By TIMOTHY S. BRAMLET Currently a journalism student at the University of Illinois, Champaign, he participated in the Executive High School Internship Program (spring 1976 semester) as a contributing staff member for Illinois Issues and became an editorial assistant during the following summer.

Life becomes the classroom

Responsibility Education

READING, 'riting, 'rithmetic — commonly referred to as education's three "R's" — are generally believed to be the triple pillars of a solid education. Not everyone agrees. Illinois State School Supt. Joseph M. Cronin and the Illinois Office of Education (IOE) believe that there is a missing subject and have introduced the fourth "R": Responsibility.

The goal of lOE's new project, "Responsibility Education in Illinois," is to educate students to deal with reality, teaching them how to develop alternatives, anticipate consequences and make appropriate choices in daily life. According to Sidney J. Slyman, former project coordinator, our present school system does not do this: "A lot of kids are dropping out of school right now — not because they cannot handle the work, but because there is nothing for them there." "Responsibility Education is aimed at all students," adds Michael McCollum, present coordinator of the program.

The broad assumption behind Responsibility Education is that our public schools are not giving students all the practical skills and knowledge they need to get around in life. Pre-World War II students did not need to know much about legal and tax matters, consumer rights and the myriad problems of energy and the environment. But they do now. If they do not intend to pursue a college education, what they have learned in high school is not enough to properly equip them. If they do go on to college, they are often forced into choosing a major field of study in which they have no educational or career background. To fill this void, special curricula and internships are being implemented in the state which could considerably alter the present educational system — and at no added cost.

The present public school system already provides some environmental, consumer, and health and safety education. Responsibility Education would integrate law-based, community-based, value-based education and economic understanding into existing courses.

The law based education would include detailed study of how the justice system, political process and Bill of Rights work and would not be limited to students aspiring to enter a career in law. Any student who wanted to know about the legal process would benefit.

Community based education includes firsthand involvement with public service and government agencies. Internships would often be used in this process, but a close relationship with regular school studies would exist.

The purpose of value education is to develop a stronger sense of the ethical questions of modern society. Curricula and discussion would center on subjects such as marriage and life goals

Finally, Responsibility Education would try to make students familiar with basic and practical economic matters. Actual work experience in occupations such as farming, business and labor unions would be part of the program, as would be courses that would show how to balance a budget and handle personal expenses and taxes.

"We're looking at first graders today and trying to see what they must know to survive 20 years from now," said Slyman. "Students need to be able to read and write and carry out mathematical problems, but they also must have a sense of reason and responsibility," he added. "We are asking: 'Do we really need to hold them inside the walls of a school building for five days a week?'"

Responsibility Education is nothing new — it has always been one of the goals of American education. But times, change and curricula must reflect these changes. The new idea became a priority in Illinois when Supt. Cronin introduced it to the State Board of Education in November 1975. Cronin pointed to a rise in crimes committed by school children. Alarming statistics reported in Illinois Education News (May 1976) revealed that during 1975, U.S. children committed 100 murders, 12,000 armed robberies and 9, 000 rapes. Other figures referred to in-school crimes: 204,000 aggravated assaults against fellow students and teachers and $600 million worth of damage and theft of school property. Although Responsibility Education does not promise to solve these problems, it may help.

Since 1975, the program proceeded slowly, but the pace of implementation picked up with the appointment of Slyman as its first coordinator a year ago. A panel of educators was also set up to brainstorm the idea of Responsibility Education and decide what course it should take in Illinois. Three representatives from the state's major universities, four from the Office of Education, and one school administrator formed the panel under Slyman and came up with two basic, but important, conclusions: (1) the idea is a venerable one and can even be traced to the time of Plato, and (2) the Office of Education will exercise a leadership role in Responsibility Education, but the decision implement will belong to local school districts.

The first conclusion was underlined order to point out that this form of

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education is not just a fad. The panel decided to act slowly and promote discussion of the idea. "If it were pushed too quickly," noted Slyman, "people might like it, but it would not stay around long enough for them to fully understand it."

The second conclusion was intended to promote the acceptance of Responsibility Education at the grassroots level. Rather than moving in and forcing new principles upon schools throughout the state, it offers alternatives to schools who are not satisfied with their present curriculum. If those schools express an interest, the Office of Education will help them implement new programs.

By the end of this school year, Slyman hopes that there will be a network of at least 50 schools which have adopted the program. By the fall of 1977, this number could grow to as many as 200. Slyman stressed the fact, however, that IOE will not foist Responsibility Education on uninterested schools.

Responsibility Education is asking for cooperation from everyone. "It takes the support of teachers, parents, government, communities, schools, teachers and students," said Slyman. "People who are concerned about education must proact and foresee problems arising in schools rather than wait and react to them as they arise."

Slyman says that business and labor leaders have been complaining recently about the poor quality in students coming out of Illinois schools. Now, according to Slyman, educators are asking those leaders to share the responsibility of educating the youth. They are asking them to take an active role in policymaking and curriculum planning in the schools.

Although Responsibility Education will not be fully implemented for a long time, it has recently been tried out on a small scale throughout the state. Five internship programs which provide academic credit for students are now under discussion or in operation. These programs are an attempt to bring students into the mainstream of community life.

Experience Based Career Education (EBCE), under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Education, is a program being considered for Illinois. EBCE students in other schools across the country have been working and learning with people in the everyday working world for the last three years. With EBCE staff members, employers have been exploring the idea that young people can learn by interacting with adults in actual occupational settings. EBCE is helping young people to know themselves better and establish their goals, learn the relevancy of basic skills in communications and mathematics, and build decision making skills.

Thirty-one students in Springfield last year took part in the Executive High School Internship Program, a nationally organized network enabling high school students to actively participate in the decision making process with Illinois executives. Local school districts split the cost of the program with the Illinois Office of Education, which pairs interns with executives in such fields as business administration, medical service, media, education, social service, industry, architecture, ministerial or legal services. The program helps students refine their managerial skills by writing reports, analyzing policy issues and organizing community based programs.

The Equivalent Instructional Experiences Program, another new program being promoted by IOE, would be coordinated by individual school districts. The program incorporates instructional options within the traditional high school curriculum for a relatively insignificant cost. Participating students leave the classroom to participate in field work, while acquiring credit for courses in art production, business or child care. The field work is closely tied to regular class studies.

A fourth option originating in IOE and still being refined is the Education Careers Program. It would provide students interested in the field of education an opportunity to teach children. Students would be allowed to work with grade school children on elementary skills, such as reading and writing. Although interns would serve mainly as tutors, they could be called upon to actually conduct a class.

A final internship alternative under consideration for the future is the Governmental Internship Program, which would provide students the opportunity to participate in state government. Funded by participating school districts, students would be housed in the Springfield area and placed in internships with officials in state agencies. Announcing federal funding (Title IV) for innovative programs offered by school districts, Supt. Cronin indicated in July that Responsibility Education programs have high priority. "Our selections reflect the high priority our State Board of Education has given to children learning the basic skills for living in today's society, for their becoming able to do productive work and for their being informed citizens." Slyman said, "If schools, parents, and communities all become actively involved to fulfill the needs of the students, it [the school system] could change significantly. In 20 years, hopefully, schooling and education will not be confined to the walls of the schools and will be going on 24 hours a day." ž

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