Moving on…
April 16, 2011
Spring is an interesting time in schools. It is time for transitions, celebrations and ceremonies. We begin to think about what is next. Students, parents and staff all begin to work on what needs to be accomplished between now and the end of the school year. And all with an eye on what will evolve next year. This is most true regarding the senior class. In Saline, for most it means some form of higher education.
In the April edition of Educational Leadership, psychologist Michael Thompson has some interesting ideas for parents and educators to consider as high-school students prepare for college.
“What makes students and families crazy during this transition is their belief that the college admissions process is about finding the right college,” he says. “It isn’t. It’s about a child successfully leaving the family and beginning young adulthood. Educators need to maintain that perspective when students – and families – lose it.”
Thompson advises schools to make sure seniors focus on these areas in the months before they graduate:
- Practicing their leadership skills
- Using the process of choosing their next life step for rich, unpressured self-discovery
- Taking stock of their talents and accomplishments
- Giving back to the school community in a meaningful way
- Participating in a ritual that marks their passage to adulthood. This should involve a smaller, more intimate ceremony in addition to the whole-school graduation ritual.
Our seniors have 6 weeks left before they move on… it’s time to reflect on their accomplishments and look forward to their futures.
No comments yet
Scot Graden's Blog 