Print article. Ballpoint pens Get a couple with red, green, or purple ink, too, because some teachers have students do peer editing. Loose-leaf notebook paper Teachers can be picky about paper — most ask that students use the college-ruled variety. Several three-ring binders Some teachers require that a binder be used exclusively for their class. A sturdy, supportive backpack Some schools do not permit rolling backpacks because of space considerations, so check with your school before considering this option.
Two combination locks If the school lockers do not have built-in locks, your child might need one for the hallway and one for the gym. Calculator or mobile phone with calculator.
Check with the math teacher first before investing in an expensive calculator. Graphing calculators, for example, are required in some middle and high school math classes. Teachers advise parents not to buy a calculator with more functions than your students will use. Also check with the teacher to determine the policy on mobile phones that have calculators, and determine whether your child will use it responsibly.
Craft materials. Stapler Best is a mini stapler, which is easily portable, for last minute stapling emergencies! Stainless steel water bottle Avoid plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, birth defects and cancer.
So what would a high school look like that helps students actively seek a sense of purpose? Based upon my experiences in the classroom—as a student and a teacher—and drawing on years of relevant research, below I lay out seven guiding principles that I would use in a purpose-learning curricula for high schoolers. The ranking system at most high schools sends the message to students that their worth is based entirely on their grade point average. This reinforces the notion that external achievement is the means to success and the way to get rewarded.
But this is actually the opposite of what develops a sense of purpose: Students who show a sense of purpose have a deeply developed intrinsic motivation to achieve a goal or take part in an activity.
This means they are not motivated to achieve something simply because they can, because it is hard, or because they get rewarded or recognized for it. Rather, they do it because they have a deep internal interest in pursuing it—and derive pleasure from the process. It is true that students need to be able to develop their skills and strengths in high school.
Consider how different high school would feel if students were working in collaboration with their peers instead of competing against them all the time? What if high school grading was based on how well you worked with other people and how well you mentored and advised your peers? What adult influenced you the most in high school?
People rarely mention someone who helped them cram things into their brain the most or taught them things they were not interested in. On the other side of the equation, if you talk to most high school teachers about what motivated them to become an educator, you will usually find it was about developing relationships. Choosing to teach or lead a school is not simply delivering content, but about helping young people find their way in the world.
However, high school now is dominated by content delivery, leaving little room for teachers to develop meaningful relationships with students inside the classroom. At a high school I went to the other day, one of the students said that he had no meaningful relationships with any adults at the school.
The Search Institute has documented the power of adult, non-parental mentors and role models in the lives of students. We need to create structures and cultures that allow students to develop these kinds of meaningful, mentoring relationships with teachers. These opportunities have at least one of three active ingredients: an important life event, serving others in a meaningful way, or changes in life circumstances. However, nearly all of high school currently takes place in a classroom. We need to expand the classroom out to the real world and actively include more purpose-seeking opportunities.
Then we can bring those experiences back into the classroom, synthesize them with peers and teachers, and connect these activities directly to classroom material, making it relevant and engaging. Our current model of high school rewards perfection and discourages risk taking. Students who are aiming for elite schools take the most number of classes where they can get the best grades and boost their GPAs. At some high schools, getting a single B can take them out of the running for prestigious colleges or awards at their school.
Less academic students are shamed by getting bad grades. In other words, students are either rewarded for being perfectionists or shamed for failing. A student who is interested in pursuing a career in construction may want to take an industrial arts class. Ideally, teens should start high school with a basic plan of the classes they will need to take in order to graduate.
Every state has different requirements for obtaining a high school diploma , and each school varies greatly in what they offer to give kids a chance to fulfill them.
The basic requirements generally include the following:. Studying the English language and literature is an important part of high school for every student regardless of their post-school plans. In addition to studying important pieces of literature, English classes teach teens about writing and speaking. Most states require four years of English or language arts classes.
The main English classes in high school include:. In high school, students dig into several different types of math. Algebra and geometry are required at most high schools, and students may choose to take advanced math classes if they are offered.
Most states require three or four years of math coursework in high school. The main math classes in high school include:. Basic life sciences e. These classes often include lab components that allow students to perform hands-on experiments.
Most states require two to three years of science coursework in high school. These may include:. Understanding how the world works is important for young adults. In high school, students will study history and government and learn about how social studies affects their lives. Most states require three to four years of social studies coursework in high school, including:. Learning a second language is important in today's global world.
While many high schools offer foreign language courses, only 11 states require students to take a foreign language course. High school students can fill these requirements by learning the basics of at least one foreign language, and they may be able to choose to take advanced classes to learn more.
Common languages offered in high school include:. Physical education and health classes can teach high schoolers how to care for their body's fitness and nutritional needs.
Many states require at least one unit of P. Other states have P. Students planning to go to college should consider how colleges will look at their courses during the application process. Grade point average GPA is important, but coursework should also demonstrate academic rigor. When planning, it can be helpful to balance standard high school courses with some that are more challenging.
Additionally, students can do this—and even get a head start on college—by taking advanced placement AP or college classes. AP classes are more rigorous courses that teach subjects at an introductory college level. Students who take AP classes have the option to take an AP test in the spring. If they get a certain score, they can get credit for the course at many colleges.
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