"Do I have to?"

A few weeks ago, I was in classrooms helping students register for next year’s classes. We went over graduation requirements, talked about interests, and encouraged students to consider post-secondary goals.

Many of the students knew exactly what they wanted to take. Their questions centered around identifying prerequisites and finding specific classes in the system.

But there were others (and not just a few) whose questions suggested an approach focused on minimizing effort. Students at our high school are allowed to take off-periods during their junior and senior year provided they are on track for graduation. However, in order to meet state full-time enrollment requirements, students must take a minimum of 6 out of 8 classes in the fall semester. Athletes have an additional requirement of 5 out of 8 classes each semester to meet the state sanctioning body requirements. I heard a lot of “but, I don’t need it for graduation” and “what am I even supposed to take?” Perhaps the most egregious was a student who, after asking the usual questions, said “well, can I just sign up for the classes and fail the ones I don’t need?” This student pointed out, “The military won’t care about GPA. They just want to see a high school diploma.”

The students who are planning to go to college are not exempt from this attitude. I fielded many questions about math and whether students had to take the math class their teacher had recommended. “Is pre-calculus really necessary if I’m planning on going to college or can I just take personal finance?” “Well, what do you plan on studying?” The answer was often medicine or engineering.

The students were so focused on requirements that they failed to see opportunity: the opportunity to learn more before being thrown into the “real world,” the opportunity to gain certifications that might help them in a future career, the opportunity to further explore their interests, and the opportunity to build a strong foundation before continuing their education.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to understand this perspective. I was the student in high school who was on the debate team and the math & science team, who played piano in jazz band and served as a class officer in student council, who looked for opportunities to take more advanced classes while also balancing a job at a day care. Because I went to a college with a flat tuition rate, I wanted to maximize the classes I could take, and I took 17 to 19 hours almost every semester, often pushing myself beyond what was comfortable and reasonable. At the same time, I joined a co-ed service fraternity, wrote for the newspaper, served on the chapel planning committee, participated in interfaith dialogue sessions, and played intramural sports.

But even though I was a student who went above and beyond, it’s not that hard to relate. As an adult, I’m not always excited about professional development, I’ve skipped a session at a conference because I wasn’t sure it was “really necessary,” and I’ve asked more than once if it is a “requirement” that I come to an after-school event. (And here, I could make the excuse that I’ve already paid my dues, or I have more on my plate with family activities, or that I am involved in a lot and am trying to prioritize, but the truth is that many students could say the same.)

I understand the need and advocate for rest. I realize that taking on too much can backfire. But I also want students to understand the opportunities that they are being offered.

A few months ago, I was listening to a podcast (maybe Couple Things), and the host was talking about something that they had read or heard that prompted a shift in mindset. They stopped asking, “What do I have to do?” and instead started saying, “What do I get to do?” For example, instead of saying “I have to get up early with my kid every morning,” a parent might reframe it as, “I get to spend one-on-one time with my kid the first thing every day.” An athlete might stop saying, “Why do I have to do more pushups,” and instead embrace the chance to get stronger. A student might transform from, “I don’t need that for graduation” to “I get the opportunity to earn free career training before I’m 18.”

I’d love if we could flip a switch and all students would start thinking like this. However, I know that such a sudden transition is not a reasonable ask for anyone. Shifting perspective is a gradual process, and it’s often cultural instead of individual.

What I am suggesting is that as educators we can help students reframe their experience. Of course, we will still have to consider graduation requirements at state and district levels, but what if we asked students, “What are you excited about taking next semester?” “If you had all the time in the world, what would you want to learn before you graduated high school?” “Which of the classes in the catalog help you get closer to your long-term goals?”

My guess is if we truly shift out mindset, we will have more engaged students who find the material in the classroom more relevant. We will have more satisfied students who see the value of their education and become better self-advocates. When students look for opportunity, they will meet requirements, but they will also feel fulfilled because they no longer “have to,” they “get to” take the classes that will develop them as young scholars and contributing members of society.