The Real World was a much loved MTV reality show before reality TV all but took over television. But it is also a phrase adults and educators love to use with teenagers, typically in a punitive sense. We tell them that "in the real world" somebody is not going to tolerate their lack of punctuality, or their bad attitude, or their lack of writing skills, or their excuses...and so on.
And we have a point, excuses for those behaviors, choices, and lack of skills are not likely to be tolerated in the workplace, or in higher education. But what if we treated school like it was the real world? What if school actually IS the real world? I would contend that it is. Every day, in every school district in this country, there are students who walk through school doors with far more real world experience than some of the staff and students in those buildings. Access to social media means that the very real world is incredibly present and vivid to our children on a daily basis. We will say that we are trying to preserve their childhood or their innocence or trying to teach them age appropriate skills, or that we make real world connections instead, but then where do we draw the line between what we expect them to know and what we expect them to learn? More importantly, how do we teach it?
Instead of telling them that their professor or boss won't tolerate something, what if we tried teaching them how to do that, provided opportunities to practice it, and didn't scold, berate, or punish them when they have yet to perform it. Part of this question lies with the pervasive idea that punishment in the only way to address behavior. Some schools have adopted Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Some have used Restorative Justice, or mindfulness practices. These are all wonderful research backed tools tools, but they are beside the point if we use them to teach students skills but then turn around and tell them they will need a different set of skills to use in the workplace or in higher ed. or in"real life."
What if we just told students what skills they needed in high school and beyond, then taught the students those skills? Then what if we embedded those skills in our classrooms, and in our content areas, and empowered students to acquire them by providing grade appropriate opportunities to practice them, feedback, and support? That doesn't mean we don't have consequences, positive or negative, or that we avoid accountability, but it does mean that we at least have been clear about the expectation, and have provided support and context for how to use the skill whether that is timeliness, effective communication, presenting and so on. It also means we separate skills from behaviors. It means making school and the real world one and the same.
And we have a point, excuses for those behaviors, choices, and lack of skills are not likely to be tolerated in the workplace, or in higher education. But what if we treated school like it was the real world? What if school actually IS the real world? I would contend that it is. Every day, in every school district in this country, there are students who walk through school doors with far more real world experience than some of the staff and students in those buildings. Access to social media means that the very real world is incredibly present and vivid to our children on a daily basis. We will say that we are trying to preserve their childhood or their innocence or trying to teach them age appropriate skills, or that we make real world connections instead, but then where do we draw the line between what we expect them to know and what we expect them to learn? More importantly, how do we teach it?
Instead of telling them that their professor or boss won't tolerate something, what if we tried teaching them how to do that, provided opportunities to practice it, and didn't scold, berate, or punish them when they have yet to perform it. Part of this question lies with the pervasive idea that punishment in the only way to address behavior. Some schools have adopted Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Some have used Restorative Justice, or mindfulness practices. These are all wonderful research backed tools tools, but they are beside the point if we use them to teach students skills but then turn around and tell them they will need a different set of skills to use in the workplace or in higher ed. or in"real life."
What if we just told students what skills they needed in high school and beyond, then taught the students those skills? Then what if we embedded those skills in our classrooms, and in our content areas, and empowered students to acquire them by providing grade appropriate opportunities to practice them, feedback, and support? That doesn't mean we don't have consequences, positive or negative, or that we avoid accountability, but it does mean that we at least have been clear about the expectation, and have provided support and context for how to use the skill whether that is timeliness, effective communication, presenting and so on. It also means we separate skills from behaviors. It means making school and the real world one and the same.
Comments
Post a Comment