tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post709390349225051483..comments2024-03-20T04:06:14.857-04:00Comments on Education Outrage: Back to School: A message to high school students who hate high school; Here is why you hate it Roger Schankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14567989582447087635noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-28022120535266277622017-03-06T19:44:30.119-05:002017-03-06T19:44:30.119-05:00A really well writed and let me tell you the best ...A really well writed and let me tell you the best and the most explicit article I've been looking for for some time. I am a high school student in 11th class. I am 18 and I live in Greece so the subjects aren't so alike... But let me tell you that I am starting to feel more and more like I really want to drop out of high school. Here in Greece we must learn 18 subjects and write exams at 16 of them like twice a school year. 16 exams for a student I think is way to much to memorise. And let's not talk about the fact that the system is so... so... Uh! The education in Greece is not one of a quality as most of the kids need to go to extracurricular classes and pay for them just to understand better the theory that the teachers are supposed to taught us... I am one of the kids who can't afford hundred of euros every moth to go and learn the things that school should touch us and let's not talk about the case when most of the teachers thing that all kids go to those extracurricular classes so they stopped to give enough time for learning them to the other kids which in really can't afford on can't go to those classes. For the beginning of the scholar year I felt like an idiot because I could understand what the exercises on home works asked for or how to solve them. I know that might be and my own fault because I am from a foreign country and I don't speak as a native person but I am trying my best. This system is so wrong because those with extra classes will always do great in class and so etimes even them they can't do well. How many friends didn't told me that they would fall if they weren't taking extra classes.. Another problem of the educational system is that they don't give you a variety of subject to choose that will help you in your future career. This year I have to chose between to categories: advanced math and andvanced physics or politics and ancient Greek which I am not good at because of my lack of experience with the actual Greek language... So I closed math and physics and my grades on them are 6,5 and 7 out of ten. I am not ashamed cause I know I tried my best but why isn't there a subject that I really want to learn about. I love art and was t to have a career in art but they don't taught us at all this subject in my high school. How I am supposed to feel motivated to learn when all the things I am studying are and will be useless for me ? Never mind and sorry for writing so much but is just the true and I really don't know what to do anymore. I am feeling like I am wasting my time. Time which I could use to study and learn the skill and things that I'll really need. I looked for homeschooling but in Greece is not accepted so I just have to continue going to high school and finish this year and then wasting another year of learning useless things for me. I really don't know what to do.., I really want to go to college but I can't stand one more hour doing something I don't like and for a long time I was depressed and the depression made me stop doing or studying things that I really love and I am passionate about and right now I know that the school is just drowing the life of me and make impossible for me achieving my goal. Also the 7 hours school day and home works are taking to many energy of me so I come home three and all I want is only sleep or lay down on bed and do nothing. Please can you help me with some advice ? And also thank you really much for reading my very long comment...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-75544986465944035692014-09-27T22:49:02.393-04:002014-09-27T22:49:02.393-04:00I love you man for writing this I'm a high sch...I love you man for writing this I'm a high school student and I agree so many stuff taught is useless in real lifeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-73361372394540546502014-09-03T08:05:08.657-04:002014-09-03T08:05:08.657-04:00I personally hate the emotional abuse that teacher...I personally hate the emotional abuse that teachers give to students. Alot of kids end up having anxiety disorders and nobody wants to do anything about this!ChildInAStupidSystemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00930664389242032706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-12263055935948683182014-06-23T02:05:20.145-04:002014-06-23T02:05:20.145-04:00why cant we just study math but not get rated or l...why cant we just study math but not get rated or labeled and graded if we can or can't do it? I don't<br /> mind studying math because I know we need it for two reasons use it for a career and to mature our brains.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09742585851752279409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-82630816137639342972014-05-06T21:25:58.308-04:002014-05-06T21:25:58.308-04:00Please don't ever take down this article.Please don't ever take down this article.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06958596295913474458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-71719206692938971272014-01-13T18:56:48.183-05:002014-01-13T18:56:48.183-05:00How many students would continue after drop-out ag...How many students would continue after drop-out age, if they had an interest in what they learned? Think about the useless stuff, never needed in life, that children are made to memorize every semester, every year, through school... If the "fluff" info was removed, our children could learn (not memorize) more info in less time. By high school tgey could begin specialized learning like we do in college. By 16 they would know enough and feel like they had some control of their education - to make dropping out seem like a waste vs. school seem like waste. <br /><br />Kids could go to school 3-4 days a week for less hours and less years: they could learn more of use and have control over specialty education. <br /><br />Our education system is very flawed. Adults are not smarter than 5th graders (tv show), because adults forgot the memorized/useless crap. The 5th graders will forget too. <br /><br />The education system is a money sucking joke. We have dinosaur teachers who can't prepare our children for the future because they're so busy remembering the past. We have other excellent teachers and they are being limited by the rules and laundry lust of "must have" info. So they burn out when they could do some good stuff. <br /><br />Its quite sad and completely political. Not guiltyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11274410397818355371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-2068558648710391492013-12-14T21:01:50.927-05:002013-12-14T21:01:50.927-05:00I agree with you: none of that stuff matters unles...I agree with you: none of that stuff matters unless you're interested in it. Which is why I believe that high school should not have requirements to take all of these subjects. For example, the high school I came from had requirements for a wide range of subjects such as 3 years history, 2 years foreign language, 3 years math, 3 years science... I believe that these courses should all be offered to those who are interested, but we should be able to choose what we want to take if we know what we're interested in. For instance, if I know I will never need to know US History in my life, I should not have to waste time in a history course. You're right in that this knowledge is 100% useless to me in that situation. <br /><br />I think that it is necessary to be exposed to a well-rounded education, so students can be exposed to many different kinds of thinking and also try out different things. But at most students should only be required to take one year of each subject, not three. One year of history would be useful to help me decide whether I truly like it or not. But three years is just an unnecessary pain, if I like history I'll take four years of it, if I don't like it then this time would be better spent learning something else! <br /><br />It's worth noting that many of the kids who don't pay attention in class aren't bad students. They just genuinely aren't interested in the subject matter, nor do they have any obligation to be if they're being forced to take a class that doesn't matter to them. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02689824053800897613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-44213918057411492162012-11-30T02:31:21.800-05:002012-11-30T02:31:21.800-05:00You make some very great points that all should fo...You make some very great points that all should follow! I will need to deeply consider some of them! It really isn't that easy as the many people make it seem. You really ought to be very very persistenet and you should never give up. The results will show in due time.<br /><a href="http://www.entrancei.com/entrance-exam/jee-2013.html" rel="nofollow">jee 2013 </a><br />AIEEEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00250695309703465184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-2153830920706458422012-09-14T12:28:22.606-04:002012-09-14T12:28:22.606-04:00I have just one problem with this article. In the...I have just one problem with this article. In the paragraph on economics you said, "What should you be learning? Your personal finances. How to balance your check book. How much rent and food costs. How you can earn a living. What various jobs pay and how to get them." <br />Well, we all know that most of the good-paying jobs are only available for those holding a degree, which is only attainable after making at least decent grades in high school and then going on to college where at least 60% of what you must learn to get your degree has nothing to do with what you will actually be doing on the job. I would love to see real-life education become the norm, since I am a home-schooling mom of two (oldest now in 9th grade), but I feel responsible to help make sure they can actually get a good job one day. Is there any evidence of employers changing policies any time soon?we3lovebookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10605118838322745767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-79928482640185765202012-09-11T15:28:28.099-04:002012-09-11T15:28:28.099-04:00For a person with 1 bA and 2 MA degrees, I do agre...For a person with 1 bA and 2 MA degrees, I do agree that some of the higher educations are useless, not just in High School, but in College as well. <br />Let's cut through the chase. Who knows how we can effectively influence the educational institutions to modify their teaching curriculums? <br />Parents pay too much attention on how to save up to send their kids to schools and good schools these days. But too few worries about the ROI on these hard earned dollars.<br />It needs to change.CloneMeNoWayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05616510735929600960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-2504327794104696052012-09-10T02:33:24.392-04:002012-09-10T02:33:24.392-04:00This post gets it wrong. It's kinda difficult ...This post gets it wrong. It's kinda difficult to understand human biology and nutrition if you don't know what a salt is. While the Wright brothers got their gear off the ground, improving on their technology required math, not tinkering. Try to be a good writer without studying the work of good writers. For some people, practical skills and professions are the way to go. For others, that algebra may come in handy one day. The approach in Germany is pragmatic: put kids on tracks during elementary school based on where their interests and skills lie. From grade 5 or so, some will become hairdressers and others will become physicians. In America, limiting the future potential of any student seems cruel. Which method is better? I tend to agree that students should learn by doing; however, in high school chemistry classes, I rarely knew what our lab sessions were supposed to be teaching us (but not due to aptitude...I now have a Ph.D. in chemistry). I just saw it as a worksheet to be filled out. Such practical experience is lost on students when forced. The motivation to learn has to come from within. Good teachers foster that motivation.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09660127825257129086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-81783626941101056162012-09-06T12:06:42.474-04:002012-09-06T12:06:42.474-04:00I used to tell my students no one could improve wh...I used to tell my students no one could improve who didn't first attempt to exceed.<br /><br />As a former high school math teacher, all I can say is that high school is usually intended to be a sampler of paths one can take. If all students ever did were "practical" (again, by the author's opinion and opinions of other may or may not differ) how can any student ever determine what's interesting or find the limits of their abilities? "Practical" is usually defined as what is most usable for the largest number of people, which immediately translates into pursuits guaranteed not to allow any student to exceed him/herself.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13949918227805748101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-12252231316229339462012-09-05T21:49:02.795-04:002012-09-05T21:49:02.795-04:00My friend who is a pediatric cancer specialist has...My friend who is a pediatric cancer specialist has a daughter who teaches chemistry at and plans on becoming a doctor like her dad. I asked him if he uses chemistry as a doctor, he did not hesitate for a second say "no". Another vote.Paul Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15568112951460383067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-26494076281637193322012-09-05T17:26:24.367-04:002012-09-05T17:26:24.367-04:00As a music teacher, I couldn't help but notice...As a music teacher, I couldn't help but notice you didn't include the arts in your useless subjects list. Every day I know I am impacting students. Specifically from involvement with music, my students are developing skills and concepts and the feeling of JOY that listening to and making music will add to the rest of their lives (I teach elementary students, by the way). We teach on the 30-year plan; what do you want your students to be doing with music when they are 30 years old?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09123787825247900319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-11148673385942539392012-09-05T17:14:48.556-04:002012-09-05T17:14:48.556-04:00This is why something like internships, or as they...This is why something like internships, or as they are called in the school I went to co-ops(Antioch College) help so much more, real life experiences.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16081811314760034195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-45817892393138805402012-09-04T13:57:43.111-04:002012-09-04T13:57:43.111-04:00I understand your position and agree some with it....I understand your position and agree some with it. There are certainly areas of subjects that are worthy of being taught and some areas that could be skipped and not missed. The thing about liberal arts is how the subjects build on and reinforce each other. For example, I have found without exception that learning a foreign language makes one a better writer and more effective communicator than one who has never studied another language. Also, learning a foreign language (like Spanish, for example) is something some people might actually use every day to speak to other people in Texas, Arizona, California, etc. What's valuable to some students is not as valuable to others, and since teachers cannot develop different lesson plans for each student according to what interests them, they must teach to all what is most essential to most people. Thanks for sharing your opinion!Amanda P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04707258525903920721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-70442622427068765282012-09-04T13:27:02.107-04:002012-09-04T13:27:02.107-04:00Love this. I know so many people who left high sch...Love this. I know so many people who left high school without finishing (bored, frustrated, confused) and went on later to pass a GED (or not) and then embrace subjects or topics that were relevant to them as they pursued a degree, started a business, or engaged in some sort of training or on-the-job learning.<br /><br />My older teens, who have never been to school, are excited about all the opportunities to learn, cultivate a career, lay out a path. And they are open to the path changing directions.<br /><br />So much to learn from life and being an active part of your community instead of spending your days squirreled away in a school being taught subjects for reasons that don't concern you.Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15423586060803703873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-72040662040213427962012-09-04T13:26:17.500-04:002012-09-04T13:26:17.500-04:00Love this. I know so many people who left high sch...Love this. I know so many people who left high school without finishing (bored, frustrated, confused) and went on later to pass a GED (or not) and then embrace subjects or topics that were relevant to them as they pursued a degree, started a business, or engaged in some sort of training or on-the-job learning.<br /><br />My older teens, who have never been to school, are excited about all the opportunities to learn, cultivate a career, lay out a path. And they are open to the path changing directions.<br /><br />So much to learn from life and being an active part of your community instead of spending your days squirreled away in a school being taught subjects for reasons that don't concern you.Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15423586060803703873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-42449873575694785782012-09-04T12:52:50.559-04:002012-09-04T12:52:50.559-04:00I homeschool my two kids because I have tremendous...I homeschool my two kids because I have tremendous problems with the current education system, so one would think I would agree with this blog. <br /><br />However, while I found the algebra essay to be well-reasoned, this borders on a silly rant. Any subject taught poorly is useless, but that doesn't mean the subject should not be taught. <br /><br />The problem is testing and grades, which kill learning. It is okay to be challenged and get wrong answers (in higher math, chemistry); it is imperative to know how to think critically (English, history). <br /><br />I avoided many science classes because my math skills were too poor, but if I had better self-esteem about tackling subjects that were hard for me, I would have really enjoyed those classes. Our current system rewards grades, not learning, rendering the GPA more important than the effort involved. This has nothing to do with the subject's worthiness.<br /><br />We owe it to our kids to expose them to every subject, whether it is difficult or not. When I homeschool my kids, who each have aptitudes for some things and not others, I try to remember that I have NO idea what they will do in their future. They may want to be a doctor, or an ambassador, or a sky-diver. My responsibility through the end of high school is to make sure that they are prepared, in every way, for whatever they might want to do. In college and adulthood, they can make their own decisions. But they cannot reject or embrace something they have never been exposed to.<br /><br />I wish you would spend your time writing about the ills of the school system, not advocating for a dumbed-down society.<br /><br />Thanks, anyway, for stimulating my brain this morning.<br />~RenaRenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12904182075912046263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-49076633653970209612012-09-04T10:48:52.519-04:002012-09-04T10:48:52.519-04:00As most here, I will agree in part that the larges...As most here, I will agree in part that the largest majority of the high school curriculum is pointless to most. However if one could choose what classes to take completely, it may cause a turn around in attendance and graduation rates. Some people dream of being garbage men. No amount of physics or algebra is going to change that. So I guess what I'm getting at is, why force something on someone who has no practical use for it?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757789477507459430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-63932336529822699862012-09-04T10:00:55.289-04:002012-09-04T10:00:55.289-04:00I topped my class for close to 20 years, both scho...I topped my class for close to 20 years, both school and college. I got there by studying hard.<br /><br />When my friends were out playing in the sun, I was inside, studying. <br /><br />When my friends were getting wet in the rain, I was inside, studying. <br /><br />When my friends were going to the movies, I was inside, studying. <br /><br />When my friends were hitting on girls, I was inside, studying. <br /><br />When my friends toured new places and met people from far off lands, I was inside, studying. <br /><br />After 20 years of missing out on the most important experiences a human needs to go through in order to become a well-balanced individual capable of handling his own out in the real world, I naturally ended up a cripple — deficient in social skills, unable to deal with change in environments and new situations, out of touch with the world at large.<br /><br />In the last 7 years since graduation, I've been striving hard to fill the many vacuums left behind by the one-dimensional existence of the first 20 years of my life, and it was during this period I realized how useless in real-life all those formulae and graphs and historical references were. Is this guy I'm about to hire to work for me going to do a good job? Will he steal and sell company info? Can I trust him? Nope, the equations for capillary action that I memorized by rote back in day after 6 long hours of repetition and writing practice, didn't help one bit. Meanwhile, my friends who didn't give a lick about grades and never bothered with integration and differentiation are leading more fulfilling lives, comfortably navigating the curveballs that life threw at them; that's what they've been doing all along in the sun and in the rain and at the theatre watching movies skipping class.<br /><br />Later when I saw this pattern repeat is when I realized I wasn't alone and it was the system that was wrong. After essentially wasting 20 years of my life, I desperately wanted to rally people to work towards a system reset and save another generation from having their valuable time and youth wasted away; only I didn't have the authority that could get people to care about my thoughts and rally around the cause.<br /><br />That's why, thank you. <br />Thank you for bringing attention to this. Thank you for writing what I've wanted to write for so long. I hope things change and someday kids are taught only what is relevant and meaningful to their later life as an adult in the real world.<br /><br />P.S: <br />Some info about me for context: I'm 28 y.o south Indian from Tamil Nadu who topped school, took up Electrical Engineering, topped college, still didn't know how to fix the motor that pumped water in our home because the system emphasizes and encourages rote memorization and that's all what students do here, finally saw the light at age 21 and gave up Electrical, said "F U" to the norm and decided to do what I should've done 20 years ago — do what is relevant and meaningful to my adult life, do what helps me leverage my innate skills and unique talents to provide value to society. <br /><br />Today I work at dffrnt.com, a 2-person design & dev company, leveraging what I discovered was a talent that I had had all along but went unnoticed by everyone including my own parents — artistic taste, that I now exercise in the field of UI/UX design. The system wasted the first 30 years of my life, I'm working on making the next 30 count.Electric Cloneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936197594448972824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-43935127561298243202012-09-04T08:44:41.441-04:002012-09-04T08:44:41.441-04:00Declan,
There are any number of better schools ou...Declan,<br /><br />There are any number of better schools out there. For example, over the past fifteen years I've worked with schools following the Sudbury model. Please check out websites like www.sudval.org and http://writelearning.wordpress.com/sudbury-schooling/. The argument that "we all endured or will" sounds terribly defeatist to me, especially given that alternatives exist to which we can lend our support.<br /><br />~ BruceBruce Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10135953674828082808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-76842993147680201382012-09-04T07:35:27.763-04:002012-09-04T07:35:27.763-04:00This piece totally misses the point, that it's...This piece totally misses the point, that it's not about what use the curriculum will be to you in life, it's about training the processor that the brain is to assimilate, process and retain information - so that when you DO go somewhere, like college, where you can specialise in something that's of more use to you and other people, then it will be of some use. Even those who take college courses in subjects that are not of particular specific use in life - I mean who NEEDS to be able to compare the poetry of French 19th century authors? or whatever - it is merely training the brain at the next level. In high school, you're generally taught not to argue. That's because most unformed adults at high school age don;t have the brain training for cohesive argument. In college, on the other hand, arguing a case - or defending a thesis as it were - is key. You can always spot someone who has benefited from College education (and you can't have college education without some sort of second level education), they generally have a better ability to manage input.diablohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813479438056916456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-79777442821773778942012-09-03T23:38:29.363-04:002012-09-03T23:38:29.363-04:00As an end user of the high school experienc, your ...As an end user of the high school experienc, your article resonated with me. While that experience was a long time ago, and a galaxy far away, the feelings still resurface of the great waste of time it was. <br /><br />But , the words of Winston Churchill return to me, that democracy is the worst form of government, save every other method that has been tried. <br /><br />Show me a better form of high school. As it is, we all endured or will endure four yearsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12173215464088408382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7072440028440011959.post-91508496858554562662012-09-03T23:04:53.148-04:002012-09-03T23:04:53.148-04:00If you haven't read it already, it would be wo...If you haven't read it already, it would be worth your while to peruse Dorothy Sayers, "The Lost Tools of Learning" ( http://www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html ). Sayers (one of the Inklings associated with C. S. Lewis) points up the ground-level necessity to teach kids how to think and use language well (not just learn "subjects"). <br /><br />One of the reasons we homeschool our kids is so that we can shape their curriculum to correspond with their interests and inclinations.Chuckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17442808810396141836noreply@blogger.com