Teachers! Do you really think college is the right path for every one of your students?

        When was the last time you said to your students that college is the path to success or something similar that indicated that college was for everyone? According to research, “forty years ago 32 percent of teachers and counselors advised all students to go to college. In the 1990s that number doubled” (Horn & Moesta, 2020). There has been an upward trend ever since. Did you know that many of the young people interviewed choose the college path because of the pressure they feel from society? According to the same article, 74% who went because of that pressure either left college altogether or went to another school? (Horn & Moesta, 2020). Too many of these students have no idea what they even want to do in college. They end up with debt that they cannot readily pay off, discouragement, and feelings of hopelessness. Isn’t it time to present them with other choices that best serve them as individuals? The U.S. Career Institute presents “80 Jobs That Pay Over $50K and Don’t Require a Degree.” Some of these career paths include commercial pilots, power plant operators, postmasters, makeup artists, mechanics, and electricians (Eighty, n.d.). I think it is a teacher’s responsibility to ask: Am I doing a disservice to my students by pushing this message that college is for everyone?

        You are passionate about education. You are a teacher not because of the amount of money you get paid but because you genuinely have a desire to support the next generation of learners. You value your job and those you get to serve year after year. You want what is best for your students and you work daily to help them achieve their potential. One article I found describes a teacher as one who values and displays integrity. Outstanding teachers value honesty in themselves and their students. They keep their commitments. Outstanding teachers value equity which comes with respect and responsibility. Outstanding teachers have high expectations but value different learning styles (Five, 2021). I know all of this is true because I have had outstanding teachers. In a fair world, my hope is that we all have had at least one. With these values in mind, the question you must ask yourself is: Do I really think college is for every one of my students?

        You have a need to see your students excel in their future path. It is why you do what you do day in and day out. You have a need to help your students realize that education is very important. “Education plays an important role in empowering youth with the knowledge and skills to engage effectively” in all areas of their life (O’Brien, Selboe, & Hayward, 2018, p. 9). When you stop and think about it, you will come to realize that pushing all young people on the college path hurts some of the very students you are trying to help. When was the last time you researched those who were wildly successful without a college degree? That list includes recognizable names like Bill Gates who founded Microsoft, Steve Jobs who co-founded Apple, Mark Zuckerberg who co-founded Facebook, and Oprah Winfrey who is a famous talk show host (Thomson, 2016). When was the last time you shared that list with your students? Of course, there are regular people that you and I meet every day that have found a way to be successful without taking the college path. I have three brothers who provide very well for their families. Two work in the insurance business. One as an insurance adjustor and the other as an insurance agent. The third brother is the owner of a landscape and pool company. Every student needs a path for a productive future. With their needs in mind, you must ask each student: Is college the best path for you? 

        You are in the trenches when it comes to helping students find that path that will best serve them as they are launched into the real world which is why I have chosen to direct my blog to you first. What I have learned when it comes to getting people involved in any sort of movement is that “without involvement, there is no commitment” (Covey, 2020, p. 157). This is why I am asking you to get involved. Leave a comment below even if it is just to say that you agree or disagree with my thoughts. Another way to get involved is to forward my blog to other teachers that care deeply and want their students to succeed in life. Together, we can help our students find the best path. #collegeisnotthepathforeveryone   

References

Covey, S.R. (2020). The 7 habits of highly effective people, Chapter about HABIT 2. 

Eighty jobs that pay over $50k and don't require a degree: U.S. Career Institute - USCI. U.S. Career Institute. (n.d.). https://www.uscareerinstitute.edu/blog/80-Jobs-that-pay-over-50k-without-a-degree

Five core values teachers should demonstrate. Educationtopia. (2021, January 19). https://www.educationtopia.net/blog/core-values-teacher-demonstrate

Horn, M. B., & Moesta, B. (2020, December 3). Not every student should go to college. and that's OK (opinion). Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-not-every-student-should-go-to-college-and-thats-ok/2020/03

O’Brien, K., Selboe, E., & Hayward, B. M. (2018). Exploring youth activism on climate 

change: Dutiful, disruptive, and dangerous dissent. Ecology and Society, 23(3), 42-55. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26799169.pdf

Thomson, S. (2016, January 8). 6 highly successful people who didn't Finish University. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/6-highly-successful-people-who-didnt-finish-university/ 

Image Sources

Despain, N. (2022). Original Text. Teacher Thinking retrieved from Vector.

https://us.123rf.com/450wm/okolaa/okolaa1203/okolaa120300039/12852025-young-woman-with-books-and-blackboard-behind-her.jpg?ver=6 

Jorstad, S. (2013). Quote by Steve Jobs.

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Teacher’s values. (2017, June 16). WS/FC Schools.   

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