Course Registration: Key Considerations Help Your Student Get the Most from Newport

Advice from Principal Yahoudy

As families begin to think about registration for next year (coming in February), I want to share my professional beliefs about how we best serve our teens. And, I’ve added links to related articles from employment experts.

Earning high grades, passing multiple AP exams, and acceptance at elite universities all make families (and extended families) proud, but the employment market is changing.

Those goals leave out a critical element. Our expectations and planning must adapt as well.

As parents and educators, we must recognize what employers say they want and need:

Employees learn knowledge rapidly as they perform their job duties, but we need them to come to us with “soft skills” that complement their knowledge. We need

• Staff that communicate clearly, concisely, and persuasively (as needed),Self-Starters: People who know how to look for answers and don’t need to be told what to do,
• Teams that collaborate effectively, efficiently cobbling their diverse expertise into effective strategies and projects,
• Individuals with the emotional maturity for two things:
  • to take reasonable risks and know how to FAIL (First Attempt In Learning) productively. They must believe that to make progress we must learn, experiment, evaluate, and try again. We rarely get new endeavors right the first time, and even when we do, we need to look for ways to get even better.
  • to manage themselves, their time, their personal needs, and their stress effectively;

We have changed much of our teaching so that students learn about these things, but none of them are the sole focus of our courses and none of them develop without real-world practice.

As you think about registration for next year, please remember:

• The purpose of AP courses is to teach specific skills that are universal to advanced learning, including,
  • Research, knowing how to find reliable, objective information;
  • Reading and learning, determinedly pursuing complex ideas to a deep understanding
  • Writing, collecting relevant and persuasive details and building a case to support a conclusion;
  • Problem-solving, working in teams to apply knowledge to a situation.

One or two AP courses should lay the foundation for these basic skills. After that, your student needs practice at the skills they acquired.

How to use high school courses to prepare your student

The best way to practice the real-life skills and prepare for college is to choose subsequent advanced courses based on a passionate interest, not the availability of AP credit. We offer advanced courses in a wide variety of subjects, most offer some sort of college credit or they provide practical experience alongside the learning (our Career Technical Education or CTE courses).

Help your student select courses where their interest in the topic will drive their curiosity and learning. Their fascination in the topic will alleviate the stress of advanced learning. It will give them the training ground they need to build the soft skills that allow them to use their knowledge. (See our NHS article on the Challenge Zone and how we use it in learning.)

Ensure that they plan their time capacity realistically. They can’t learn practical skills effectively if they only have time to read, study, and complete assignments. Remember, organization and maturity matter. Start them perfecting these capacities now by helping them understand that they can do everything they want, but no one can do everything at the same time. Those who thrive (enjoy what they’re doing, manage stress, and sleep) accomplish the most.

The winners in tomorrow’s economy will be those who adapt and learn using problem-solving, teamwork, and resilience.

Read more about the skills employers expect your student to develop BEFORE entering the workforce:

• 20 In-Demand Skills for Today's Work Environment, Jamie Birt, Indeed, Updated October 14, 2024
• The Most In-Demand Skills for 2024, Dan Brodnitz, Linked In, February 8, 2024
• 20 In-Demand Skills Employees Currently Need In 2025, Elena Koumparaki, Talent IMS, December 24, 2024
• Most In Demand Skills For Employers As We Enter 2025, Alejandro Oses, Forbes, October 30, 2024