Your Florida House of Representatives passed a bill recently that requires high school freshmen to declare a “major” for their career. The proposal is part of Gov. Bush’s so-called “A Plus Plus” education reform plan.
Generally, middle school students would be “encouraged” to identify areas of interest and tailor their electives toward those; freshmen would then be expected to pick a major upon entering high school. All high school students would take 10 elective classes, four of them in their major. The program allows flexibility with the other six classes.
The state Senate (which I normally think is the more rational of our two houses) has another plan which eliminates the idea of majors but cuts the number of electives students can take and requires more math and reading. (Aren’t high schoolers still required four English classes, one each year?)
I don’t know how to feel about this. I’m supposed to be a grown-up yet I still don’t know what I want to do with my life. Picking a major in college was stressful, and I wasn’t too good at it in my 20’s. I can’t imagine how the average high school student is going to pick a major and want to stick with it.
gayPinellasPodcast
3 years ago
I wanna be a gay cowboy when I grow up.
Laura
3 years ago
Middle School is too early to pick a major. A child needs to have a well rounded education, and that includes having the ability to try out a variety of electives while still in high school, in addition to the required classes. Those electives can help awaken a desire to learn more about a particular field, or help change their mind as well.
My oldest daughter wanted to be a marine biologist until she began taking AP Bio in high school. While she was able to ace all of her science classes, she’s no longer interested in that field at all.
It’s a good thing she has the CHOICE to change her mind…that’s what a democratic society is all about, RIGHT JEB?
This idea has no merit at all.
Editengine
3 years ago
do the proposals forbid the child from changing their mind?
bamaroller
3 years ago
It’s actually a good idea for high schoolers to have a realistic (key word here) idea of what they want to be, then start working toward it. Speaking from personal experience, I wanted to be a radio DJ when I was in 10th grade until I saw how doped up they are off the air. Then I wanted to be an engineer until I nearly failed advanced math my senior year. I wound up changing majors three times before I ended up quitting college and taking a lucrative job working for The Man. Bottom line is at some point you have to quit being Jethro and pursue a career. Not many people ever actually get to become pro athletes, movie directors, double-naught spies, etc.
kate
3 years ago
This is the silliest idea yet – which is saying something because the Bushies have come up with doozies.
One of my students actually wrote down her post-high school plans: “I’m going to be a model and my dad will win the lottery and buy me a big-screen tv.”
These kids need core classes and different electives to figure out if it’s college or work after high school. If it’s college – they will declare a major then. If it’s work – they can take career building courses toward the end of high school – not as a ninth grader. Declaring a major and then changing it each year serves what purpose exactly?
PortTampa
3 years ago
It looks like the idea was generated by studies that show the majority of kids who drop out of school claim they do so because it’s “boring” and doesn’t relate to what they want to do after school. News flash-short of installing stripper poles in the cafeterias I defy anyone to design a high school that keeps kids from claiming boredom is a problem in high school. I have had the rare privilege of truly enjoying every job I’ve taken as an adult, but none of them has been without some periods of dreadful boredom or frustration. I say quit tinkering with requirements and do what we know works-make schools and classes small enough that each child knows, and is known by, a caring adult who can call him by name, knows her dreams and aspirations, and can catch the learning deficits that really force kids out of school. (Most dropouts are really forceouts, but that’s another rant.)
Cara
3 years ago
I don’t see how making 15 year olds choose a major is going to be effective when the majority of 21 year olds still have no idea what they are going to major or have changed their mind about 6 times over the course of their college career. It’s healthy to explore all your options. I went from German to International Studies to Advertising to what I am doing now Psych/Women’s studies. And I want to study film in grad school. I’ve never been bored in college and I’m glad I didn’t have to plan out my life at the tender age of 15.
tommy
3 years ago
The government should not take the place of parents. Nor should teachers, administrators or resource officers.
To those of you who want no gay clubs, want no religion, want chosen majors, think cheating is acceptable, are reviled that soda and Oreo cookies are available, blame administrators for being too hard (or too soft), and, yes, you who think smaller classes will make a huge difference – all of you – GUIDE YOUR CHILDREN TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. Help them navigate all these issues. Explain your reasons for your beliefs. Help them learn. Be involved in their school. Be a parent.
PortTampa
3 years ago
Tommy, it’s true that parents are the key to a good education. In fact some studies show that schools, no matter how good, account for only 15-20% of student achievement. However, a lot of good can be done with that 15%. If we make some form of schooling mandatory from age 5-16, which all states do, we ought to at least put our money where we know it will make a difference. We know smaller classes, and smaller schools, do make a difference. We don’t know much about what having students choose a major will do. Funny, Florida voters demanded the proven but Bush is pushing the unproven, even experimental. Real conservative move.
Joe
3 years ago
I don’t see how something like this would be good college prep. Let’s say I want to be an engineer in 10th grade but by the time college rolls around I want to be an English professor–does that mean I need to take all kinds of remedial classes to catch up on what was neglected because of my high school major?
bamaroller, I agree that some kids need to be more realistic about what they are going to do with their lives, but to me, in high school your goals should be more along the lines of “I am going to work/go to college/go to trade school/join the army”. No way should we expect kids to decide on majors in high school when college kids change them as much as they do.