It is that time of year-high school graduations are underway
in Guam and across the rest of America.
When wrapping up the semester recently at the University of Guam, I had a discussion with another faculty member related to the logical next steps for the outgoing and incoming Seniors in our island's high schools-preparing for and entering college or other post-secondary educational opportunities. The talk centered on just how prepared are our island school children to enter the halls of higher education. It was clear that there was a pretty big gap between the expectations of college life and how kids are prepared in high school for the leap into the university setting.
When wrapping up the semester recently at the University of Guam, I had a discussion with another faculty member related to the logical next steps for the outgoing and incoming Seniors in our island's high schools-preparing for and entering college or other post-secondary educational opportunities. The talk centered on just how prepared are our island school children to enter the halls of higher education. It was clear that there was a pretty big gap between the expectations of college life and how kids are prepared in high school for the leap into the university setting.
I know that Guam is not alone
in this and such can't be looked at from just one position.
What are the choices?
Pretty simple: out young people will decide to attend a Junior
College, an "off-island" university in the U.S. Mainland or in the
Asia-Pacific region, or enroll down the road at the University of Guam. Also, the U.S. military is offering other
opportunities for a unique educational experience that since the Spanish
American War hundreds of Guam's young people each year have used as an
opportunity to "see the world".
Many have or are now starting the tedious process that will
decide their respective "futures" with an eye on what tomorrow may
bring them. Scores of high school
seniors have just taken the SAT. Others
are compiling college catalogs and financial aid packets. Bunches made or are considering runs for the
local military recruiters office.
With a vision to attract the best and brightest from around
the world, higher education stakeholders must look to administrators and policy
makers to address the important question here-when should colleges get involved
in improving the quality of elementary and secondary education? That is a very challenging question in
Paradise Guam with no ready answer. School
districts all over America, including the Guam Department of Education and
those of the other U.S. Territories are
having trouble just teaching the basics to our kids. There is a sense of urgency to improve on the
building blocks of academics from K-12.
This business of educating our school children is and will constantly be under siege by other
legislative or fiscal priorities across Guam and the Western Pacific. So it is time to focus.
Guam's high schools should start college readiness efforts
during the last two years of high school.
We can prepare our teachers until we are "blue in the face",
increase the availability of classes for students that offer dual credits and
we can align curriculum earlier with college as an end goal. But efforts will need to be agreed on by
education policy makers. Also all
educators must be disciplined to instill a single effort for more than just a
year to study the benefits or challenges of a "new normal" in
education. Parents too will need to be
an active part of this change in education vision for our schools. Moms and Dads will be there to push our young
people to think about their future with an education and need to remind their
kids to not be so "scared" of learning.
To all incoming high school Seniors-take it
one day at a time. To those outgoing Seniors-Congratulations Class of 2013! Your future awaits!