Making It

More about the book

This book explores what young people require to thrive in an evolving future and how education must adapt to support them. The author identifies four essential "currencies" for today's youth: credentials, competencies, connections, and cash, with craftsmanship highlighted as a potential emerging currency. These currencies will be presented as an integrated set of outcomes expected by graduation, unpacked and contextualized within the school environment. The author shares relevant stories and research, advocating for a more integrative and interdisciplinary educational approach. Written in an informal style, the content is accessible to anyone involved in education, making it applicable to schools and communities. This resource aims to provide practical information for teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, parents, nonprofit leaders, and state education officials. The "readiness currency" framework is relevant for both traditional K-12 settings and alternative educational environments. It may also serve as a valuable resource for schools of education, social work, counseling, and occupational therapy, particularly for those seeking systems and interdisciplinary perspectives. Each section concludes with summaries and actionable recommendations for implementing insights into practice.