I don’t know, maybe im just scorned but im a sophmore in HS and i just gotta say the school system sucks! We stick to a pointless curriculum, any knowledge some of these idiots absorb leak out of their head the second the test paper is handed in and im wasting months outta my life learning math ill never use…how many people here take a scientific calculator to work? Then there are these classes that teach you to be indepent thinkers questioning the world but they themselves turn you into a mindless working drone. With all these faults you’d at least think they could teach a kid to read at his/her’s age!! What i wanna know is if you people out there agree with me and if you have any suggestions that could help the faltering education system. How much school is enough? I wanna go on and live my life!!!
I’m a junior in HS and I must agree with just about everything you said. Now, why can’t we (the students) do anything about it?
“Of course, that’s just my opinion; I could be wrong.”–Dennis Miller
Don’t you kids have homework to do or something?
Yer pal,
Satan
Oddly enough, you WILL learn things that are useful later in life, though the way you use these skills is probably not what you or your teachers envision.
For instance: I took algebra, hated it…until I started playing D&D. At last, I had a REASON for doing formulas. All of a sudden, algebra wasn’t such a waste of time. Punching numbers into a calculater is all very well…as long as you know which numbers, and how the formula works.
English, particularly term papers…this taught me how to research things, and the relative value of sources. If I feel like answering a Mailbag question, I draw upon the skills pounded into me by various English teachers. I HATED English, and I despised term papers. Now I’m glad that I had it.
Typewriting, NOT keyboarding. When I took this, we were still mostly typing on MANUAL typewriters. My mother insisted that I learn to type. I now spend several hours a day on the computer, either in message boards or in a MUD (multiple user dungeon, an online game). My mother never dreamed that I would be able to do such a thing with this skill.
Science: I learned about significant data, and the necessity for reproducible results, among other things. OK, so I’ve never needed to dissect a frog since HS. I did learn that organs and squiggly bits are not all neatly labeled and easily recognizable in a body.
Finally, the teachers cannot teach you unless you are willing to learn. Put some effort into it, it only gets harder from here on.
Lynn the Packrat
In addition to Lynn’s post, and in regard to the OP’s bit about teaching free thought, but expecting students to be drones:
They have rules and authority figures there because there are rules and authority figures everywhere. Even on this MB. Lynn, for example, is the moderator. By virtue of her experience and effort, she has rank.
The things you will learn in school about thought, debate, and presentation (more importantly, how you use what you’ve learned) determine whether or not Lynn snips your posts or kicks your ass off the board. Likewise, the information you obtain will determine whether or not another poster blows you out of the water in a debate.
This is the way life is. The curriculum is not pointless. It is not unreasonable to expect you to have an understanding of math, English, science, history and government before allowing you to graduate. If you leave school NOT knowing, it’s logical to assume that either the faculty didn’t do a good job of teaching, or (more likely) you didn’t care enough to learn.
It’s to your benefit to learn as much as you can about everything you can. You don’t have to become an expert in areas that don’t interest you, but you should at least have a basic understanding and be capable of comprehension.
There is no such thing as “enough” when it comes to learning. That’s why people continue to read books, (gasp!) even after they’ve graduated!!
Do yourself a favour and allow yourself to become obsessed with learning.
Veni, Vidi, Visa … I came, I saw, I bought.
Kryp,
Your ability to use ironic misspellings such as ‘stoopid school’ and college level words such as ‘curriculum’ bode well for you. But until you master the basics of capitalization and apostrophizing, stay in high school.
Peace.
Judging from your grammar, punctuation, and word usage, I gotta agree.
Well, I have a very nice PC on my desk. It renders wonderful computations, but only after I input the correct formula(s).
Since the subject of your rant is the school system, the word “they” in your statement would be correctly interpreted to mean “the school system”. I think that you meant “they” to reference teachers working for the school system, but I cannot be sure. The reference to “his/her’s” is not only grammatically incorrect, it is also ambiguous. Does the phrase reference the school system’s age? The teacher’s age? The kid’s age?
Obviously, I do not agree with you. You get out of school no more than what you are willing to put into it. If a particular class seems too easy, ask the teacher to assign you some more difficult work, possibly for extra credit. Or study on your own. It’s a concept known as personal responsibility.
You’re not there yet.
Here is a “real world” lesson for you, Kryptonite. I hire the people who report to me. The ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, is one of the few skill sets on which I will not compromise. If a candidate does not demonstrate good communication skills, that candidate will not be hired. A resume written in the style of your post would be tossed in the trash without a second look, no matter what other skills you may possess.
First impressions are critical when applying for a job. I would not hire you based on my first impression.
A sophomore…what does that make you 15, 16?
Go live your life?
School is your life you moron!
Pick up a book and read it.
Maybe you will learn to write in a coherent manner.
Until then, you are lacking the basic writing skills and maturity level to properly discuss the educational system.
In 3rd grade I thought it was stupid to learn how to do cursive writing, I thought that printing would do just fine. I was 9.
I grew up, try it.
Kryptonite, do you have enough advice yet, or shall I jump in too? Every poster, with the exception of nayaran, has given you valid reasons for the curriculum you study.
As for getting on with your life, finish school, go to college and damn it man, apply yourself. If you don’t, you won’t be “getting on with life,” you’ll be sitting and watching it go by.
I ain’t gonna get any easier, deal with it.
And, yes, I do have a suggestion for the “faltering education system” - year long school terms.
One complete set of morals for sale to highest bidder, new in box.
Hey!! I take a scientific calculator to work! (Well, I did before the downsizing, anyway.)
Get with the program. People who are technically literate (and that includes using math, little boy) and can communicate well are the only ones who will make a decent living later. Oh well…I suppose someone has to cook the french fries!
Prairie Rose
If you’re not part of the solution you’re just scumming up the bottom of the beaker.
SSSSSSSSSSlam!
You nailed it Rosie, right on the head.
He might not really need a McEducation…
I was going to be polite, Kryptonite. But then I remembered we’re in the Pit. So . . .
You, sir or madam, are a prime example of why teacher deserve higher salaries. You clearly have not yet matured to the point of being able to learn anything. I despair of your ever doing so.
Maybe, just maybe, you’ll eventually pull your head out of your rectum. After all, you’re only a sophomore. But DO NOT criticize your teachers and your school system until and unless you are willing to make an effort to learn what they are trying to teach you. It’s obvious you don’t give a shit. Don’t expect to be handed education on a platter–learning is NOT a passive process.
-andros-
There’s always a bigger fish.
I wasn’t all that crazy about school. I did well, but I didn’t much care for it. I’ve had a few college courses here & there, and done well in those too, but I finally decided I just wasn’t cut out for college.
I’ve got a pretty good life now, though. But I have been lucky. Had I chosen not to stay in high school (get out & live my life, as you said), I think I would have had a pretty sucky life. Learning the basics is critical to survival.
I have every intention of encouraging my children to do well in school, and go on to college. Just because I didn’t doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. I even toy with the idea of going back myself. I may do that someday. I’m older than you, but one is never too old to stop learning (my 52-year-old mother just got her EMT certification, by the way).
I just graduated HS, and you probably won’t need all of it, true. But pay attention, it’s not that content you need to know, it’s the context. But enjoy the years, go have your fun, and don’t bitch about life, HS life has too many pressures to make any of that shit worthwhile. You don’t have to worry about student loans, balancing a checkbook, making major choices that will affect the rest of your life, or maby just a little bit. Enjoy it!
“Life goes by pretty fast, if you don’t look around once in awhile, you just might miss it” – Ferris Beuler’s Day Off
kellibelli wrote:
And now that I’m a successful professional at age 34, I can say with absolute certaintly that cursive handwriting was one of the most useless skills I’ve ever picked up. My block printing is neater, more legible, and above all faster to write than my cursive is, and nobody besides schoolteachers gives a flying rat’s ass whether your writing is in block or cursive, so long as it’s legible. Even college profs don’t care – if they want you to turn in something that looks “neat”, they ask you to type it.
The only use I’ve had for the skill is in reading other people’s cursive writing – and I always wonder if this other person wouldn’t be block-printing instead if he didn’t think he “had” to write in cursive.
End of soapbox.
I’m not flying fast, just orbiting low.
First of all you people address me like im against learning or that im a complete idiot. It also seems like all you people can say (most not all) is that i went through it so you can/should too. First off im not an idiot. on all the standardized tests ive ever taken ive scored in the 99th percentile in everything except math. that might not mean much to you or me but its gotta mean something. i read tons of books on philosophy, religion and history. I’m hooked on history and one day hope to maybe become a teacher of history somewhere…yeah i can hear all you people saying how i cant become a teacher till i get teached, but thats just it! i havent been taught by my teachers. Anything i am learned in wasnt taught by a teacher but by books and myself. also, i know this is the pit but insulting my grammar and punctuation is just childish on your part. i am not handing in a report to you people, im just talking. i dont spend my time on these posts but just type as i think and double check nothing. i type to you as i would be talking to anyone of you on AIM or in a real time chat. i dont think any of you take the time to correct everything you say when you do that.
none of you know me, you don’t know what a respectfull intelligent and well presented person i am. none of you have learned a thing in life if you think you can tell a book by its cover. why dont all of you use all the logic and deductive thinking you were taught (isnt that stupid in itself, you cant teach those things) and think to yourself this: if im capable enough to read a straight dope book, use a computer and post to a msg board im alreay ahead of about 50% of this country.
ill reply to anymore insults you can dish out, happily.
P.S. i will happily scan in my results of the standardized test for all those interested.
Scorned? Scorn is a feeling of contempt. Something scorned is an object of supreme contempt. You wrote, “maybe I’m just scorned” and I think that’s what others would say to you or about you i.e. that they scorned you. I think you were trying to say that you scorn the school system. Not that it really matters I just found your wording rather odd. No great slam but I’m just wondering what you meant. Or hell, I could be wrong about this, it’s been known to happen!
Since everyone else has already posted why school is so important I won’t reiterate but tell me this (riddle me this, Batman): what do you mean by, “I wanna go on and live my life!!!”? Doing or being what? How is the process of schooling holding you back? What would you be doing all day if you were not in school?
I hated the structure of school but I love learning. I don’t think anything you learn in school is a waste of time. Even PE has it’s merits. You wouldn’t be able to post to this board if it wasn’t for math, chemistry, physics, yadda yadda yadda. If you are not feeling challenged in school do what I did and study on your own. You may surprise yourself and possibly your teachers as well!
The moon looks on many flowers, the flowers on but one moon.
scorn (skôrn) n. 1. a. Contempt or disdain felt toward a person or object considered despicable or unworthy. b. The expression of such an attitude in behavior or speech; derision. 2. One spoken of or treated with contempt. v. scorned scorn•ing scorns v. tr. 1. To consider or treat as contemptible or unworthy. 2. To reject or refuse with derision. See note at despise. v. intr. 1. To express contempt; scoff.
i think i used it in the proper context. this nitpicking of my originial post to show how i need school is really getting pretty damn pathetic. you go ahead and tell me why i need to go to Tennis - 1 5days a week. oh and if im absent 5times in a cycle i fail and i gotta do it again…whatever people if you like me wasting your tax dollars for nothing ill be glad to do it. personally id enjoy seeing the singles swirl down the toilet
Kryptonite, you may not need tennis lessons themselves, but what a PE class teaches you is how to compete, and how to be sportsmanlike. Sportsmanship is important in all areas of life. You’ll learn how to win honorably, and lose gracefully.
My hat is off to you for wanting to be a teacher. It is one of the most admirable professions I can think of. But you can’t even get hired as a sub without a degree anymore. Sometimes, we’ve all got to bite the bullet & do stuff we don’t like, to be able to reap the benefits this life has to offer. Just stay in school, keep up those great test scores, and you’ll get whatever you want out of life.
Very good Byz…
To add to that, if you aren’t feeling challenged, Kryp, then there ARE things you can do about it. Talk to your guidance counselour about taking college level courses or moving to the next grade. Get into the debate team. Study math. It will be something you’ll use daily forever, even if only trivially. Find out what is required of you to be a part of the NHS.
Here’s a thought. Why don’t you talk to your teachers? Tell them you that you feel “ahead” of the class, and see if they’ll recommend you to a class more suited to your level of knowledge.
I have to agree with UncleBeer on the year-long school sessions. It makes sense in so many ways. (BTW, Dr. J: I think it’s “formulae”) 
On another note:
Your grammar and punctuation were attacked for two reasons. 1) We always do that. 2) They sucked.
The next incarnation of Albert Einstein you may be, but Dale Carnegie you ain’t. There’s power in presentation, sweets. It doesn’t matter how intelligent you are, if you fail to convey your thoughts in a manner that is easily inferred, the entire lot of us will assume that you’re dumb as a post.
Veni, Vidi, Visa … I came, I saw, I bought.