Is most HighSchool schooling pointless?

[Nellerin]

I've been reading a lot from Roger Schank who is a cognitive scientist among other things, who made a post a while back about how dumb our schooling in the USA is.

He talks about how pointless most of the subjects are in terms of life importance.

View the article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/no-algebra-isnt-necessary--and-yes-stem-is-overrated/2012/08/26/edc47552-ed2d-11e1-b09d-07d971dee30a_blog.html

What do you guys think?

[Southside]

One thing I hate about school is how we learn a bunch of USELESS knowledge, I mean really, when I we going to use the area of a trangle or angle of a 180 degree line segment.

[brandon1995]

I'll let you know in 20 years when I know if I used any of it!

[sparkles]

I think we do a bad job preparing people for life after school. Whether that be trade school or college or a job.

[Ryhanna]

No knowledge is useless. Even if you don't use what you've learnt, you've learnt a new skill, a skill that you might need one day.

As for whether or not we're going to use the lessons we learn in high school... It depends, I think. Obviously, if you're planning on working in a particular field of science or engineering, yeah, math will probably be useful. If you're just planning on working as a clerk in a store, basic math will do, and you're probably wasting your time in high school.

[JoeHillsTSD]

Most of this "useless" information has to do with what career path you want to chase. Most of the math classes I'm taking are really useless because I want to be a musician. So I won't need to know that tan(46) will find the missing length of a right triangle. All I need to know is basic math.

Now let's say I want to become an engineer, then all of this would be helpful.

Most of the time, my classmates and I sit In class asking how this will be used in real life, or how it will help me make money. And most of the time, teachers can't even answer the question.

Schools should be preparing kids for the area paths that they want to follow, and doing a better job at prepping them for college. It shouldn't be mandatory that I learn how a covalent bond works. I should be in a class learning how a secondary dominant can be recognized (music theory ;P).

But in a way, high school does help. That pointless knowledge that we get fed will help someone. Not everyone knows what they want to do with their life, and learning several subjects and "useless" information will eventually lead you to the career you want.

[Nellerin]

Most of this "useless" information has to do with what career path you want to chase. Most of the math classes I'm taking are really useless because I want to be a musician. So I won't need to know that tan(46) will find the missing length of a right triangle. All I need to know is basic math.

Now let's say I want to become an engineer, then all of this would be helpful.

Most of the time, my classmates and I sit In class asking how this will be used in real life, or how it will help me make money. And most of the time, teachers can't even answer the question.

Schools should be preparing kids for the area paths that they want to follow, and doing a better job at prepping them for college. It shouldn't be mandatory that I learn how a covalent bond works. I should be in a class learning how a secondary dominant can be recognized (music theory ;P).

But in a way, high school does help. That pointless knowledge that we get fed will help someone. Not everyone knows what they want to do with their life, and learning several subjects and "useless" information will eventually lead you to the career you want.

That is why they need to have career-specific high schools similar to what they do in other countries.

[JoeHillsTSD]

But like I said, not everyone knows what they want to be. And do you know how expensive it would become to have career specific high schools everywhere? And if they aren't getting student numbers like they should, they end up wasting money.

What they should start doing is stop making these classes mandatory for everyone. If a student shows a clear knowledge of his or her wanted career path, with a focused plan on how they plan on getting there, than classes like pre-calc and chemistry should stop being something have to take. Instead, classes that will help them get to their careers should become mandatory. I think highschool should reflect college in a way. (Because that's what college basically does)

[xmojox]

I homeschool. Our system is a modified form of unschooling, and I love it. More emphasis is placed on learning how to learn and to communicate what we've learned than on regurgitating facts that we won't remember anyhow. There's definitely room for improvement in the public schools.

[Human]

Stuff like algebra seems useless, but for high earning jobs it's essential. It will all come into play if you pick the right careers.
I think primary is useless... I generally literally learnt nothing there.

[workingatperfect]

That is why they need to have career-specific high schools similar to what they do in other countries.

The problem with that is that at 14-18, we don't know what we want to do. People have a good idea, but what if they go to that school, get into the field and realize they want to do something else, but don't have the schooling for it, because they skipped out on a more general learning experience. In my county we have the option of leaving our schools and going to a trade school for two years to learn certain trades, they give you certification and everything. I think it's a good idea. However, you wouldn't believe the amount of people who finish and say that they wished they had just stayed at their school and taken all the normal classes, because they changed their mind about going into mechanics, or interior design, or whatever they were taking.

I don't think it's pointless. Knowledge is a great thing, and a lot of math actually comes in handy. Maybe not calculus so much, but algebra and geometry do. We're doing some stuff in our house and I've been able to use a bit of simple geometry for some stuff. Then there are subjects like chemistry and physics where it's just interesting to know how things work, even if you don't use it. English is helpful to anyone who reads or is going to have any sort of career that involves writing, even if it's just memos or fliers. Things like history can be good for conversation and showing that you paid attention in school (something employers tend to admire.) Everything has a purpose even if it's subtle.

[Nellerin]

The problem with that is that at 14-18, we don't know what we want to do. People have a good idea, but what if they go to that school, get into the field and realize they want to do something else, but don't have the schooling for it, because they skipped out on a more general learning experience. In my county we have the option of leaving our schools and going to a trade school for two years to learn certain trades, they give you certification and everything. I think it's a good idea. However, you wouldn't believe the amount of people who finish and say that they wished they had just stayed at their school and taken all the normal classes, because they changed their mind about going into mechanics, or interior design, or whatever they were taking. .

I used to think the same thing but then I looked at the Top 5 countries (South Korea and Finland mainly) to see their High School corriculums. I've noticed that they all seem to put a lot less emphasis on things that are not needed, and instead allow students to go to Speciality High Schools for specific jobs.

[TheBigUnit]

I used to think the same thing but then I looked at the Top 5 countries (South Korea and Finland mainly) to see their High School corriculums. I've noticed that they all seem to put a lot less emphasis on things that are not needed, and instead allow students to go to Speciality High Schools for specific jobs.
Yeah I think germany does this and uk partially, from what I hear you have to take a nationwide test and basically see from there which isn't the best thing either

This is the reason why we are "behind" in academics, most of you here are american and are as intelligent as anyone else in this forum regardless of nationality, usa falls "behind " because we test all students at the same level unlike many countries around the world, the american kid isn't dumb its just tht joe from ghetto high is tested the same with joe from prep,
I have a friend in sweden and I know ill never trade my education with hers, at her school the days are much longer, and she takes 2 to 3 times as many classes I take in a school year, that being said she could graduate at 16

I homeschool. Our system is a modified form of unschooling, and I love it. More emphasis is placed on learning how to learn and to communicate what we've learned than on regurgitating facts that we won't remember anyhow. There's definitely room for improvement in the public schools.

I personally rather go to public school than homeschool but that's just me

But like I said, not everyone knows what they want to be. And do you know how expensive it would become to have career specific high schools everywhere? And if they aren't getting student numbers like they should, they end up wasting money.

What they should start doing is stop making these classes mandatory for everyone. If a student shows a clear knowledge of his or her wanted career path, with a focused plan on how they plan on getting there, than classes like pre-calc and chemistry should stop being something have to take. Instead, classes that will help them get to their careers should become mandatory. I think highschool should reflect college in a way. (Because that's what college basically does)

I don't know about you but here in pennsylvania we have to take 3 years of math social studies and science and 4 years of english. Its just to get atleast a basic knowledge in all fields before college,
you obviously don't seem to invest enough time in searching for ways to set your career path the way you like, you can go to your local community college for classes while in high school and go to tech school if you want to be an engineer, many of my classmates are doing that



The reason why we take these some of these classes are not for our own personal "gain" but more like testing us in diffrent ways in our ways of taking challeneges and which colleges will accept us in uinderstanding vairous topics also the first two years of college are really no diffrent from high school anyway

[Jean Poutine]

Eh, school is dumb. Never let your schooling get in the way of your education. Personally, all the smartest, wisest, "common sense" people I've met did not have a high amount of schooling. The smartest person I've ever talked to was a French hobo with whom I've shared a spliff.

[Ajmichael]

I don't know too much about the US 'high school' system, but in the UK we have Sixth Form. Over the two years in 6th form, you take AS levels in the LVI and A levels in the UVI. Four subjects is typical at AS, dropping to three at A level. All of these subjects are optional and you choose what you take based on the degree you want to take at university. For instance, I am planning on taking Physics, Maths, Chemistry and English Literature or Government and Politics at AS, dropping the latter at A level. This is because the degree I am planning on taking is a Master in Marine Engineering, so Physics and Maths is a must. It is the experiences you have in early life, at school and at university that should give you the skills you need in life beyond academics.

[Kuurachan]

Well, these day most high schoolers are more focused on drama, bullies and relationships than education, but it depends on who it is.

[fast8]

i dont think they teach alot of things you will run into in the real world

[randomnessqueen]

not pointless.
but it could certainly use some majour changes