Education - What's the point?

[Dodge_Sniper]

I figured this is the perfect forum to talk about this. School. We invented school. Humans created school because we shaped our world to our needs, and then didn't want to teach our children and their children and their children etc about everything, so basically that's all school is. Sure, there are benefits to having an education. You learn new things, make friends, etc. But why should schools get to decide your future, your career? Einstein flunked math numerous times, but he was one of the smartest men of his time. Why should some diploma, or lack there of, decide what job your good at? If you're a great mechanic, why should you be deprived of working in a car shop simply because you dropped out of school? I'm a big movie buff, I want to pursue a career in filming, but why should I not be allowed to follow that dream if I fail school? Why should grades determine exactly how smart you are. And should we really let some complete strangers in a school judge whether or not they think our children have the brains to function in today's society?

Or am I just thinking way too much right now?

 

[All Else Failed]

I figured this is the perfect forum to talk about this. School. We invented school. Humans created school because we shaped our world to our needs, and then didn't want to teach our children and their children and their children etc about everything, so basically that's all school is. Sure, there are benefits to having an education. You learn new things, make friends, etc. But why should schools get to decide your future, your career? Einstein flunked math numerous times, but he was one of the smartest men of his time. Why should some diploma, or lack there of, decide what job your good at? If you're a great mechanic, why should you be deprived of working in a car shop simply because you dropped out of school? I'm a big movie buff, I want to pursue a career in filming, but why should I not be allowed to follow that dream if I fail school? Why should grades determine exactly how smart you are. And should we really let some complete strangers in a school judge whether or not they think our children have the brains to function in today's society?

Or am I just thinking way too much right now?

I see where you are coming from. There are people that are naturally intelligent and wise, but I think education can only benefit you. The saying IS true, knowledge is power. The more you know, the more control you have over your ideas and your environment.

School is needed because without it society would be even more ignorant. Hell, a significant number of Americans cant even point out major countries on a map and so on. School teaches you the basic facts and knowledge that is beneficial to you.


About jobs....kind of split on this. If I was the owner of a mechanic shop and two people show up for the job, I would hire a school drop out thats been actually working on cars for a long time over a nooby that just got out of mechanic's school and hasnt had any real field experiance. But, thats for a certain trade. There are jobs that require an education, like law and business.

 

[raubin]

It's a catch 22 situation sometimes as employers want experience, but how can you gain experience if you don't have the right qualifications ?

Education is expensive and time consuming, getting into a apprenticeship is a better choice as you gain the knowledge you need for you chosen profession as well as getting the much needed experience.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

I see where you are coming from. There are people that are naturally intelligent and wise, but I think education can only benefit you. The saying IS true, knowledge is power. The more you know, the more control you have over your ideas and your environment.

School is needed because without it society would be even more ignorant. Hell, a significant number of Americans cant even point out major countries on a map and so on. School teaches you the basic facts and knowledge that is beneficial to you.


About jobs....kind of split on this. If I was the owner of a mechanic shop and two people show up for the job, I would hire a school drop out thats been actually working on cars for a long time over a nooby that just got out of mechanic's school and hasnt had any real field experiance. But, thats for a certain trade. There are jobs that require an education, like law and business.

That's true. I mean, I at least can point out countries on a map. And about the job situation. I understand that in MY situation, I'd benefit more graduating from film school, rather than just hoping I know what to do and dropping out and filming everything around me. But in cases like law, you need that extra few years to learn about the law system.

 

[Boomer]

I dont think we should axe education, but I think we should have more options to choose from. Make the educational system more flexible and able to be custom fit for the individual.

 

[NightWarrior]

You bring up some good points, but please suggest a better way to determine one's intelligence? Good grades not only determine the "smartness" of an individual but they show that someone can stay focused and complete tasks on time. I will take a college educated person over someone who has years of experience in anything simply because this means they are more rounded individual. I support education 100% and if your thinking of not finishing college, well, thats your perogative. Although there are those cases where individuals like Bill Gates and Einstein don't finish school and go on to become successful, those opportunities are getting slimmer and slimmer. Just look at the starting salaries of people with just a HS education vs those with an Associates vs those with a Bachelors. I know I doubled my salary simply by finishing college. You can't do that at any job, period in a 4 year time span.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

But just because you fail a class or school doesn't mean your stupid. I'm very intelligent, I just have ADHD. I have trouble focusing and not talking to my friends. And don't forget the people like Dirtbike racers. They don't need an education to race or do what they do. And they get pretty good pay. I'm pretty much with Boomer on this thing.

 

[NightWarrior]

But just because you fail a class or school doesn't mean your stupid. I'm very intelligent, I just have ADHD. I have trouble focusing and not talking to my friends. And don't forget the people like Dirtbike racers. They don't need an education to race or do what they do. And they get pretty good pay. I'm pretty much with Boomer on this thing.

So tell me why I'd want to hire you then if you can't concentrate? Look, I admire you young people for heading into the world eyes-wide open. We need that. But what will you fall back on when your time is over after dirt bike racing and you were too stupid to invest your own money so now your broke? (Just look at past Lottery winners.)

Anyways, to each is their own, do what makes you happy. I merely suggest that the today's generation of super thinkers will be gone soon. What will you do then? Dirt bike race your way to the cure for no more oil?

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

I will own up, I'm not the best at saving up money, although I do have a bank account. And I may not be the best at concentrating, but when it's needed, I'll get down to business. I've got a job now, so that shows I can concentrate enough to do a job. I just question why it is that tests like FCAT should decide the rest of our lives.

 

[NightWarrior]

I will own up, I'm not the best at saving up money, although I do have a bank account. And I may not be the best at concentrating, but when it's needed, I'll get down to business. I've got a job now, so that shows I can concentrate enough to do a job. I just question why it is that tests like FCAT should decide the rest of our lives.

Again, I merely challenge you to come up with a better way to benchmark someone against another person? A test is just that. I'm not saying you are right or wrong here.

 

[Sneakiecat]

I just question why it is that tests like FCAT should decide the rest of our lives.

The FCAT is written to test what the Sunshine State Standards say a teacher should be teaching their students in any subject in any grade level. It's the easiest way to test the things our society has determine are important.

 

[OUZBnd]

The best predictor of future performance is past performance...

 

[Peter Parka]

I think there should be more practicalbility and flexibility in education, yes reading writing and maths should be tought at least basically but more should be done to help people with certain gifts. I was a whizz at maths but long division has been of no help to me getting a job.

 

[Sneakiecat]

Peter, there's been a push here (at least in Florida) to give more flexibility to students. I know at the high schools in my county have academies set up for kids who want to go into anything from business to golf course management.

 

[NightWarrior]

I think there should be more practicalbility and flexibility in education, yes reading writing and maths should be tought at least basically but more should be done to help people with certain gifts. I was a whizz at maths but long division has been of no help to me getting a job.

It all depends on what you want to do. Long division is of no help to me, but analytical thinking applied to algorithms pays my bills. Everything in education has a purpose. You can apply those skills in math you learned (following steps to solve a problem) to just about any job. You can also apply those math skills to your paycheck to make sure they are deducting the right amount of taxes. I pity the fool who thinks education means nothing. To me, that means this country is going to hell in a hand basket and we are going to let India, China, Japan and whoever else get further ahead of us technologically. Not to mention them coming here and stealing our jobs.

 

[memento_mori]

I figured this is the perfect forum to talk about this. School. We invented school. Humans created school because we shaped our world to our needs, and then didn't want to teach our children and their children and their children etc about everything, so basically that's all school is. Sure, there are benefits to having an education. You learn new things, make friends, etc. But why should schools get to decide your future, your career? Einstein flunked math numerous times, but he was one of the smartest men of his time. Why should some diploma, or lack there of, decide what job your good at? If you're a great mechanic, why should you be deprived of working in a car shop simply because you dropped out of school? I'm a big movie buff, I want to pursue a career in filming, but why should I not be allowed to follow that dream if I fail school? Why should grades determine exactly how smart you are. And should we really let some complete strangers in a school judge whether or not they think our children have the brains to function in today's society?

Or am I just thinking way too much right now?

you are more than just a number on a report card, it is up to what you do, what you think, and how you handle situations.

but with money involved with so many prospects for jobs and colleges, people rely on numbers. we're getting away from that now. there are person to person interviews and essays. i dont know how the film industry works, but i'd imagine careers like that need a lot of creativity, and art school and movie filmers look at the movies you send in and the scripts you write or whatever it is you think you'd like to do.

on the other hand, youtube's great. and if you want to express your name in film and get your name out there, put some stuff and make the next viral video.