5 Critical Issues In High School Education

The 2015 NCES data report on the U.S. Department of Education threw light on the dropouts in 2012. The report read that about 2.7 of the ninth-graders of 2009 batch had dropped out by the time 2012 arrived; which means that the students could have been eleventh-graders by that time. So, what other other than social position, parent’s education, family income, could be the reason for those dropouts? There are many challenges in the face of education that bothers the confidence of most students in the high schools. They act as the obstacles in the way of education completion. elements that we need to focus on in order to move forward and offer better opportunities to our students.

• Student-Centred Learning

Student-centered learning includes variety of cognitive learning that helps their academic growth. This learning can range from instructional teachings, educational projects, field-work learning experiences and academic-approach related strategies. Each of these different learning help elevate the cognitive ability and touches every aspect of student interests and goals. But the disappointing part is that most high schools follow structured schedules that cater to completing the course material designed for a particular term. Touching the issues related to religious groups and cultural groups will help students gain interest in their involvement in educational activities and programs, besides studies. Involving them in conversations that are related to them will help them in realizing the importance of school education. Lisa Nielsen had come out with her now famous blog named- “Innovative Educator” blog which emphasizes on the student's  voice, indication power to student learning more than student teaching. 

(Also see, http://k12educationlists.blogspot.com/2016/09/recent-trends-in-k12-education.html) 

• The use of Technology

While most schools would agree that the use of technology in educational programs add value to learning, but there is a vast difference between what needs to be use and what is generally used by schools that are not wealthy enough as their wealthier counterparts. Schools must understand that the use of the right technology is more important than introducing students to unknown technologies that do not urge them to use them at all. Most high schools even now use old technologies to prepare courses, modules, presentations, quizzes, e-learning material, etc. Schools need to evaluate whether they want to use MOOCs for structuring school course or continue to manually prepare them. The term BYOD suits corporate culture more, so schools need to know whether they will like their students to bring devices like iPads, gaming systems, etc.

• Pre-service Programs on Teaching

High schools shape the future of students, and it becomes quite important that every student, who sees their future as a teacher, should be encouraged. Also, the better a school is appreciated, more are the chances that experienced and highly skilled teachers will want to join it. But the grave issue here remains that interference of the policymakers and politicians is also shaping the image of high schools in the USA. Mentioning that schools are unsuccessful in achieving their endeavors, only pushes good teaching professionals to other educational institutes. Alongside, pre-service programs are not of high quality, because of which graduates may feel that they are not adequately prepared for the teaching profession. In 2014 a question was raised on K-12 schools, which asked if these programs, if improvised, can build a powerful gathering of learners.

• School Environment

In 2014, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder declared new guidelines as educational disciplinary policies to stop the school-to-prison pipeline and purify school environment. Given that student bullying happens quite a lot in schools and increases chances of students coming in contact with the juvenile criminal justice platforms, these guidelines portray the zero tolerance policies in schools, which decreases such mishaps at the high school level, and helps students know their optimal selves.

• Lifestyle Gap

Of all the students in the high schools across the U.S., approximately 22% of students live in poverty. By the time they go from kindergarten to high schools, they would be knowing 1/8^th of the vocabulary knowledge their richer peers will have known by then. The lack the decent informative resources, and the backward communities where poor students live cannot afford their proper grooming. As serious as it sounds, these issues have been there and still are, though the education ministry is taking disciplined measures to reduce them.

No association can be made big without co-operation, and it all starts with us. Do you have anything to contribute to such high schools? Get in touch with Email Data Group that puts you in touch with key decision makers of high schools through its exclusive email list of high schools.

Posted by K12 Education Lists

Are you a Principal of Change?

Principal is a leader guiding schools to better teaching and learning. They are always in a paradoxical position. As we all know that old educational programs are no longer suitable because it did not match the industry needs and requirements. So it is highly required for principals to bring in change to their schools. Here are few highly effective changes that Principals need to really improve their schools. They are:

Discipline: It is nothing but guiding students and helping them to learn what is expected, and it is main the thing that principal need to concentrate on. It is a key component to effective school management. Every individual has their own type of discipline to follow, henceforth every Principal have their own discipline strategy which they try to introduce in their schools. These different types of disciplines are categorized into 3 types and they are Preventative Discipline, Corrective Discipline and Supportive Discipline. 

Academic curriculum: Principals should identify the potential in students and help them to develop academic confidence and independence. Academic curriculum is lessons taught in a specific school program. They should be designed and developed in such a way that areas of challenge may be strengthened and help students to reach their road to success. 

Extracurricular activities: As we all know that extracurricular fall outside the domain of the normal curriculum of school, so School Principal need to give the same importance to it. Principal should allow students to get involved in activities outside the classroom as involving in extracurricular have various beneficiaries such as student-led initiatives.

Nurturing student teacher relationship: Principal's main role in improving their school is to nurture student teacher relationship. In order to make it easy, there should be a lot of interactions between students and teachers and also teachers should be friendly with their students and help them solve all their academic activities. Principal should make way for students to communicate to their teachers at every level and not only during specific 40 minutes course period. 

Building relationship with other schools: Principal should build a positive relationship with other schools so that students can take part in inter-school academic and extra curricular activities, so that they will have higher scope for improvement and will learn new things. And also should allow students to work closely with each other to meet their mutual goals. 

However, School Principal, as an administrator should think wisely about their educational mission, academic program, community relationships and organizational structure. 

K12-Lists is the leading education mailing database provider across the world. It offers an extensive range of marketing lists that help marketers to reach their potential prospects at their fingertips.

For more details on samples and pricing, check out http://www.k12-lists.com/

Mobilize an Army of Students for Your Marketing Channel

Are you constrained by tight budgets?

Are your marketing channels inadequate?

Have you ever thought about the power students have to implement a marketing program?

Students are great source of getting your marketing plan into action. Not only are they enthusiastic, they are diligent, creative and resourceful. You may wonder if this concept would be favored by educators and schools. This idea provides students with an opportunity to learn how ‘real world’ planning and implementation takes place. Given the opportunity they get to learn and the exposure they obtain to potential employers is a strong point that gains a positive vote from school administrations.

Like using any other channel strategy, you need to make a plan. 

• You need make a plan and select schools that are best suited to build the program
• You need to assign a teacher to handle day-to-day operation of the program
• You need to set aside dollars for your student ‘agency’ to manage and include rewards as a part of the budget.
• You need to spend time to discus and guide your student agency to support their efforts in implementing the plan.

While using a student group to create, manage and implement your marketing plan, there are few aspects that need to be kept in mind:

• Give yourself at least six months to draft a plan and select the best suited schools.
• Set aside at a month to communicate your concept to schools you plan on working with. It is important that you have strong support from teachers and administrators.
• Ensure the teacher assigned to manage your program is committed and is driven to ensure a successful outcome.
• Keep your student agency in the loop from the beginning. Treat them as you treat a professional agency. 
• During implementation, it will be productive to measure the performance of the student agency and provide constructive feedback and guidance to help them perform better.
• Make sure to acknowledge and reward students and teachers who are actively involved and providing positive results.
• Get your management involved to reward participants with recognition letters and certificates.

By keeping these aspects in mind, it is possible to utilize a group of students to implement your marketing plan. The end result is that, in a few hundred dollars and little time on management, you have a rocking plan and an effective and low-cost marketing channel.

Let students get a feel of the real world

Mobilize them to build your ‘agency’

Implement a win-win marketing program with highly influential market segment.