I could have taken an adult learning course lol. I imagine you had already learned to read and write by the age of 7-8 Sam. Its most of the stuff between that and pretty much degree level. Even A levels are only useful in some cases and are a way of seeing determining which uni you will get into. There are many many people without gcse's and A levels with degrees and doctorates (though I imagine you have dozens of all 4 Sam these days. I did go onto say
"....how to get by with reading writing and useful number skills."
I wasnt trying to suggest going to school for 10 years was a waste just that the majority of what you are taught is pointless and stuff you will never need unless you go on the other Noel Edmonds show.
Not trying to say that we should copy private schools just adopt a few of their teaching techniques. Is it the school that makes them like that or the privileged lifestyle many of them lead. How many of us, given the choice between a private school and a state run school would send our kids to the state school?
Well, yeah....most can get by with reading/writing by 8 years old but I can't say how good ones punctuation and grammar would be! You see, HL, from your perspective it may indeed seem like a waist because you're in a privileged position in already having the education already.
How would you feel, say, if your reading/writing/grammar & punctuation levels were the same as an average 8 year olds? I'm sure you wouldn't be so blas?.
I do agree with you in that qualifications mean nothing when it comes to one's intelligence, or capability in doing a job. They're just pieces of paper proving what you've achieved; they're not an accurate indicator on what you are capable of.
Obviously, I disagree that most education is a waste of time. Even if lots of stuff you learn won't be useful in your everyday life, you have the tools. If everyone felt like they'd learnt enough at 8, what of future chemists? Scientists that may find cures for HIV & cancer? i could go on... Basically, how would humanity advance?
[i]I used to spend a lot of time criticizing Islam on here in the noughties - but things are much better now.[/i]
*Please excuse spelling have had to use a knackered keyboard that misses letters and the keys stick*
How much better would the future scientists be if they had not been forced to make a key fob that took 2 hours a week for 6 weeks or spent time chuffing about growing from an acorn into a tree, but instead had their education built around their strengths. I, like most people, was only started off reading by my school, given a basic understanding then toddled off to the school library. We were never given lessons on how to read after class 2. we had silent reading time. Where the kids who couldnt read kept quiet for fear of seeming thick. Reading is developed far more outside of school Magazines, internet even telly guides, probably like most useful life skills.
My hand writing was abysmal when I left primary school mainly because I had been forced to use cursive and given sheet after sheet of follow the dot letters and given no help other than that and lots of comments in red pen "UNTIDY" and being told people would think i was childish if I printed, newsflash....NO ONE CARES MRS SMITH (release of repressed anger there lol). They never stopped to look at how I held my pen or see how my writing looked when i printed (it was fine) Now I use a word processor or print and my life has not suffered for it one bit. I spent years feeling inferior and hating writing, getting crampy hands when all someone needed to do was say "write with your whole arm not with your fingers"
As for punctuation and grammar have you seen the average 16 year olds SPG ? Half write in text speak when they write at all.
I don't think education is a waste, (if it came over like that I apologise for clumsy phrasing) I think the way it is administered and much of what you are taught is a waste of time. How many times have your Geography, History and RE lessons been useful outside of quizzes? Algebra and trig ? Add up all the hours you spent doing things you forgot the moment that last bell rang. If those hours were spent nurturing and finding kids talents or supporting their weaknesses, how much better served by their education would they be.
Surely plumbing, building and mechanic, vocational type lessons should be built in to the curriculum to accomodate the non academic kids to get them back into schools and give them a better start. Teach kids how to cook and look after themselves. Teach them about business, the value of money and how to budget. Obviously teach the numeracy and english but to a standard the kids can cope with, and in a more constructive way, why teach Iambic Pentameter to kids? Give them a taste of Shakespeare if they like it they have the option of taking it further if it fries their brain leave it.
Yes give kids tools but give them the right tools that will help them not bewilder them. Why spend from 8 till 18 giving them massive amounts of facts, when you could be teaching them how to learn, methods to make assimilating facts easier. Teach them how to work out the multiples of 28 not make them memorise them(been tutoring primary school maths). Show them what makes a good essay not just write countless pointless essays in the hope they will get it eventually. Teach them how to make their way in an increasingly hostile world. Identify where those kids strengths are and work to them and work to improve their weaknesses. When you have programmes like "The unteachables" showing what can be done it makes you wonder why it isnt.
[quote]How much better would the future scientists be if they had not been forced to make a key fob that took 2 hours a week for 6 weeks or spent time chuffing about growing from an acorn into a tree, but instead had their education built around their strengths.[/quote]
Trouble is, HL, how would you find ones strengths if you don't test them over a wide range of subjects? Surely it's better to have knowledge of a wide range of things and then choose your own path when you leave school (as we already do)?
Lots of points you bring up make sense, but in reality it would be harder to implement. I think education is very important, even if it's useless in whichever job/life you set upon. Knowledge is what sets us apart from most other life on the planet and knowledge IS our future. How would we have landed on the moon without Newton's laws of motion? Where would physics be without algebraic equations? Where would chemistry be without an understanding of physics? Where would biology be without an understanding of chemistry?; and how could we fight disease without our knowledge of biology? See how they all support eachother? It all started with a knowledge of algebra - which most people dismiss as useless.
I don't think there's anybody who doesn't think 'I wish I knew more'.
[i]I used to spend a lot of time criticizing Islam on here in the noughties - but things are much better now.[/i]
Education is only pointless when whats being taught seemingly has no use
All my teachers taught straight from the text book which is fine but not a great way of inspiring.
Showing a connection to the real world is essential
these days. I did go onto say