The ideal graduate: What are the qualities you are working toward?

[Janie]

I am in the midst of compiling ideas (general and specifics) for the ideal high school graduate and would like to hear your thoughts.

 

If you've never thought about what you are working toward with your upcoming graduate, here's your chance to brainstorm. I've always tried to have goals in mind for anything I do so that my actions would be more defined.

 

 

Here are some categories I've thought of:

 

 

• Bloom's Taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation)
  

 

 

 

 

• knowledge, understanding, wisdom
  

 

 

 

 

• intellectual, social, physical, spiritual
  

 

 

And then fill in specifics under these broad categories.

 

Thanks for any of your ideas!

[outtamyshell]

My goals are specific to my child, so they might not be universal. These are high-level vision things for me, so they might not even make sense, but here goes...

 

*To understand her time & place in the world (sweeping view of world history, appreciation of her privilege, etc).

*A solid, basic understanding of science (filling the gaps).

*An idea of who she is and where she wants to focus her further study.

*Completed college math requirements, and as much of the basic AA requirements as she can through dual enrollment & AP testing.

*To be able to communicate clearly in verbal and written word.

*Confidence in her abilities and an understanding of her strengths.

*To be able to set goals and work towards them.

*Basic organizational skills.

*To be able to take care of herself physically and spiritually.

*Love of Learning

 

I look forward to seeing what others have on their list.

[Nan in Mass]

I have way too many days when I just want to arrive at the end of high school with an undammaged, alive child. The rest of the time, I aim for an interesting adult with a sense of perspecive, an emotional outlet, an legal, non-addictive form of escape, enough academic skills to teach themselves the rest of what they want to know and to survive college, the ability to think, a transcript that is acceptable to our town and that will let them apply to a few interesting colleges, the ability to keep themselves strong and healthy, a good moral compass, and the skills that will let them be a competent adult in our family.

 

-Nan

[TravelingChris]

I'm with Nan. I have graduated one, nearing on second , and haven't started high school on third. While I had great plans for how homeschooling should look, reality set in. Both of my two oldest had moves in high school and for both, it was problematic. My second had and still has medical issues. My graduation standards are realistic and would have to become even less idealistic if my children weren't quite as capable as they are. If, for example, I took in a foster child who didn't come to math as easily as mine did, I might have to stop at ALg. 2 with him or her rather than pre-calc as minimum. WIth my third, I expect that advanced math after Calc will be her last hs math class (whether that will be linear algebra or something else, I will decide in a few years).

[tex-mex]

I have way too many days when I just want to arrive at the end of high school with an undammaged, alive child. The rest of the time, I aim for an interesting adult with a sense of perspecive, an emotional outlet, an legal, non-addictive form of escape, enough academic skills to teach themselves the rest of what they want to know and to survive college, the ability to think, a transcript that is acceptable to our town and that will let them apply to a few interesting colleges, the ability to keep themselves strong and healthy, a good moral compass, and the skills that will let them be a competent adult in our family.

 

-Nan

 

:iagree: Forgive me to the OP's post... but it reminded me too MUCH of teacher inservices where we are forced to sit and listen (or plan) goals for the year of grade level and wrote "edu-speak" to make it look good to the parents of our students. Bloom's and other goals are nice -- perhaps a bit lofty -- but doesn't it truly boil down to your child being a productive citizen in our world? Academics are great. But life skills and street smarts (i.e. emotional maturity, ability to work with others, wisdom, morals) are also fab too. Props to Nan!!

[Rosie_0801]

I hope to graduate mine with the language capabilities to apply for UN agency jobs. I'll tell you in 20 years whether that was realistic or not...

 

Rosie

[Nan in Mass]

Janie, you might want to look at Luanne's post about a great education. This might contain some of what you are looking for. I think most of us are close enough to the graduation of (or have graduated) our children that we have trouble thinking in terms of "ideal". I've noticed on the boards that some questions are phrased so that they are easy to answer, and some are phrased so that they are hard. I think this might be a hard question to answer, whereas, questions aobut education in general are sometimes easier, but even Luanne's question probably isn't getting the sort of action-specific answer that she needs. Questions about what you would do differently if you could do it again often get answered, I think, because they ask you to answer about your own children, children that you know well. So many questions have "it depends" answers.

-Nan