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An Assessment of Leadership, Accountability and Success In Vocational Education in Greene, Jones and Lenoir Counties in the Year 2000 Synopsis A Report by David Snyder, 919.920.0551 email: dnysder @esn.net Or write c/o Greene County Board of
Education, 301 Kingold Boulevard, Snow Hill, N.C. 28580 Presented to: Note: All material in this report is confidential and proprietary to the author, David Snyder, and is intended to be read only be authorized personnel or their designees. No portions of this report may be copied or used without express written permission of the author. Quotable Quote "But that is impossible and misguided. We all know that every single one of us comes into the world with different talents and abilities. The equation of success in the real world is Ability x Motivation. If you have high ability and high motivation you will succeed in the vocational field. However, if you have low motivation and low ability you will not succeed. And if you have high ability and low motivation the best you can hope for is mediocrity. But, if you have low ability and receive the proper amount motivation, you can be successful if you try hard enough. That is the kind of guidance we need in public schools. That is what students should be getting. "In my view, however, the entire public education system has been structured to churn out mediocrity. And that is not what employers are looking for. What the state plan of instruction seems to be completely overlooking is any kind of meaningful analysis of individual student ability coupled with a system of guidance that will help the student become motivated once the teacher, counselor or other mentor has helped the student find their area of ability. If that were done, every student would have an equal opportunity to succeed. But that is not being done, because all of the emphasis being placed on standardized tests and other measures that seem to bear little relevance to the real world. Therefore, on many levels, we are setting up many of our students for failure or disillusionment. That is the central problem with public education today. All other problems are secondary to it."
A Very Abbreviated Analysis of
the Methodology: 1. A consultant was hired to construct, implement and analyze the responses from a 41-item questionnaire given to all high school students in Greene, Jones and Lenoir counties. The survey used a five point scale to measure the quality of satisfaction students felt towards school, guidance and encouragement from parents (among many other factors). Additionally, the student survey contained two responses asking for handwritten responses in the write-in section to two questions: the first question asked whether the work-study programs had made a difference in the student's life, if he or she had participated, and the second question asked what the student would like to see changed in public schools, if anything. Many students responded to this request for handwritten responses and interesting information was revealed. 2. Furthermore, an open-ended questionnaire was submitted to all vocational teachers in these three counties. The questionnaire simply asked that teachers discuss what they felt were the strengths and weaknesses of vocational education in public school. 3. Also, many interviews were conducted with students, teachers, principals, administrators, and business people across the systems, and a focus group was held with most vocational teachers and vocational administrators at Lenoir Community College. Major Findings on the Biggest Obstacles to Vocational Education Quality and Success, according to the vast majority of all respondents: 1.The vast majority of students
coming to Lenoir Community College for a vocational education (many from
Jones, Greene, or Lenoir county high schools) do poorly on placement
exams in math and English and have to be remediated in those and other
subjects. 2. Despite a high school education, students
coming into the community college environment lack critical thinking
skills and/or a basic self-confidence in an ability to think for
themselves. This lack of self-confidence has been created
(possibly) because teachers have not had the time to help students
develop critical thinking skills and self-confidence because of an
overemphasis on standardized test taking. 3. Vocational
instruction, academic courses, testing procedures and counseling
procedures in high schools and colleges (including community colleges)
are not integrated. 4. Industrial leaders and employers in
Lenoir county have reported a consistent Solutions 1. Spend more time analyzing the data already accumulated from the 3118 students to pinpoint as many specific areas of guidance weakness as possible and then address those guidance issues. 2. Ask that the state reduce the amount of paperwork given to guidance counselors and/or make funds available for assistant counselors so guidance counselors actually have time to guide. 3. Create more integration and connectivity between end of course testing in high schools and college placement tests 4. Make it possible and time-feasible for counselors to help students pinpoint their aptitudes, abilities and interests so that test-coaching and guidance and career major advancement can be based upon this information, and so that more students can have a realistic opportunity for success. 5. Discard the emphasis on VoCATS testing so vocational teachers can teach students what they need to know for the real world. 6. Allow students who want to take technical writing to take a technical writing in lieu of or in addition to the current creative writing program offered in schools so that these vocationally-interested students can learn the kind of writing they will need to know in the real world.
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