Does school prepare us for later life?

Robsweezie

i would agree to a certain extent it does. dress code, dealing with authority, punctuality, respect and manners are encouraged/enforced. certain subjects like home ec can teach practical skills in the home.

theres a lot of joking about ramming quadratic equations and square roots down our throats yet not educating on real life matters like taxes, budgeting money, relationships, mental health etc.


what do you think?

eet fuk

It's as though people really don't understand the importance of maths. It's so important for our absract thinking/logic.

As for the real life stuff. I think it's better to figure out a lot of things on your own. Taxes, relationships,wiping your bum etc. are not really that difficult.

I met my wife there when we were 12. She was, by far and away, the most attractive woman in the class, the one everyone worshipped. I was, in fairness, no great shakes with the ladies. Eventually through friendship I wore her down and we first kissed when we were 17. Married at 29, child at 40.

So yeah, school brought me the best thing in my life. Did it teach me much? Meh, I got a good Leaving Cert, did what I wanted at Uni, blah blah blah job and mortgage and the not so important stuff. But it gave me the best thing ever.

osarusan

You looked at the generation what! survey also?

armaghlad

School teaches you how to prepare for exams and not much else.

entropi

I honestly believe some schooling should be done to relate to real world problems, like budgeting, learner driving, c.v and interview prep (going on to college or not, its an essential thing), diet & nutrition, and methods of relaxation including yoga or meditation techniques lifted from sports psychology. I also would like to see that anyone who would have an interest in programming, allowed to take it as a class. In a world increasingly dependent on technology, programming is always going to be around, and can instantly allow access to employment if someone continues down that path. I also received sex education classes aged 11. This was incredibly helpful to me, and no doubt most of my class.

cassid

My 9 year old learnt about mindfulness today in school and they were told to spend 2 minutes every day doing it, he said he just laughed as the instructor sounded weird blowing into a microphone and someone made a fart sound, when you are 9 these things are just hilarous.

They are covered loads of topics, such a drug abuse, addiction, suicide, bullying, a healthy diet, very comprehensive. I don't ever remember doing anything like, I think i was still finger painting at 9

In secondary school the irish and english subjects were the biggest time sink and waste of time for later life. it's been 20 years so maybe something has changed? Learning to make sapg-bol etc. in transition year home etc. has likely saved me from dangerous salt and sugar levels in my diet :pac:

BoatMad

I think schools should focus on the three Rs , then stream and separate kids with different aptitudes and abilities

but I know this isn't popular !

billie1b

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I met my wife there when we were 12. She was, by far and away, the most attractive woman in the class, the one everyone worshipped. I was, in fairness, no great shakes with the ladies. Eventually through friendship I wore her down and we first kissed when we were 17. Married at 29, child at 40.

So yeah, school brought me the best thing in my life. Did it teach me much? Meh, I got a good Leaving Cert, did what I wanted at Uni, blah blah blah job and mortgage and the not so important stuff. But it gave me the best thing ever.

Your wife is a member here and knows your username right????

In all seriousness though, fair play, wish ye the best of luck and happiness for the rest of it.

tigerboon

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I met my wife there when we were 12. She was, by far and away, the most attractive woman in the class,..

Did she stay back a few times?

AtomicHorror

Primary school misled me into thinking I was super clever- I found everything really easy and so when I went into secondary school, I failed exams for the first time ever. That taught me a lot, mostly about my own bad attitudes.

Secondary school taught me to love science and art- figured out my general path in life during transition year, which was good. Learned that if you take yourself too seriously, other people will do their damnedest to make a joke out of you. It also taught me to be very sceptical of people in positions of authority- and religion. Thing is, I wouldn't have a bad word to say against any priest that ever taught me, but the lay religion teachers- absolute pricks.

As it was an all boys school, it also contributed to my frankly woeful approach to relationships.

So, yes and no.

billie1b

billie1b wrote: »

Your wife is a member here and knows your username right????

In all seriousness though, fair play, wish ye the best of luck and happiness for the rest of it.

Thanks for the kind words.

Think my wife might be a member here, not sure, doesn't bother me either way. She is stunning looking, if I said she was the attractive one in the class at school I should have added that she is one of those types who get more attractive as the years go by. And she is a saint., she put up with a lot of years of me going out and not getting home until the 4/6/8am times. On the other hand she never had any reason to doubt me, the whole "why have burger away when I have steak at home" thing applies...

One eyed Jack

entropi wrote: »

I honestly believe some schooling should be done to relate to real world problems, like budgeting, learner driving, c.v and interview prep (going on to college or not, its an essential thing), diet & nutrition, and methods of relaxation including yoga or meditation techniques lifted from sports psychology. I also would like to see that anyone who would have an interest in programming, allowed to take it as a class. In a world increasingly dependent on technology, programming is always going to be around, and can instantly allow access to employment if someone continues down that path. I also received sex education classes aged 11. This was incredibly helpful to me, and no doubt most of my class.

There's only so much can be squeezed into an already packed curriculum, and only so many hours in a school day. A lot of the stuff on that list would be practical skills that can be learned outside the curriculum if the student is actually interested, or can be taught, nurtured and encouraged by parents (although meditation and well-being with regard to mental health are now being introduced in many schools and the feedback has been very positive).

School absolutely prepares people for life IMO by giving students the basic building blocks of education, encouraging social development and so on. I think some people don't tend to appreciate the opportunities they're given, so they're not going to make the most of them.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Didn't prepare me for anything. We were molly coddled. Honours students who weren't pushed.

I didn't really start to act independently until I was on a University campus and bi monthly projects were being demanded out of me by some distant lecturer.

Get out into the real world after college and quadruple that pressure.

Too soft in my sec school, we were ready for nothing. You have to be tough and demand high standards as well as being fair.

entropi

One eyed Jack wrote: »

There's only so much can be squeezed into an already packed curriculum, and only so many hours in a school day. A lot of the stuff on that list would be practical skills that can be learned outside the curriculum if the student is actually interested, or can be taught, nurtured and encouraged by parents (although meditation and well-being with regard to mental health are now being introduced in many schools and the feedback has been very positive).

School absolutely prepares people for life IMO by giving students the basic building blocks of education, encouraging social development and so on. I think some people don't tend to appreciate the opportunities they're given, so they're not going to make the most of them.

Nurturing and encouragement by parents/guardians is incredibly positive to a developing child/adult and usually welcomed. However many the hours in a school day, how many subjects do kids these days find useful or relate to? Maths and English are essential, History is too. Business and a language are invaluable (especially if a foreign language), so I'm sure there's time available for 30 minutes of meditation, 30 - 60 mins of sexual education and 30 mins of programming a week. They could of course carry on their topic of interest outside of teaching hours, if that is their interest and focus.

If I had that as a child I'd be a far more well adjusted adult in my early twenties than I was.

the_syco

armaghlad wrote: »

School teaches you how to prepare for exams and not much else.

School teaches you that cramming as much information into your head is important, but not how to do it.

uch

Bollocks, it prepares us for nothing, I went to an all boys secondary school, and the visions of lads **** in the jax will haunt me forever,

beks101

Money management and mental health would be the big ones I'd say.

The amount of otherwise intelligent people I know who don't have a saving account and live pay check to pay check despite earning a decent wage is staggering. I find myself even at 30 struggling with the concept of turning my savings into investments and/or my own home and the whole thing feels a bit daunting.

The pressing one would be mental health as it's a lot more life and death. I feel the message needs to go beyond the usual "talk to your family and friends" rhetoric to actual practical advice on recognizing symptoms and where to go to get help. Taking social media with a pinch of salt and having a real life that goes beyond trying to out-instagram your peers would be a big one too. I reckon it'll have a major impact on kids' mental wellbeing in the years to come.

Mister Vain

eet fuk wrote: »

It's as though people really don't understand the importance of maths. It's so important for our absract thinking/logic.

The majority of maths is completely useless. I haven't used or needed it since I finished school.

eet fuk

Mister Vain wrote: »

The majority of maths is completely useless. I haven't used or needed it since I finished school.

Well obviously if you're not an engineer/scientist then you haven't been plowing through equations. I just think that it may have instilled a mindset that you can apply to situations not involving numbers. It's a way of thinking as much as anything else.
I happened to find maths very enjoyable/useful, and I would have been delighted if my school got rid of some of the uninterested messers in my class though. If they wanted to go and learn about taxes instead, let them. Like I said, you can teach yourself about taxes and savings very easily if you're bothered - a mathematical education will help you do this.

Buona Fortuna

Mister Vain wrote: »

The majority of maths is completely useless. I haven't used or needed it since I finished school.

If a car accelerates from stationary at 2ms2, how fast will it be travelling after 100m

galljga1

Deleted User wrote: »

I met my wife there when we were 12. She was, by far and away, the most attractive woman in the class, the one everyone worshipped. I was, in fairness, no great shakes with the ladies. Eventually through friendship I wore her down and we first kissed when we were 17. Married at 29, child at 40.

So yeah, school brought me the best thing in my life. Did it teach me much? Meh, I got a good Leaving Cert, did what I wanted at Uni, blah blah blah job and mortgage and the not so important stuff. But it gave me the best thing ever.

That you Forrest?

Olishi4

galljga1 wrote: »

That you Forrest?

No dark sarcasm in the classroom please

Eugene Norman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I met my wife there when we were 12. She was, by far and away, the most attractive woman in the class, the one everyone worshipped. I was, in fairness, no great shakes with the ladies. Eventually through friendship I wore her down and we first kissed when we were 17. Married at 29, child at 40.

So yeah, school brought me the best thing in my life. Did it teach me much? Meh, I got a good Leaving Cert, did what I wanted at Uni, blah blah blah job and mortgage and the not so important stuff. But it gave me the best thing ever.

Ah, the wonder years.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I think school nowadays is a bit 'one size fits all'. Everything is judged by how you do in the leaving cert which is actually a narrow and limited measure of intelligence and abilities. I'd prefer to see more focus on things like creativity, group work , practical application etc so that everyone gets opportunities to develop. The problem is that going on to 3rd level is seen as a must nowadays instead of one of many options.

Eugene Norman

School and education isn't about practical subjects but about a transfer of knowledge and cultural transmission. It's also about finding talent. Maths might be useless to you in work but it's keeping aeroplanes flying and bridges from collapsing and much more. It also has a non practical side like a lot of human creativity.

We could teach programming in school but I doubt companies would hire school leavers, not without proof of some ability (maybe GitHub). After all there are self taught programmers out there now, it used to be that that was all you had back in the early days. Still employers want a degree.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Eugene Norman wrote: »

School and education isn't about practical subjects but about a transfer of knowledge and cultural transmission. It's also about finding talent. Maths might be useless to you in work but it's keeping aeroplanes flying and bridges from collapsing and much more. It also has a non practical side like a lot of human creativity.

We could teach programming in school but I doubt companies would hire school leavers, not without proof of some ability (maybe GitHub). After all there are self taught programmers out there now, it used to be that that was all you had back in the early days. Still employers want a degree.

But talent comes in many different forms. It's not all about the academic. Yes you need to learn English, maths, history, a language and so on. But schools should also recognise the achievements of the sporty, creative or otherwise talented kids and give due importance to things like teamwork, leadership, and innovation. They are all important considerations when deciding careers and the people who do best in the workplace aren't always the straight A students. Different jobs need different abilities.

Eugene Norman

Hank Vast Baboon wrote: »

But talent comes in many different forms. It's not all about the academic. Yes you need to learn English, maths, history, a language and so on. But schools should also recognise the achievements of the sporty, creative or otherwise talented kids and give due importance to things like teamwork, leadership, and innovation. They are all important considerations when deciding careers and the people who do best in the workplace aren't always the straight A students. Different jobs need different abilities.

Education isn't just about jobs.

Leadership will manifest anyway (you're right about that, A students work for B students with leadership abilities), I'm not sure that we can teach innovation. And most schools do in fact reward the sporty.

Mesrine65

BoatMad wrote: »

I think schools should focus on the three Rs , then stream and separate kids with different aptitudes and abilities

but I know this isn't popular !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education

genericguy

Hank Vast Baboon wrote: »

I think school nowadays is a bit 'one size fits all'. Everything is judged by how you do in the leaving cert which is actually a narrow and limited measure of intelligence and abilities. I'd prefer to see more focus on things like creativity, group work , practical application etc so that everyone gets opportunities to develop. The problem is that going on to 3rd level is seen as a must nowadays instead of one of many options.

The government is trying to implement this but the teachers are freaking because it will be proven that they do nothing for about 5 and a half years of the secondary cycle.