My main questions about school:
~What are the benefits of the modern structured school system?
~What are the downsides?
~How did this system originate?
My main thoughts on school:
My main problem with school as we know it is that the level of specification seems a little limiting. I, for example, would like to be a scientist. In the 1500s, "science" was a job. But nowadays, there isn't to be involved in more than one field.
Another thing I have a problem with in school is the perception of the relevance of the topics. At least once a month in math class Beatrice raises her hand and asks when we are ever going to use anything we are learning. But actually, I intend to use that stuff a lot. In fact, if I'm learning anything I'll never use I'm learning it in this class (sorry Andy, but my thing is objective evidence. I'm not big on the idea that 19 high-schoolers can come up with much accurate information by sitting around and pointing out stuff that bothers them.).
Overall, I view school in two ways: As something that needs to be done and dealt with no matter how annoying, and as a source of information or a stepping stone. I have some big ideas, but I know I'm not getting anywhere with them without education.
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19 kids in an SOF classroom can certainly be a source of accurate information - not necessarily about the capitol of Finland or the atomic weight of unobtainium or the spelling of segue.
ReplyDeleteThe tone of your post bothered me - it seemed to smirk with smugness - dismissing 19 other students, dismissing Beatrice, vague claims to a desire for an impressive career, poorly edited allusions to a deeply confused sense of history*, your faith that SOF will prepare you for that sort of career while you remain on autopilot#.
There's a tendency to be cavalier and cartoony when you've got a certain intellectual advantage. Its a certain geeky condescending cool pose. I was that way too, partly because I was (one of) the smartest people I knew in high school. But I was in a gifted class - entirely filled with people in the 95th percentile and above on an IQ test. And my overconfidence turned out to be mistaken. I would guess that yours is at least as misplaced.
Hopefully this reads as helpful rather than as merely defensive or self-righteous (I don't mind if it sounds like all three).
*In 1500 one could be a "scientist" precisely where? who was this "one"? the word "job" strikes me as anachronistic as well.
#I'm indebted to Jia Min, I believe, for the autopilot metaphor.