Listen to the Students! (an Interview with Alex)

LISTEN to the Students:? An Interview with Alex

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

The reality is, it’s not easy to grow up in a world full of conflicting messages and thoughts. To lead students successfully, we need to understand where they are now and where they want to go, and then explore how we can best support them on their journey.

I recently sat down with a bright 16-year-old young man who shared his thoughts on his high school experience so far.??

Meet Alex: He’s an 11th grader attending one of Oregon’s top high schools. By all accounts, he’s a good student with goals, aspirations, and hope for his future.?

Below are his answers, alongside a few personal thoughts, comments, and questions to consider.? Enjoy!

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?

• I don’t like it.? I think there is too much time spent on things that I don’t believe will help me in the future.??
• Why am I learning about Shakespeare when I can watch a video down the road if I need to?
• Why am I learning about Algebra if I don't need that level of math in the future?
• I don’t feel like my education is focused on me.

These are nuggets of young wisdom and some good points.? There are also skills learned like critical thinking and problem solving in subjects like Algebra.? We need to set teachers up to connect whatever it is they are teaching to how it directly helps a student in the future.

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

• I think school has taught me some problem-solving skills.?
• If something doesn’t work the first time, move on to another solution.?

These are good life lessons to learn.

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

• The small time you have in which you need to learn different material.?

This is a good life lesson as well and a good reminder we need to give people the time they need to learn what it is they need to learn.

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

• I think they should teach skills you need to know as an adult
• Target more classes toward career paths and future choices
• Get rid of what they believe are core subjects.

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?

• I don’t think they are setting you up for success at all.?
• I don’t think learning about English philosophers or high-level math helps most kids.?
• How is this going to get me anywhere in life?
• If I want to be an electrician, why do I need to know about biology or Shakespeare?

Valid points and reasonable questions.? It appears we are missing the mark on connecting a student’s vision of success with the work they are being asked to do.

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

• I think my Engineering class and Leadership class I have found somewhat useful.?
• They teach you problem-solving skills and how to work with other people.?

Good answer.? Solid points.

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

• Ummm… I would like to enter a trade in the future.?
• There are some classes that may help with that.??
• My whole school experience isn’t about setting me up for my future.

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 and a process that allows them to adapt confidently as life evolves.??

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

• I feel like school is helping me socially but not academically.??

This academic disengagement is what we are seeing with students in schools across the country.? It seems they are having a hard time connecting what they are being taught with how it will help them specifically.? This is a leadership issue.

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

• I’d like to see more focus on individual students and career paths.??
• I wish someone was focused on teaching me what I 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.

What would the ideal school experience look like?

• Offer classes that will help you in the future.
• Survey the students and figure out how they like to learn.
• Match them up with people who can teach them what they want to know.
• Connect us with professionals who can 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?? People want to learn from pro’s and those they trust.

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

• Try to make a change.? Focus on what the kids actually need.
• Teachers want change.? They talk about it all the time.
• It seems like the school and the systems are stuck.
• It seems like nobody wants to be at school except to see their friends.

It’s been my experience that when the work a person is doing is in alignment with who they are and who they want to become, the work becomes passionate and purposeful.??

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

• Take the classes that can help you.?
• You’re going to need to figure out your life on your own.??
• Be nice to others.

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.??

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

• I don’t know… (pause)…? That is a tough question.??
• I think I am a quick learner.

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

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

• I’ll have enough money to support myself.
• I will be able to comfortably buy whatever I need.

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

How do YOU define Success?

• Success is when you have met your goals.
• Everyone has a different definition of success.

I like those answers and perspectives.

A big kudos to Alex for his candid feedback!

At Project OTY, we’ve listened to thousands of students who represent all walks of life.? No two students are the same.? No two students will live the same life. Yet, all students benefit from an environment that fosters engagement, interest, and trust. Every student benefits from support to supercharge their future plans, especially when they can’t experience that outside the classroom.

What resonated for me most in this conversation with Alex is the concept that “the school systems are stuck” and he finds himself in a position of not feeling prepared, despite being a student who successfully checks all the boxes for graduation. Like many students, he shares a disconnect between his schooling experience and how he perceives his future.

How do we fix this?

This is why we created Project OTY, and the Build YOUR Roadmap? program for students.? If you are an educator, we’d like to show you how it works and how we’re currently supporting high school students across the Beaverton, West Linn, and Corvallis school districts. Together, we can reimagine education and support future readiness at scale for students.

Let’s schedule a time to talk.