Exhibit 1 on why our schools fail

At the youth center where I work I was approached by one of our 9th graders to help him with some homework. He wanted me to explain the question that was being asked of him on this one assignment, which read as follows:

Assess yourself on the rubric and explain here how your work on Evidence 1 demonstrates understanding and mastery of the Habit of Collaboration Indicators.

*blink*

*blink*

I do not doubt the intentions of the person or organization responsible for this question; in fact the question is part of the homework for a program intending to help students get ahead and gain important life skills. However, does anyone in their right mind think that a ninth grade student can be expected to answer a question that looks like it was designed by that elite clique of lawyers who specialize in writing software EULAs? Demanding excellence in communication skills from the youth of this nation is a noble cause, but this curriculum itself fails to measure up as a quality attempt at communication.