Jumping through the hoops of education
Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 05:32AM Why, Scott?
I've gone off on this before, but our education system mission is not really about preparing grads for a vocation, cultivating a well-rounded personalities, or helping individuals gain some sort of self-fulfillment. That's the cover story. The primary mission of education is to prevent - or at least slow - cultural change, thereby keeping society stable - keeping those in power, in power.
When my high-school-honors-student daughter returned from her first semester at the University of Minnesota, she complained that her classes lacked relevance to her intended vocational goals. Well, in so many words anyway. (I think she actully said "Why do I have to take all this crap?") While the U would probably say those "core" courses are there to make sure a student is well-rounded and culturally literate, I suggested to Carrie that this is simply society using education as a means of slowing cultural change by only allowing students who are willing to conform and delay gratification to gain positions of responsibility in society. "You play by our rules and jump through our hoops* or you don't play at all." And it works very nicely. thank you.
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I suggested to both my kids that they weigh the advantages and disadvantages of abiding by education's social contract. Play nice and you get a degree and you are qualified for entry level positions of a professional nature. "Yes, you may now be an accountant, a dentist, a teacher, a social worker, etc." In exchange for one's time and independence and obedience, one gets a large degree of safety and security. It's the deal most of us strike and it's not really a bad one. Right, Dr. McLeod?
Or don't follow the rules, quit or get kicked out of school, and get an early start inventing your own product/service/scheme or business. Or a 9-5 work job that pays the bills and pursue your passion outside of work - fishing or thieving or sculpting or smoking pot or complaining about the rest of society while living in your parents basement. It's the deal that seems to work either really, really well or very, very badly. Bill Gates and the guy with his life in a shopping cart down by the Salvation Army both took a non-academic route.
Graduating from school depends far more on a student's EQ than IQ, if EQ is the ability to conform to societal norms. And how much of EQ is knowing when to simply shut up, go with the flow, and keep on keeping on? Cramming for AP tests even knowing it's is a waste of time in grand scheme. I believe the current term du jour is "grit."
You really should let your daughter know her options, Scott.
* I would say most of the debate on standards, pedagogy, and even general educational philosophy is about what the rules and what hoops society expects from a traditionally educated person. It's about using education to help put disenfranchised people into the system - not about changing the purpose of the system itself.
Reader Comments (5)
I have a daughter who is a second semester high school senior and we have had similar discussions. She is interested in going into the film / acting field, so her choice of post-high school options are different than a "typical" college student. We have even talked about (*gasp*) having her take a year off and work.
If the administrators and counselors at her high school knew she and I had talked about a gap year I might be sent to the principal's office...
My son took 2 gap years and I took a "gap" year (to get instate residence in Colorado), so I don't think they are such bad things. I've often felt education was wasted on the young and if your daughter is a little older when she finishes school, that might not be such a bad thing.
Doug
Some students think that education is just part of teens life, they ignore the significant effect of it. Student should learn that education does not end with our history, arts and sciences. It is important to impart the education in their lives. - Jilly Monroe
There is another way; the Sudbury Valley School & Sudbury School approach. fFreedom to explore, freedom to self govern, freedom to talk, freedom to play, freedom to discuss, freedom, freedom, freedom.
Thanks, MIke. I wish schools like yours were the rule, not the exception to it. Doug