Developing Well-Rounded Graduates

This is the second of a four-part series on how BGH4 is implementing the four main goals of our Strategic Plan across all grade levels. Last month I wrote about how our district is emphasizing

Student Learning and Academic Achievement (at new levels). This month I am writing about our goal of Developing Well-Rounded Graduate Academics matter! We all see this as one of our primary responsibilities in this district. But most of us would probably agree that some of the most important things young people learn aren’t always found in a textbook.

They need to learn how to work hard, be dependable, communicate with people, solve problems, handle adversity and finish what they start. They need opportunities to lead and sometimes to follow. They need to understand something about their country and their community. I think they need opportunities to get outside their comfort zone occasionally.

Our students participate in Student Council and have opportunities to lead within their school. We do a lot to recognize our veterans and those who have served our country, and we are currently working toward earning Wyoming’s Patriotic Schools designation. 

This program recognizes schools that demonstrate civic education, patriotic traditions, community service and preparing students to become informed and responsible citizens. Our students visit courtrooms and participate in mock-court activities where they research cases and present their arguments to attorneys & judges. That’s a great learning experience. It requires them to think, communicate and understand how our system of government and justice works in the real world.

Our students also learn to compete on and off the court and fields. Our M.S. and H.S. students do extremely well in academic challenge competitions. Year after year, BGH4 students compete at a very high level. They learn to think under pressure, the value of teamwork, discover confidence in themselves, preparation and commitment and how to handle success and disappointment.

But developing well-rounded students isn’t limited to special programs, competitions and activities. A lot of it happens during a regular school day, and sometimes in ways we don’t think much about.

When a teacher asks students to work together to solve a problem, they’re learning more than the subject matter. When students must stand in front of their classmates and explain their thinking, they are developing communication skills and confidence. When they are asked to defend an answer, listen to another point of view or respectfully disagree with someone, they are learning skills they will need throughout their lives.

The same is true when students are given a project that can’t be finished in one class period. They must organize themselves, manage their time, pay attention to details and follow through. Those are exactly the kinds of work habits we are emphasizing as part of our new graduation expectations. Employers expect them. Colleges expect them. Families expect them. Life expects them. 

We are also asking our teachers, particularly at the middle and high school, to continue looking for ways to put students more at the center of their learning. That doesn’t mean teachers stop teaching. Sometimes good teaching means direct instruction and the teacher leading the room.

But we also want students learning how to ask questions, make decisions, solve problems, take some responsibility for their learning and figure things out without immediately looking to an adult for the answer. Student Centered learning is one of our main focuses this year.

Eventually our students are going to leave us, and there won’t always be a teacher standing beside them telling them what to do next.

One of my favorite examples outside the regular classroom is our Middle School Outdoor Exploration Week. Kids get out of the regular school setting, spend time outdoors, try some things they may not have done before and learn to work together. Living where we do, I think there is real value in helping kids appreciate the outdoors and the opportunities that come with it.

Then there are all the things that might be easier to overlook because they happen all the time—athletics, FFA, BPA, CTE, music, clubs, activities and the many opportunities our teachers and coaches provide for kids to lead, compete, perform, build something, solve a

problem, gain confidence or be part of a team.

This work starts before middle and high school. At Laura Irwin Elementary, our Cowboy Code is one example of teaching kids about character, responsibility and how we treat other people. I hope to have an entire article written about our Cowboy Code in following months. I love the emphasis that students practice from the Code of the West. 

In our elementary classrooms,students are also learning how to work with others, solve problems, become more independent and take responsibility for themselves. Students are going on field trips to museums, Yellowstone Park and learning about the world around them. Students are giving speeches as they run for student council, making daily announcements over the intercom and learning to engage in civic responsibilities. Kids are also learning when, where and how to best utilize technology so that it can be used as a “tool” but not a replacement for face-to-face interactions.

Learning to use technology wisely is an important life skill. I don’t think schools can prepare kids for every situation they will face in life. The world changes too quickly for that. What we can do is give them a strong academic foundation, expose them to a lot of different experiences, teach them the value of hard work and responsibility, and help them develop the confidence to handle whatever comes next.

That’s what I think Developing Well-Rounded Graduates is really about.