Developing Student Independence

This week's article summary is Are Today's Students Really Less Independent Than Previous Generations.

My wife and I had very different high school experiences, even though our schools were only two miles from each other.

My wife attended a very large public school (600 students in her graduation class) while I attended a much smaller private school (85 kids in my graduation class).

She was a straight A student; I got mostly Bs.

But when we went to college, she struggled mightily and I blossomed.

We’re about the same in terms of IQ and ambition. 

So, why was it easy for me to transition to college and such a shock to my wife?

I think the key differentiator for me was my high school placed the responsibility for my learning directly on me. Over my four years in high school I learned how to study (although through fits and starts), how to synthesize material, how to ask for help, and how to organize myself and my time. High school for me an apprenticeship. By the time I got to college, I had pretty much figured out how to be an independent student.

My wife conversely in high school was asked to follow along in class, fill our worksheets, and take fairly low-level assessments, e.g., fill-in-the-blank questions. She generated an impressive GPA but didn’t learn how to study or how to think. Her undergraduate college years were where she learned how to be a student. It wasn’t until graduate school that her performance and grades caught up to her ability.

We at Trinity are committed in helping our students develop not only a strong moral, ethical character, but also organizational and executive function skills and habits needed for success in middle school and beyond. As nearly all our graduates matriculate to private schools like the one I attended, they need these study skills and habits to thrive.

As our kids move through the grades at Trinity they first learn how to self-regulate, then learn to be attentive in class, and finally by fifth and sixth grade they become more responsible for their time management. In age-appropriate ways, they learn to be persistent, resilient, and independent.

As you’ll see in the article below, there is concern that high school students today lack self-confidence and agency. 

Yet I feel proud that what we stress for our students is what they need to be not only successful students but high-functioning adults in the workplace!

Joe

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Are adolescents less independent thinkers and decisionmakers now than they were a decade ago?

A good number of teachers in middle and high school report that their students are struggling to direct their own learning, advocate for themselves, and take responsibility for their education.

There can be big repercussions for students who struggle to self-govern, especially high schoolers who are preparing to launch into the real world where the ability to work and learn independently is a prerequisite for success in college and the workforce.

However, with a lack of research on whether adolescents are less independent than they were 10 years ago, that leaves anecdotes and media coverage to color people’s perceptions of adolescents’ independence or lack thereof.

Whether the problem is exaggerated by some doesn’t change the fact that middle and high school students need to learn how to be independent. Goal-setting, delayed gratification, self-management of emotions—these are all social-emotional skills that lead to greater independence. It’s the teaching of nonacademic skills that are essential to success in school and life. 

Although it may seem counterintuitive for adolescents, a major part of being independent is knowing how to communicate their needs and ask for help. Teaching students how to manage their emotions so they persist when tasks get challenging is also key.

SEL experts say there’s long been a perception among educators that SEL is a “little kids thing,” discounting its importance for older students. Most SEL curricula and programs are directed toward younger students, and they fall flat when grafted onto a secondary school program. Incorporating SEL into middle and high school can also be challenging simply from a scheduling perspective. As students move from class to class, there is no single teacher who “owns” SEL. Plus, with a heavy focus on coursework in the upper grades, teachers may feel they don’t have the bandwidth to incorporate SEL into their daily lessons.

Middle and high school students need SEL programming that is designed for their developmental needs. Chief among those needs is learning how to become independent from adults. Giving middle and high school students more responsibility and control in how their classes and schools are run—"choice and voice” in SEL parlance—is a powerful way to help students build these skills .

Being an independent thinker and decision maker has always been an important trait for success in college and the workforce. The notion of self-directed learning, and upskilling and reskilling as the economy shifts is going to separate people who are going to be successful from those who are going to struggle in a knowledge-based economy.