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Skills for Success: A Point-Counterpoint

by Becca Morozin
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Change is needed

Becca Morozin

It was only a half semester of my freshman year, but I dreaded every moment of it. The only bearable aspect of Skills for Success was my teacher, Mr. Kelch (who is absolutely hilarious, by the way). When the half-way bell rang at lunch, I cringed and, as slowly as possible, walked to room 018, where I faced the longest twenty-five minutes of my life. The memories still haunt me.

Okay, so maybe I am being a little melodramatic. But it was still horrible.

Skills for Success, according to the LHS handbook, "is a class designed to facilitate student transition to District 128 and optimize the four-year high school experience. Activities include identifying your personality type and learning style, preparing for PLAN and PSAE testing, and exploring extra-curricular opportunities."

Obviously my experience with Skills for Success was not fantastic. I loved when my class was shown what our “future homes” would be if we did not do well in high school. I fail gym, my future is ruined and I’ll live in a shack for the rest of my life? What a failed attempt at being “scared straight” that was.

Day after day, we filled in tests that were supposed to help us get ready for the PLAN and PSAE sophomore year. I personally didn’t take those tests seriously and just filled in random bubbles while talking to friends. From what I’ve heard, that’s what pretty much everyone did. 

The transition from middle school to high school is huge. A brand new school, harder classes, more responsibility and demanding extra-curricular activities are already too much for freshmen to think about. Freshmen are more concerned with adjusting to their new lives, so the future seems a hundred years away.

Sophomore year would be a perfect year for Skills for Success. That would give students time to adjust to high school, but not be too late to talk about college or other plans after high school.

The class would be much more beneficial if it focused less on preparation for standardized tests. Instead of taking them nearly every day, taking them once or twice a week--maximum--would be good. Focusing more on college preparation, like visiting the CRC regularly, would be worthwhile as well.

We need guidance throughout high school in making decisions regarding our futures. With some major improvements, Skills for Success could have a huge impact on our lives.

 
Why change what's working?

Christine Anderson

Each day, for one semester only, freshmen have the opportunity to learn about themselves, their school and their future in Skills for Success. This often-dreaded class unknowingly benefits each student in various ways, preparing them for their next three years in high school and the following years of college.

Although at the time the class may seem to be nothing but an unnecessary 25 minutes that further limits conversation as well as lunch time with friends, students later learn the significance of that daily trip to the dungeon. 
The class promotes a program called Naviance, which may not become necessary until junior year, but is nonetheless important. Naviance allows students to take various quizzes to discover not only what their future holds, but how they should prepare. Through a series of questions about what students enjoy doing in their free time and what characteristics they portray, the quiz can give you accurate information about the person's lifestyle. The results given allow students to compare them to those expected of specific careers and opens their eyes to what field of work they may or may not be interested in.
In addition to preparing for college, this program allows students to discover their learning style, which teaches them how to enhance their education and study in an environment helpful to their personality. Naviance helps freshman to uncover what atmosphere they learn best in and how the slightest change can improve upon their learning type.
 
The common misconception about Skills for Success is that it is not helpful to underclassmen. Despite the fact that a large part of this class is built around one’s path after LHS, taking it any later than freshman year would not profit a student’s ability to plan for their future.Skills for Success informs students of what is to come, and by assigning it freshman year, the class allows students to develop a system for the classes they will take the next three years. After taking quizzes and surveys, Naviance shows students which job field they might consider and the classes necessary to achieve this.
Although at first I was unwilling to take the class seriously, I now realize the significance 25 minutes each day can have in terms of the rest of my life. After taking this class and discovering my best qualities as well as my learning style, I was able to take advantage of that and incorporate it to my following years at LHS.
Skills for Success is not a blow-off class unless each student allows it to be. Although it’s easy to slack off while your stomach is grumbling, it is important to realize how every bit of information received in the class will become useful at one point or another. High school’s responsibility is to provide the education necessary for life’s upcoming events, and by making this class mandatory, students are able to learn this, even if it is often against their will.

 

Photo by Christine Anderson 

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