From the Homeschool Front … To go or not to go, that is the question by Colleen Hroncich

My oldest daughter is a junior in high school this year. As you might suspect, that means the college search is upon us in earnest. When my husband and I were her age, the only question was which school to attend. My daughter is wrestling with a much tougher decision … to go or not to go.

The world is changing. That sounds trite, but it’s true. These days, people are likely to change jobs several times; that wasn’t the case when I was growing up. Thus a four-year degree in one field might not be as helpful as it once was.

Rapidly changing technology means that what you learn in school might not be applicable when you graduate. This is particularly true in computer fields. I have a cousin who works in computers; he has no college degree and never gets asked about it. Potential employers just want to know his certifications and experience.

There are some careers, like medicine and law, which still require a college degree and that isn’t likely to change soon. However, for many other professions, experience can be just as valuable. Spending four years at an entry level position in your chosen field – gaining experience and earning an income – may be more useful than spending those years in school. Moreover, the internet has opened up massive entrepreneurial opportunities to anyone with a computer, a good idea, and a willingness to work.

On the flip side, college can be a lot of fun – and I don’t just mean for party animals. There are friends to meet, clubs to join, trips to take. I studied in Ireland for three semesters and it was a great experience. I’d like my kids to have the chance to study abroad.

Through classes and other college experiences, I learned a lot about my field (economics) and life during my time in school. I matured and grew more confident in my abilities. Of course, working can confer many of those same benefits without the debt, so the debate continues.

My daughter is smart enough to know she doesn’t want to graduate with a mountain of debt, so part of her decision will be made based on how she does in the scholarship and financial aid hunt. She is also looking into an exciting apprenticeship program called Praxis that helps jumpstart young adults in startup careers. I’ll share more about this program in a future post.

To go or not to go. In the end, I suspect my daughter will decide to go to college. There are good arguments to be made on both sides, though, so it isn’t an easy decision. 

Colleen Hroncich loves that homeschooling allows her to learn right alongside her children. A published author and former policy analyst, Colleen’s favorite subjects are economics/public policy and history. She has been active in several homeschool co-ops and is a speech and debate coach.

Barriers to Critical Thinking by Jim Triplett

I’ve taught at a number of colleges and universities, both online and in-person, in different locations in the eastern half of the United States.  Part of addressing challenging dilemmas found in critical thinking and ethics classes involves carefully selecting one's words, as the message one conveys should be clear, well-supported, and easy to understand for the intended audience.  A concern about offending others is a topic of debate these days on many college campuses:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/

Now consider a psychiatrist's perspective on the challenges of trigger warnings and microagressions as well as how critical thinking is one of a number of means to address them in this Psychology Today article.

Along with the failure of our education system to properly teach critical thinking, as Dr. Pomeroy suggested in the trigger warning article, one commonly finds defense mechanisms present in the outrage at others' perspectives with which one does not agree.  Defense mechanisms are a means of deceiving oneself in the presence of discomfort related to multiple competing perspectives, including one’s opinion on something that is countered by another equally or more valid perspective.  Splitting, a form of self-deceptions, is something common to politics.  Dr. Burton (2012) noted splitting “reinforces our sense of self as good and virtuous by effectively demonizing all those who do not share in our opinions and values” (para.  8).  He elaborates on splitting in this Psychology Today article.

Dr. Burton referenced groupthink as a potential problem with the limited thinking associated with splitting.  The challenges of groupthink also arise in environments where alternative perspectives are limited for fear of offending others.  While we want to consider how some topics may contain elements that are uncomfortable to some, it’s also important to learn from the uncomfortable elements as a means of making better decisions in the future.  Human history does not rhyme; however, there are quite a few similarities that with some critical thinking may be diminished.  As you reflect on microaggressions and splitting, consider some means to identify these in news broadcasts and school.

Burton, N.  (2012, March 13).  Hide and seek:  Understanding self-deception, self-sabotage, and more.  Psychology Today.  Retrieved from:  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201203/self-deception-ii-splitting

Jim Triplett is an author, instructional designer, and instructor in the areas of finance, economics, ethics, and critical thinking. Jim holds Masters Degrees in Finance, Organizational Leadership, and Instructional Design Technology, is ABD / PhD in Organization and Management, and is currently completing a doctoral degree, Ed.D, in Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.

What to Do on the First Day by Scott Harris

"Why are we here?" I ask my new students. "Why did you come to school today?"

Typically, they are stunned by the question. Their faces seem to be asking, "Where are the rules? The syllabi? Why are you asking us to talk on the first day?"

By now, some student will say, "Because there's a law!" After the laughs quiet down, I ask, "So the law is why you came here today? If there were no law, you wouldn't be here?" (Ninety percent of such clever students don't respond. They realize that they are here for more than the law.) We rapid-fire a list of their reasons: to see their friends, they're bored from the summer, to learn, etc.

Quickly, the better students start connecting education with the quality of their future. While this is hopeful, it is also shallow. They say, "We're here to learn so we can get good grades."

I ask, "Why do you need good grades?"

They respond, "So we can get into a good college?"

"So you got up today to get good grades, so you can get into a good college?"

"And what then, after college?" In a satirical tone, I pretend I am one of them. "I don't know, sir, good grades, good college, good life. No one told me I had to think past that."

I ask, "What is the good life after college?"

One student inevitably suggests making lots of money, but others quickly pick this apart. Eventually one will offer, "To be happy."

"What does it mean to be happy?"

"Are you going to give us any answers," exclaims a frustrated student, "or just keep asking us questions?"

"I ask questions," I say. "I'm still figuring out some of these myself. But it seems to me that while happiness may be subjective, there are certain characteristics of human nature -- love, respect, security, and yes, even a certain amount of money -- that are necessary to be happy."

We start discussing what a liberal art education is and how it contributes not only to good grades and college, but the good life. ("Why take Chemistry?" I ask. You can imagine the line of questioning.)

By now, the bell catches us and there are lots of groans in disappointment. "That went so fast." "This was just getting interesting!" "I want to talk about this more!" 

I tell them, "I guess you'll have to come back tomorrow."

Walking out, I hear them say to each other, "This class is different" and "How come we don't talk about this in our other classes?"

What a shame that students can go until their junior year without really having talked much about why we're here.

Talking about why we're here has made the first day of school my favorite day.

During his 25 year career in education, Scott Harris has taught U.S. & World History, Philosophy, I.B.’s Theory of Knowledge, and coached swimming & water polo. He currently teaches AP Psychology & Macroeconomics at Ronald Regan H.S. in San Antonio, TX.