Without even looking for them, one can find any number of memes on social media that criticize public schools for only teaching content that is irrelevant to life as an adult. Examples?
Me: I would like to learn how to do my taxes.
Public School: (with a Dr. Evil graphic) Molten rock is called magma.
Or
(image of person drowning) How do I get a job?
School system: Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.
These memes go on and on. You do not have to look very long on social media to see a handful of memes that illustrate social frustration with the dissonance between what is taught in school and what is needed for life.
This is not new. For the record, classes teaching things like “how to purchase a car,” “paying your taxes,” “career options and pay expected,” “interview skills,” and “how to get a job” are emphasized and required for all students. And while we could debate the “usefulness” of some of the things taught in classes, we don’t necessarily think it is wrong to intentionally lean in to courses and learning opportunities that are, by design, experiences that will be useful for the rest of the lives of our students.
There are a lot of examples of all of our teachers intentionally teaching life skills and bending their curriculum to where our students can get great life advice and training. One of the most visible differences in the vision at Wyandotte Public Schools is the Construction Trades class that Mr. Brandon Siegrist teaches 6th hour. It is awesome. These students in the last year have taken what used to be the concession stand when the football field was behind the school in the 1980's, and turned it into a functioning greenhouse on one side and a small engine repair shop on the other (see pictures). He then took and showed them how to make the concrete sidewalk that goes around the greenhouse between the Ag Department and the Tech Ed Department.
If you’ve ever laid concrete, you know these students had to do some work and learn a difficult skill. During interim periods when concrete was drying and they were cleaning tools properly, he was also showing them the pay that can be expected for various jobs that include concrete work. This is not new and it is not rare when it comes to the way Mr. Siegrist teaches his classes. We firmly believe around here that our students need to know about careers that require some or a lot of college, careers that are oriented toward the trades (a huge number of which make as much money as careers that require a degree) and try to emphasize the skills needed and the real world application of the same. Mr. Siegrist helps lead the way in this approach to 21st century learning.
This winter, his Construction Trades class has taken on the building of an outdoor classroom for our outdoor commons area in front of the school. Bear in mind, that as a part of the course, these students are also getting OSHA certified. You’ll notice in the pictures the students who are wearing hard hats while on site. As a building principal, this might be the coolest site you can see. Students getting a crash course on construction, wearing hard hats, putting the headers on a set of posts that form the main framing of an outdoor classroom. That’s cool. Knowing they’ve been OSHA certified and are being taught the truth on being able to make real money in the trades, is even cooler. I’m positive this won’t necessarily change the false narrative on teaching PEMDAS, magma, and mitochondria while ignoring the teaching of skills like filing taxes, career skills, and personal banking. I’m hoping at least that Wyandotte folk will know better. Great staff, great students, great community, and a commitment to setting our students up for success. We love this place.