YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE

I am sure that title grabbed the attention of a few people.  Some are screaming "You are absolutely right!"  Others are screaming just as loudly from the opposite side "How can you, as a teacher, say that?!"

I try to be a practicing member of the Common Sense Party.  You will find that most of my views are not touchy feely.  I like facts and abhor hypocrisy.  That being said, it is a fact that not every kid that is about to graduate from high school this fine spring is prepared for what they are about to face at the college level.  I am not talking about educationally.  Most of the high schools in our country do a reasonable job presenting students with the opportunity to be ready to learn in college.  That being said, some 18 year olds are not mature enough to be on their own right out of high school.  For some, their motivations for going to school are less about education and more about social status or opportunities to socialize.  There are so many distractions for teens today, and college can be a smorgasbord of opportunities, many of which are very detrimental to the learning process. 

Another major reason that college may not be the best option for some students is financial hardship.  Many students do not have the money to go school right away.  Crushing college debt is one of the biggest issues students of the 21st century will face.  We now have generations of Americans retiring having not finished paying off their student loans.  According to a CNBC article entitled "Another challenge in retirement? Student loans," "In 2018, Americans over the age of 50 owed more than $260 billion in student debt, up from $36 billion in 2004, according to the Federal Reserve."  It is quite unconscionable that we have banks making great sums off money off the backs of students.  This is a multifaceted issue that must eventually be addressed by our country.  For now, students must ask the hard questions: is going to this particular school affordable?  Is it really worth what I will have to pay to go there?  Can I get a good education at a smaller school for less money?

But, if college is NOT the best option today, what are these new high school graduates to do?  That is a great question with multiple possible answers.  One obvious answer is:  GET A JOB!  It may not be the career they want or plan to pursue for the rest of their lives, but they can go get some EXP.  They can find out what they want out of life.  After working for a bit, they may find that more education is exactly what they need.  They will have the motivation to be successful in getting that education, and, hopefully, they will have saved some money toward paying for it.  Again, getting more education does not have to mean college.  Tech schools, trade schools, vocational training, internships, and apprenticeships are all viable options as well.  There are many high paying jobs sitting empty in the trades as high school students are indoctrinated with the idea that college is the only way to move forward in life.

Student's who DO decide that college is the path for them need to go in with their eyes wide open.  College is difficult.  It can be fun and rewarding, but IT IS WORK, and it should be treated as such, not like a $50,000 a year party.  While this would seem to be obvious, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, only 52.9 percent of students who enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities in the fall of 2009 completed school within six years.  The worse news is the graduation rate is dropping.  Many college students who do graduate find themselves underemployed and even in positions that did not require a degree to begin with.

So, no, you do not have to go to college.  There are plenty of great opportunities out there that do not require a degree.  If you do go, go for the right reasons, and be focused and determined to succeed.  I tell all my college bound seniors, know what you believe, know why you believe it, and know how to defend it.  It is actually good advice for everyone at all stages of life.

Have a day! Make it your own!

THE PARENT SERIES: #1 The Importance of Reading

I call this “The Parent Series” because, as a parent and teacher, I have a unique perspective that comes from both sides of the desk.  My growth as a teacher has been directly impacted by my experiences as a parent.  The opposite is equally true.  From time to time I will write something that draws on these experiences.

Parents in Parent/Teacher conferences often ask me what they can do for their child that will have the biggest impact on their child academically.  My answer to that question is quick and simple: Make sure your child reads—every day.  Reading is a skill that must be practiced; it is a skill that is used in some way, shape, or form in every academic class, and it has an enormous impact on writing ability.

At the start of each new school year I make it a point to have a discussion about reading.  I ask students how many of them read daily.  The average number is 1-3 students per class.  That means about 85% of the students in my five classes admit that they do not read daily.  Some admit to not reading at all.  If that percentage does not alarm you, it should.  Reading is a skill that must be practiced to improve.  If you do not use it you lose it to some degree.  Imagine not walking every day.  Your legs would weaken, you would lose coordination, and you would run slower.  Sure you could still move around, but that would be about all you would be able to do.  Reading is no different.  The only way to improve and stay proficient as a reader is to read.

Reading is also a cross-curricular skill.  You read in every class you take in high school and college.  The amount you read is also important.  If you go out to run a half marathon, and you have never run more than two miles a day, you are in for a very bad experience.  Now consider that college students read an average of between 200 and 600 pages per week and you can see the damage not reading daily in middle and high school can do.  Building reading stamina is important.  Reading also helps to increase your level of reading comprehension.

Finally, reading has a direct impact on writing skills.  If you are reading authors who write well you are learning how to be a better writer yourself.  One thing teachers try to do for their students is find ways to model what they want them to do.  Reading the best authors in literary history is a great way to model great writing.  Reading also helps with vocabulary acquisition, which makes students better writers and speakers.

As parents we start out reading to our children.  We try to instill in them a love of books, but that love is waning somewhere along the way.  Do what you can to rekindle your child’s desire to read.  It is imperative to their academic success, and it is the best gift you can give them.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a day!  Make it your own.

WELCOME!

Hello and WELCOME to ENGLISH: The RIDE!

My name is Gavin Meeks and I am teacher and coach in Columbus/Worthington, Ohio.  I have been teaching for 18 years. There have been many occasions that I have thought about starting a blog. Now that we are a Google Apps for Education school district here in Worthington, I discovered that Google makes starting a blog easy, and I decided to take the opportunity.

I am proud to say I am a graduate of Ohio University where I earned two bachelors degrees, one in journalism and the other in English Literature Education.  I also have a masters in teaching and learning from National University in San Diego, California.  That being said, I am a flawed human being who has blind fingers that often fail me at the skill of keyboarding.  Please try to see past this as you read and consider the content over the presentation as much a humanly possible.

I would like to guarantee that my writing will not stray into religious or political waters; again however, being the flawed human I am, I am sure that a slant will appear from time to time in what I write.  OK, probably more than I would like.  Given that truism, let me share a bit about where I find myself concerning those arenas.  I am an Evangelical Christian.  I try to make Christ the center of my life, and I fail all too often to follow Him the way I would like.  This shortcoming does not deter me from the attempt.  I have been a registered republican for years, but find myself less and less able to identify with conservatives each year.  I do not agree with a large percentage of the views of today's democratic party either, and I find myself disgusted that our political parties are now so polarized that little to no business is done in Washington D.C..  That leaves me neither Blue nor Red, but more of a Magenta in my political views.

I currently teach English at a phenomenal institution, Worthington Kilbourne High School.  I am also the varsity boy's golf coach.  My colleagues are among the best educators in the country and I feel honored, humbled, and, honestly, a bit unworthy to work with them.  I am truly blessed to share my life with these educators and the students I teach.

Last, but most important, I am married to wonderful godly woman and have two amazing children, a boy who is a godly young man, athletic, and intelligent; and a beautiful, intelligent daughter who is a pre-pro ballerina and a child of God herself.  I could not ask for more.

I hope that you will enjoy my writing, and that you will check back often to be challenged in your thinking and hopefully learn something from time to time.

As I tell my students at the end of each class:  Have a day!  Make it your own!