA champions, will graduate less than 30 percent of its players. But, many go on to pro sports and Texas has a large contingent of alumni in pro leagues. The university can at least claim it is meeting the parents’ desires! Add the lucrative professional contracts awarded to athletes and you can see how higher education holds to the claim of higher wages.
Is there an alternative? Yes, parents need to re-evaluate the value of college and fit higher education into an overall plan for their child’s future. Starting in 9th or 10th grade, parents should work with schools to provide experiences that can lead to entrepreneurial or small business opportunities. That means more courses in creative arts or hands on technical training such as electronics, plumbing and farming.
By the end of high school, students would have several years of skills training that can be used to pursue real world experiences (for example, joining the Peace Corps or other humanity-driven service). College should not be an automatic stepping stone except for those few clearly prepared and talented to be highly successful in that environment.
The global economy has changed the economic structure of the US. Manufacturing is an employment choice for less than 10 percent of the population. Agriculture has the potential to grow to levels not seen since the early 20th century. The service economy now provides over 90 percent of the jobs and many of those jobs only require a high school diploma.
In essence, instead of a K-16 model that suggests a person is ready for lifetime employment, parents need to create the attitude of lifelong learning. Higher education will always have a role to play, just not as large as the current model.

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE
© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC

BETTER SCHOOLS

New Report Provides Suggestions for Improvement

The National Center for Education Accountability issued its latest research about quality in schools (July, 2006). The study identified over 200 schools labeled as excellent, a number that included many public schools. Here are 4 suggestions from that research for schools to consider:
1. Lure borderline students into advanced courses.
Expectations become reality when students are labeled. Quality schools challenge all students with demanding coursework that elevates the expectations they have for themselves. From the faculty’s perspective, challenged students are more productive and engaged.
2. Give average students rich curricula.
It is a mistake to believe that students are disinterested in learning because of all the outside influences and options. Education needs to be more creative with the classroom environment. This doesn’t imply providing more entertainment; it implies creating opportunities for students to be engaged.
3. Give students tailor-made teaching.
People are not widgets. Manufacturing can create strategies to improve productivity and outcomes because their tasks are predictable. Tailor made education is not synonymous with “do what you want.” Teachers provide the guidelines for learning, for outside assignments and projects in a course syllabus at the beginning of the year (much like a college course). Students work within those guidelines to produce meaningful educational experiences as the teachers coach his or her progress through the school year. Evaluation is frequent and directed at the task, not the ability to memorize lessons.
4. Get students “looped.”
Students are team taught by the same circle of teachers for several grades rather than “one year and out.” Knowing that you are committed to a person’s growth for the next several years helps teachers create continuity for learning and identifying students’ needs. Students develop working relationships with teachers that are long-term and more accountable.

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE
© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC

SELF-ESTEEM

The Groundwork for Success

Today, there is a great amount of emphasis on students and academic achievement. Depending on whom you prefer to believe, the fault is either with the school system, a lack of sufficient funding, the parents or the students. Regardless, success in students is tied to confidence and confidence starts with a positive self-esteem.
Self-esteem can be coached. It starts with a dedication to the ideal that self-esteem in others is a personal mission. When you make self-esteem a personal project, you benefit from that effort as well. Because young people will meet so many different people over the course of their educational experiences, they need a person who can coach them to deal with people who deflate their being. This can include youth social circles and other teachers or administrators.
Here are 7 suggestions for you when helping others accept him/herself by building greater self-esteem:
1. Everybody is good at something, so tell them, often. Also, help them identify other areas that they are good at and recent situations where they were helpful. Build their confidence by “delegating” more tasks and responsibilities.
2. Always thank people; people like to hear “thank you.” Showing you appreciate the effort of others helps build their self-esteem. Build confidence by adding compliments to the thank you’s.
3. Open lines of communication with those people who are shy or lack confidence by saying, “I like the way you ____________.” Words are powerful; negative words can easily ruin a day or a person’s self-esteem. Conversely, positive wording builds confidence and sets the stage for future participation. To be a role model is difficult because what you say matters.
4. People are social beings by design. Hearing compliments and positive words during feedback provides the spark for increased effort and participation. As long as the words are genuine, you can’t say enough!
5. Find positive qualities in people every day. Unlike the suggestion in number 1 above that may be physical or informational, positive qualities are attitudes and/or behaviors that exemplify self-esteem is building. Build confidence by illustrating how those attitudes or behaviors are leading to successful real-life outcomes.
6. To avoid looking “Pollyannaish” or “phony,” always be sure to link your observations to demonstrated examples. If a student helps another student with a problem or some other need, bring that real-life example into your positive reinforcement. Personal actions are the best way to reinforce the behaviors of positive self-esteem.
7. With so many instances of people experiencing negative reinforcement by others, always present examples of him or her being a worthwhile person. When things seem to be going all wrong or people are getting very difficult, teach your mentee to say, “I am a worthwhile person” in his or her head or spoken softly to help clear the negativity. Positive self-imagery works; help others to understand its value.
Always be a role model even to those you may never meet or mentor. Every person has a “story.” By recognizing that they are dealing with extraordinary circumstances, you can maintain a high level of empathy. The more you are seen as a consistent and positive role model, the greater the likelihood that others will listen when you offer to help.
Finally, it is important to “be there.” The more you observe the better you understand the circumstances a person is trying to overcome. The more you observe the more likely behaviors will change, building the kind of outcomes you are hoping to create.

A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one.

---Heraclitus

Visit www.3MinuteLearning.com
GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE
© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC