In a recent article, Mary Tedrow, a Virginia teacher and member of the Teacher Leaders Network, said that, for many students, senior year is a “featureless landscape"—a year when they fulfill their remaining requirements, but avoid academic challenge. According to Tedrow, this is a wasted opportunity. She believes senior year would be more meaningful if students were compelled to take dual-enrollment courses, participate in apprenticeships, or pursue community service.
From your observations and experiences, are most seniors simply coasting through their final year of school? What can schools do to engage seniors in learning? And, how can teachers encourage students to take their senior year seriously?
