Homework loads are greater, standardized testing has multiplied, competition between students is more intense, and the stakes are higher.
Our challenge, however, is this: a segment of our student body has not become more serious, despite the fact that high school in general has.
In the 1970s, the consequences for not doing homework or not studying were not as impactful as they are now.
Good study skills and good work habits are essential to get good tests scores and get admitted into a competitive college or university.
In the late 1970s, students who were average or a little above average routinely gained admission to Big Ten universities. Now, to get into U of M, a student must be significantly above average.
The University of Michigan, along with MSU and Wayne State University, has become quite selective. But a significant percentage of high school students haven't adjusted to this reality.
The situation is, naturally, multi-factorial, and there is no simple answer. But one essential part of the solution is parental involvement and encouragement. Without that, a student's chances of excelling dwindle.
[Ann Arbor Pioneer High School Teacher Andrew Smith teaches History and German in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.]
