Up to what point is school necessary?

[Amnesiac]

Couldn't it be argued that after a while, kids don't need to go to school anymore? Do children NEED to learn advanced math or chemistry if it's totally unrelated to the career they're seeking?

I think that high school is putting a lot of teaching to waste, I'm kind of leaning towards the idea that students should be taught what they need to succeed in the type of job they're looking for rather than taught everything at once. Still not sure about it though.

[huginnmuninn]

up tothe point when your parents cant help you with any of your homework is when school shouldnt be neccesary. Id say about eighth grade maybe ninth at most is what should be required but if a child wishes to continue the education it should be allowed and encouraged

[Ender]

I highly agree with this statement...

I want to work in law enforcement, so where is AP World History and advanced trigonmoty going to come in with me pulling over somebody and writing them a ticket or chasing down a bank robber?

Cops need to take language and writing classes; They need to know how to talk to people, and how to write a beast of a report. Thats about it.

I am so on the same page with you dude.

[Amnesiac]

I highly agree with this statement...

I want to work in law enforcement, so where is AP World History and advanced trigonmoty going to come in with me pulling over somebody and writing them a ticket or chasing down a bank robber?

Cops need to take language and writing classes; They need to know how to talk to people, and how to write a beast of a report. Thats about it.

I am so on the same page with you dude.

Yeah, there's no need in teaching someone who wants to be a cop geometry. However, I'm afraid that if we do this, people won't have the opportunity to choose an alternate career. Even though, isn't college all about preparing you for one specific career anyway?

[Ender]

Yeah, ima work in law enforcement and graphic/web design, so im set :P

[Antares]

I disagree.
I think that what school tends to do is build on concepts that you learn early on.
After you get to advanced whatever, you build and solidify concepts that you have supposedly learned before.
For example, after taking Trig, I really knew my shit from Algebra 2. Although a handful of people will never use it again in their lives, at least they know how to learn, how to work with numbers, and hopefully some other things.

Then again, I like school and I don't ever really feel like I am wasting my time learning because I get to choose what I take and I know that I am learning what I want to.
I guess its a different perspective than kids who sit in class bored and so uninterested in learning new things

[lengthy_brochure]

I have deleted the contents of this post

[Whisper]

kids NEED to go to school up till grade 12 at a MINIMUM and in todays society they need to go farther still, either in a trade where they can make some actual cash or university where they're fucked unless they have a masters.

What needs to change isnt the length of basic education but rather that which is taught, i could write an entire book on how that needs to change....

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this is 20min long i doubt any of you will watch it all
but he raises some very good points.

[The Joker]

Honestly, I think that all school needs to accomplish is to teach you how to find accurate information, where to look, etc. A teacher of mine specifically told me this. It's not about doing thousands of math questions, it's about the process of learning and being able to understand these things. Once a kid truly knows how the process of learning goes, and is able to execute it, I think they should be done high school, and onto university to learn about whatever specific career they want to.

[karl]

Well it's a great way for governments to keep the unemployment figures down. That's the main reason the school leaving age was raised to 16

[Continuum]

That's the problem with mandatory schooling: You need this in order to advance to a higher stage in life, as said by the government. Ask this to everyone in our faculty, they'll just say "You need this later in your life." But hell, what does Thai Music and the Proving Portion of geometry have to do with Medicine and Law? They just keep their redundant words a lot.

Compared to others though, my country's educational system feels a bit lagged behind from other (more prosperous) countries, and yet everyone seems to be happy with it. I agree with you a lot. I just hate how we need to have at least a bit of education from schools that we may or may not need in future time. Or, I just really hate studying about Thai instruments and beats. :\

[Sith Lord 13]

I highly agree with this statement...

I want to work in law enforcement, so where is AP World History and advanced trigonmoty going to come in with me pulling over somebody and writing them a ticket or chasing down a bank robber?

Cops need to take language and writing classes; They need to know how to talk to people, and how to write a beast of a report. Thats about it.

I am so on the same page with you dude.

AP World history is going to give you the basis for knowing when an arrest is good or not, what legal loopholes you have available, and the socio-cultural norms of potential suspects. Also, it will help you make smart choices about who to vote for in elections.

Advanced trig? How about when you're doing home renovations? Honestly, everything I've learned in high school I've either used or seen where I would use it in the future.

Yeah, there's no need in teaching someone who wants to be a cop geometry. However, I'm afraid that if we do this, people won't have the opportunity to choose an alternate career. Even though, isn't college all about preparing you for one specific career anyway?

See above, also colleges include a core for a reason. You need to learn somethings outside your field because A) You may choose to change your major and B) To make you a well rounded individual capable of basic skills and making competent decisions.

;1040843']School should really focus more on preparing you for your future.

Take a look at schools in Germany. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany#Education)After 8th grade, students are split into three different systems to prepare them individually.

Dear god. Do you know how many times I've changed what I wanted to do since 8th grade?

[ShyGuyInChicago]

Yeah, there's no need in teaching someone who wants to be a cop geometry. However, I'm afraid that if we do this, people won't have the opportunity to choose an alternate career. Even though, isn't college all about preparing you for one specific career anyway?

Lots colleges often require not just classes required for one's major, but also general education requirements: classes that are unrelated to one's major but in a variety to pick from; and core classes which everyone must take to graduate.

[Ender]

Lots colleges often require not just classes required for one's major, but also general education requirements: classes that are unrelated to one's major but in a variety to pick from; and core classes which everyone must take to graduate.

But why?

[huginnmuninn]

But why?

because they dont want graduates to be completely stupid in one area of learning and give their college a bad name

[Jess]

everything in high school may not prepare you for the career you want, but most things will help you in the future one way or the other.

My two cents

[ShyGuyInChicago]

But why?

The idea is for people to gain a broad educational background. It can be helpful for some careers to have knowledge in other areas.

[Continuum]

The idea is for people to gain a broad educational background. It can be helpful for some careers to have knowledge in other areas.

But really, sometimes it's just that. Every subject is dispersed. You just get a ton of crap that you don't need in your life, nor in the career you are going to take.

[The Dark Lord]

everything in high school may not prepare you for the career you want, but most things will help you in the future one way or the other.

My two cents

I agree with pretty much everything said above, except the use of the phrase "my two cents"- don't use it, it's so annoying!

The point of school isn't to prepare you for a pre-determinded career- it's to teach life lessons and expand your fountain of knowledge

[Daniel_]

I say school is necessary up to the point of a successful life.

You don't think school will help you in any way? Don't go, and 10 years from now when I'm making 6 figures and your living with your mom, i'll ask you the same question again.

[Ender]

I say school is necessary up to the point of a successful life.

You don't think school will help you in any way? Don't go, and 10 years from now when I'm making 6 figures and your living with your mom, i'll ask you the same question again.

Do you think i'd want to be a cop if the money's all i cared about?

[Amnesiac]

I say school is necessary up to the point of a successful life.

You don't think school will help you in any way? Don't go, and 10 years from now when I'm making 6 figures and your living with your mom, i'll ask you the same question again.

While there's no way I'm dropping out of school, ever, I just have to point out the irony of how some of the most high-profile billionaires (Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg, Richard Branson) dropped out of college to pursue their businesses.

[Errr]

I agree. Once we get to 9th or 10th grade. Our classes should be purley what we need for our choosen careers and future (electives) and still reading and writing. I will never need to know binomials or polynomials. Nor will I about EVERY detail about history. History is great, But I don't need to know every exploere by name. Science is really the only thing I won't need that is useful. Science at least helps you logically think.

[Daniel_]

While there's no way I'm dropping out of school, ever, I just have to point out the irony of how some of the most high-profile billionaires (Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg, Richard Branson) dropped out of college to pursue their businesses.

However, are you Bill Gates? Do you plan on making the next Microsoft Windows?

[Perseus]

everything in high school may not prepare you for the career you want, but most things will help you in the future one way or the other.

My two cents

Oh yeah, let me just make a polynomial to help me in my everyday struggles. I do not foresee see me using equations to help me edit videos when I'm pursuing that career.

[Amnesiac]

However, are you Bill Gates? Do you plan on making the next Microsoft Windows?

Bill Gates didn't plan on making Microsoft Windows when he dropped out of Harvard. He wanted to pursue a career in computing, and school wasn't helping with that. So he dropped out and formed Microsoft.