An Interview with Ashley

LISTEN to the Students:? An Interview with Ashley

This Q&A is part of an ongoing series where we talk with students about their hopes and dreams and what an ideal education looks like for them in today’s world.?

This time around, I sat down with a 10th grader named Ashley. She shares her thoughts, from school electives and skills she’s learned, to the message she would share with educators if she had the chance.

Note: For privacy reasons, we have omitted the student’s full name and high school.

?How do you feel about your High-School education so far?

• How do I say it?? (pause…)
• I know college is kind of when you go off and do your own thing.
• High school would be better if we spent more time figuring out what we want to do.
• Like how to take care of yourself on your own.
• We spend too much time learning about stuff that doesn’t matter.

Students are thinking all the time about their future and have questions that we need to be addressing at an earlier age to put their minds at ease.

In YOUR opinion, what are the most important skills you have learned so far that will help you in your future career?

• How to deal with people you don’t necessarily want to work with.
• How to figure out stuff on your own if a teacher can’t explain something or when they don’t understand it themselves.
• You can’t rely on someone else.
• Never give the bare minimum.? The more I do, the better I perform.
• Read directions thoroughly.

?These are solid insights and good life lessons to learn.

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What do you think is the most challenging aspect of your High School education?

• Having to work with teachers that don’t seem to have the answers.
• Teachers seem unsure of themselves, and some are hard to trust.

?By nature, people want to be led by those they can trust to help them.

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How do you think your school could better prepare you for life in the 21st century?

• Learn about real world stuff like how to do taxes or what to do with money.
• How to buy a house.? How to run a house.
• More focused on what we want to do.
• Don’t spend time teaching us stuff that doesn’t matter.

Students are constantly thinking about their future and developing fears of not being ready.? We need to do a better job at connecting whatever we are teaching to how it helps a student in the future.

Do you feel your school is adequately preparing you for life after school?

• Yes and No.? So far… it’s been ok.? Not great.?
• There are a good number of electives, but I haven’t experienced them all.?
• I don’t like that you have to take an entire term of something to learn if you might even like it or not or how it can help you.
• We should be able to quickly try something and move on if it's not a fit.

Valid points.? It appears we’re missing the mark on connecting a student’s vision of success with the work they are being asked to do today. Giving students a chance to quickly explore and learn if something is of interest to them is paramount.

What classes (subjects) have been the most beneficial to you in terms of developing your personal leadership skills?

• I’d say my Business class and Leadership class.
• Leadership because it teaches you how to be a better person.
• There’s more time to figure out who you are individually.
• Business is helpful.? I think everyone needs to understand this a little regardless of their profession.

?Good answer.? Solid points.

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How are you currently planning for your future, and do you feel like your future plans are adequately supported by your school?

• I try to think about my future when selecting my electives.
• I wish less time was spent on general things like history.
• I wish there was more time spent trying different things.
• I don’t really have a specific plan.?

There is a difference between a student having an idea about their future and a plan. Students will feel less anxious about their future and more in control of their future with a plan.

How do you think your high school education is preparing you to be a responsible and engaged citizen in your community and the world?

• It depends on what path you go down.
• If you get the leadership path and class, it will help.
• Not all kids get this.

Why do only some kids get the leadership class?? Why not all students?? They all need to be leaders in their life.

What do you know about A.I. and what is being developed right now?

• ?We never talk about it.
• I don't really know much.

We need to be preparing these students for what is coming down the road and how to manage the future with confidence.

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What changes would you like to see in your High School education to better prepare you for life in today’s world?

• I wish there was more focus on what we’ll actually need to know.

It’s instinctive for humans to look out for their own safety and well-being.? The current system does not seem to be reaching each student the way each student needs to be reached to create a safe and productive learning environment.? Students are asking for more direct help.

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What would the ideal school experience look like?

• Figure out what each student wants.
• Figure out how to help each student.
• Connect us with the right people to teach us.

This all seems reasonable.? Why don’t we connect students with those who can teach them best? What if the best teacher of a subject is at a different school?

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If you could share a message with teachers, principals and administrators, what would it be?

• Focus more on helping students directly.
• Don’t give up on the students that are struggling.
• A lot of teachers seem to just be doing it for their job.
• We need more focus on helping each student.

It’s no longer time to re-think education.? It’s time to act and do before it’s too late.

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If you could share a piece of advice for incoming freshman students, what would it be?

• Don’t give up.?
• School takes a lot.?
• Way more important to focus on yourself than other people.

This makes sense to me.? When a person is focused on being their best self, they end up being a better member of any community or team.?

Ashley, what is YOUR Unique Strength right now?? (Your strength above all others?)

• I think I am a quick-minded…
• I think?

Shouldn’t every kid confidently know their strengths and how to leverage them forward?

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What is YOUR Vision?? (What do you want your world to look like in 5 years?)

• In 5 years, I’ll be in college.?
• I’ll figure out a career set.
• I’ll be living with someone else.

Does that sound like a thought-out and holistic plan that will help Ashley achieve success?

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How do YOU define Success?

• When you achieve what you wanted.
• When you are happy with your decisions.

I like that answer!?

Thanks for your time, Ashley!

Many students today are lacking a plan and the next steps to move forward with confidence. At the same time, they realize they need a plan but don’t know how to access the right support and resources at school. Both Alex (past interview) and Ashley talk about a disconnect between what they’re learning in school and what they need for their future.

As a parent, it’s hard to hear that young adults today don’t feel ready for what’s next. Reimagining education is not only key for kids today but for future generations that will see even more changes in technology and the workforce. We need to lay a consistent foundation of leadership skills as early as possible so that adults have a “toolkit” they can rely on for the rest of their lives.

Project OTY is currently helping educators across the Pacific Northwest to empower students with personal leadership skills and a plan of action. From Beaverton to Corvallis to West Linn, we’re helping teachers and students have the future-focused conversations they’ve always wanted to have. All of this takes place with the interactive questions and exercises in our Build YOUR Roadmap program.?

If you’re an educator looking for a new way to empower and engage your students, let’s talk.