Month: June 2024

Career Pathways are Not Job Tunnels.

I am a Career and Technical Education (CTE) advocate because I have seen how participation in high-quality programs changes student lives toward a positive trajectory. I recently read with interest the article, The State of Career and Technical Education, in Charts. The article shared very positive statistics such as over 80% of U.S. high school student take at least one CTE course. The disaggregation of data displayed popular career fields, mainly in information technology, human services, and business. The data implies that schools need to show more success in enrolling students in low-enrollment careers such as engineering, construction, and health care. There are many reasons for the gaps, including student interest and the cost of programs. Also, remember that this is only at least one diploma credit. Another data set pointed out that many students earning post-secondary technical degrees did not follow that same career path in high school. The tone of this article implies that schools should promote more vital career pathways to prepare students for career fields that provide employment opportunities. That is an admirable goal but unrealistic.

A strength of the US secondary education system is diversity and choice. Students are not locked into a career path and can change interests as they grow and experience different careers. Career pathways and CTE in high school are good; however, we need more students taking more than one unit. A career pathway, in any career cluster, is a valuable learning experience, even if the student changes and follows a different career. The relevance of learning, hands-on projects, teamwork work, and developing essential behaviors learned in any CTE instruction is valuable learning. However, we should never push students to an early career pathway that becomes a tunnel to a specific job. Nor should the value of CTE be discounted when students shift to a different field, which wastes time and resources.

My experience in education is primarily built on observation and listening to students in hundreds of schools. I recall one student’s comment that insightfully described the value of CTE, even if it is not in the student’s ultimate career goal. Years ago, I visited the DeBakey School of Health Professions, , one of the best schools in the country. As a competitive entry magnet school, all students focus on health careers. I was interviewing senior students and asked about their career plans. These students did not simply replay becoming doctors or nurses; they already had their goals set in specific fields, such as pediatric oncology. However, one student indicated she was pursuing a career in automobile design. Surprised, I asked her if she wished she had chosen to attend a different school since she had spent time in patient career, health science, and research. She smiled and said, “No, I would still come to DeBakey. It is the best high school.”

CTE is an option in most U.S. high schools and benefits all students regardless of career goals. We should keep options and choices open for students and parents. Expanding student experiences in CTE will make high school more relevant and help students identify their interests and abilities. Career pathways, constructed well, create multiple paths for students and post-secondary education and are not a narrow tunnel to a mandated job.

Pattern Seeking in Education Leadership 

I have had the rewarding experience of visiting many schools throughout my career. I calculated that I’ve been in over 2,000 schools, seeing some of the best and some of the weakest. There is no doubt that education leadership is the most critical factor in creating high-quality schools. However,  I observed significant variation in outstanding leaders’ backgrounds, voices, personalities, demeanor, and approaches. But, what makes a successful leader?

I am a pattern seeker, always trying to connect the dots of vast amounts of information into a logical pattern or organized list. This has served me well in a variety of work situations. I often thought about the patterns that could be applied consistently to define outstanding school leaders. Schools are not like manufacturing factories or digital processes. Schools are more like living organisms. For several years, I’ve described these patterns in terms of the characteristics of the natural world, which are the principles of nature which makes it sustainable. Great school leaders understand this consciously or unconsciously and are good stewards of school ecosystems.  I am writing again about connecting the Principles of Nature to leading and learning in schools.

I have created a list of 12 principles of nature that apply to the dynamics of school systems and how each applies to good leadership characteristics.

  • The Principle of Nourishment
  • The Principle of Self-Preservation
  • The Principle of Self-Regulation 
  • The Principle of Self Organization
  • The Principle of Unintended Consequences
  • The Principle of Socialization 
  • The Principle of Exploration 
  • The Principle of Procreation
  • The Principle of Adaptation
  • The Principle of Entropy
  • The Principle of Diversity 
  • The Principle of Natural Selection

Leadership Practices from Nature

  1. The Principle of Nourishment in Leadership requires supporting team members with essential resources to be productive and reach their fullest potential. It is also vital to avoid wasting resources and retain additional resources for emergencies and new opportunities.
  2. The Principle of Self-Preservation in Leadership acknowledges that team members’ first instincts are for personal well-being; however, when established relationships and trust exist, there is a commitment to a common goal of survival. 
  3. The Principle of Self-Regulation refers to a leader’s ability to manage their emotions, impulses, and behaviors in a disciplined and constructive manner. It involves staying calm under pressure, thinking before reacting to model the behavior they expect from others.
  4. The Principle of Self-Organization in Leadership reveals that leaders do not always need to initiate every change or action. When there are clear goals, teams often self-organize to operate, effectively complete tasks, make changes, and improve.
  5. The Principle of Unintended Consequences in Leadership requires anticipating that many actions or decisions can have unintended consequences, and it is essential to consider the bigger picture, think ahead, and take steps to mitigate negative impacts. 
  6. The Principle of Socialization in Leadership emphasizes facilitating positive social interactions and promoting a sense of community among the team. 
  7. The Principle of Entropy in Leadership requires leaders to maintain order and structure within their team and organization to prevent decay and chaos. Also, leaders pursue continued growth and improvement to prevent the organization’s decline.
  8. The Principle of Exploration in Leadership encourages leaders and their teams to explore new ideas and take calculated risks to foster growth and innovation. This is most often done by identifying and supporting risk-takers.
  9. The Principle of Procreation in Leadership stresses identification, training, and mentoring to develop future leaders within the team and organization to ensure continuity and growth.
  10. The Principle of Adaptation in Leadership describes the need to be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances and to guide teams through changing conditions and new challenges. 
  11. The Principle of Diversity in Leadership demands that groups acquire a diverse talent pool of team members to address ever-changing needs and aspirations. Leaders promote and value diversity within the team to foster creativity, innovation, and adaptability.
  12. The Principle of Natural Selection in Leadership encourages leaders to recognize and reward team members who demonstrate initiative, potential, and skills, and encourage their growth and development. 

I plan to write about these characteristics, illustrating examples of school leaders I’ve observed. I invite feedback on my characteristics of the principles of nature as they apply to school leaders. Richard Jones