“Extra” Curricular or “Essential” Curriculum?

My daughter~ a fourth-grade student~ excels academically. She works hard in school and earns straight As. And while I wont go as far as to slap a My Daughter is an Honor Roll student sticker on my car bumper~ I am very proud of her.

The problem is that her academic performance is no guarantee that she will be successful in the real world~ at least not as many define success. Her strong study habits~ ability to read at higher levels~ or good penmanship does not necessarily mean that she will grow to become a creatively productive person~ using her talents to help make a better society. It does not mean she will have the innovation or drive to launch her own business~ become financially wealthy~ or become a leader in her field.

In fact~ it could mean just the opposite.

Based on a research study conducted of 81 Illinois valedictorian~ who were tracked for years following graduation~ the author concluded that just because they could get 'A's doesn't mean they can translate academic achievement into career achievement."

On the other hand~ studies suggest that extracurricular activities~ particularly sports~ can produce positive results in peoples lives in regards to income~ health and other factors.

While I think more study needs to be conducted in this area~ I do believe that it is wise to question whether we are providing young people with all the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful. Traditional schooling provides students with the basics of reading~ writing~ mathematics~ and prepares them for high school and college~ but does it truly prepare them for the workplace and beyond?

Perhaps there should be an added emphasis on activities and curriculum that foster creativity~ innovation~ critical thinking~ teamwork~ and other qualities demanded by the workplace and the business world.

Sometimes~ I think we have it all backward. We stress what we think are important lessons or activities during the school day while sacrificing those that could have the greatest benefit. We call these activities extra curricular when~ in fact~ they might be extra beneficial. For example~ the county where I teach hosts a competition called Math Bowl. It involves students coming together by grade level to compete against other teams by solving math problems within time limits. To prepare~ teams spend weeks practicing. They have to learn to work together~ to rely on each others strengths and weaknesses~ to beat deadlines~ to think criticallyskills that will help these children for the rest of lives. On the day of the event~ teams must perform under pressure~ follow the etiquette of the contest~ and act as true professionals. In reality~ these types of competitions very much reflect activity in the real world~ where for example~ employees work together against the clock to develop new products or services to compete against other businesses in the industry.

Another extra curricular activity used at some schools is Odyssey of the Mind. Again~ working in teams~ students rely on innovation~ creativity and teamwork to solve problems-without any assistance from coaches or adults. Again~ the real-world skills they develop are numerous.

When studying the lives of extremely successful people~ I am always struck by the qualities~ knowledge~ and skills that set them apart. They are often skills that are absent from school curriculum. For instance~ businessman Donald Trump credits his formal education with providing a solid foundation~ but when reciting his rules for success he refers to a different set of skills and knowledge. He touts passion~ intuition~ creativity~ leadership~ and other qualities as the reasons for his success. Likewise~ in the book Tap Dancing to Work~ Billionaire Warren Buffet states that one of the steps that made a significance difference in his life was when he listed the positive qualities he saw in others that he would like to have himself and worked on developing those qualities.

With the country shifting toward the use of Common Core standards~ schools are reevaluating what they are teaching and striving to get students better prepared for the future. However~ I think we need to further examine what skills and qualities we want to develop in your children. We need to ask ourselves: is this extra or essential to our students success in school and later in life?

Wishing you the best~

Steve