Education

[mohawkninja]

Alright, I'm getting really frusterated. As you guys may know, I'm one of the youngest people on these forums, and I'm currently in high school. The way my school works (and many others from what I have heard) many of my classes have turned from a teacher teaching, to us teaching ourselves. For example, I'm taking Honors Algebra 2 (I'm a freshman). In our new math system, the teacher no longer lectures. We go to the book, do the problems in groups, do the homework, and then we don't even check the homework before going on to the next section. When my teacher is absent, it's no different than when she is there. Another thing with homework- There is way too much of it. I get home at 6:00 because of extracurriculars, sometimes 6:30. By the time I eat dinner, it is around 6:30 or 7:00. Then I have about 4 of homework. Now, before I dropped my chinese class, this was way too much work (I was getting about 5 hours a night) So that brings my total to 11-12 PM. So now it is time to sleep... until 5:00 where I get up and do it again. Funny thing is the class I learn the most in gives the least homework. I feel like I've been trained to come to school to get points, and not to learn.
This may be my lack of experience in the real world, but this style of education really seems worthless at this point.

I know many of you people have children, have they experienced anything like this?

 

[sharkysmachine]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mohawkninja http:///t/397250/education#post_3540330
Alright, I'm getting really frusterated. As you guys may know, I'm one of the youngest people on these forums, and I'm currently in high school. The way my school works (and many others from what I have heard) many of my classes have turned from a teacher teaching, to us teaching ourselves. For example, I'm taking Honors Algebra 2 (I'm a freshman). In our new math system, the teacher no longer lectures. We go to the book, do the problems in groups, do the homework, and then we don't even check the homework before going on to the next section. When my teacher is absent, it's no different than when she is there. Another thing with homework- There is way too much of it. I get home at 6:00 because of extracurriculars, sometimes 6:30. By the time I eat dinner, it is around 6:30 or 7:00. Then I have about 4 of homework. Now, before I dropped my chinese class, this was way too much work (I was getting about 5 hours a night) So that brings my total to 11-12 PM. So now it is time to sleep... until 5:00 where I get up and do it again. Funny thing is the class I learn the most in gives the least homework. I feel like I've been trained to come to school to get points, and not to learn.
This may be my lack of experience in the real world, but this style of education really seems worthless at this point.

I know many of you people have children, have they experienced anything like this?
I understand your frustration. I have two your age (twins). Your right, that's a lot of work, my kids are the same. I've lived in many countries including Hong Kong China, Japan, and the middle east and can tell you most people in China or Japan are well...robotic work machines. All the kids do is math. There is more to life.

My advice to you, If you have a talent develop it, if you dont know what your talents or skills are try many things until you find them. When you do, commit your energy to them as your talents and skills will separate you from the rest and guide you to success. Very often skill or talent is not something that can not be taught in a classroom, they are the instinctive traits that tell us what direction to go in. When we ignore them by listening to the wrong people we get in trouble.
Hang in there kid, your the future , be strong...and watch some practical jokes on you tube. That should cheer you up.

 

[flower]

LOL...Teenagers.

In this world, the more education you get, the better off you are. The less education you get, the harder you have to work, and make less money doing it. My advice...Work your rear off now, and be able to sit at a desk later.

Otherwise you will end up like me...Crippled up at a young age from doing hard labor all your life, and the reward for all that hard physical work.... just scraping by to raise your children, and keep food on the table.

 

[reefraff]

I would have dropped algebra and kept Chinese LOL!
Sounds like you need to decide which is more important at this point, scholastics or extracurricular activities.

 

[beth]

I agree. Focus on the academia. To be competitive, that algebra, foreign language and A's are going to pay off in the end, not after school fun. The rest of world is your competitor and believe me you will need your hard work now to help you out with real competition later on.

 

[reefraff]

Yep. You bust your arse now and in college it will pay off the rest of your life. Thing is think long term but don't trap yourself into a particular field of study. You are young and will likely change your mind several times between now and college as far as what you want to do when you grow up

 

[mohawkninja]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///t/397250/education#post_3540370
I would have dropped algebra and kept Chinese LOL!
Sounds like you need to decide which is more important at this poIint, scholastics or extracurricular activities.
It wasn't my choice to drop Chinese, my parents made it for me. Even if it was, I had an A in math so I wouldn't have dropped it over my B- in chinese. I don't do many extracurriculars, my last one of the year ended last week.

 

[reefraff]

Now see, having about 37 years of post high school life experience I would have encouraged you to drop the class you have down cold and perfected the Chinese. What do you think there are more of in this country, algebra majors or people fluent in Chinese

 

[darthtang aw]

Now see, having about 37 years of post high school life experience I would have encouraged you to drop the class you have down cold and perfected the Chinese. What do you think there are more of in this country, algebra majors or people fluent in Chinese
To expand on that even further, how many major corporations need chinese liasons for business dealings?

 

[sharkysmachine]

English is a universal base language world wide. It's easier to find a Chinese business that speak english than the other way around. Same for Russian and Arabic.

 

[mohawkninja]

Guys, I don't think you understand. I can't do chinese. My parents won't allow me to, and missing a month and a half of that class would kill me long term. Also, going into scientific studies, I need good math and science classes. I'm sure as hell not dropping Honors algebra 2 when I have an A in that class.

 

[darthtang aw]

English is a universal base language world wide.  It's easier to find a Chinese business that speak english than the other way around.  Same for Russian and Arabic.
True, but in the business world it is a showing of respect if one can speak the native tongue of the country you are conducting the meeting in. also an added business advantage if you understand what is being said when groups talk during negotiations not speaking in english. If a chinese group is confereing and I can speak chinese, and they are complaining or talking about the trying to screw you in the deal, you will understand it.

 

[darthtang aw]

Guys, I don't think you understand. I can't do chinese. My parents won't allow me to, and missing a month and a half of that class would kill me long term. Also, going into scientific studies, I need good math and science classes. I'm sure as hell not dropping Honors algebra 2 when I have an A in that class.
we understand this. We are saying if we were your parents you would be doing chinese and we just explained why. keeping a class over another just off you grade in that class is similar to dropping a class and maintaining basketweaving or band class because you have an A in it.

 

[sharkysmachine]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darthtang AW http:///t/397250/education#post_3540458
True, but in the business world it is a showing of respect if one can speak the native tongue of the country you are conducting the meeting in. also an added business advantage if you understand what is being said when groups talk during negotiations not speaking in english. If a chinese group is confereing and I can speak chinese, and they are complaining or talking about the trying to screw you in the deal, you will understand it.

When I lived in Japan, we were always considered Gaijin no matter how well our Nihongo was. I always got the impression the respect was superficial and unrelated to the business of money. Same for Korea and especially in Hong Kong. In each area they appreciated the attempt in light conversation but the birds of a feather always flocked together. When it came to business and money cultural lines were always clear and the language of numbers is what mattered most. Due to ethnicity we were outsiders no matter how good our verbal language was.

 

[sharkysmachine]

Quote:
duplicate sorry

 

[aggiealum]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Beth http:///t/397250/education#post_3540374
I agree. Focus on the academia. To be competitive, that algebra, foreign language and A's are going to pay off in the end, not after school fun. The rest of world is your competitor and believe me you will need your hard work now to help you out with real competition later on.
What is wrong with extracurricular activities? They build social skills and teach an individual how to work as a team to complete a certain goal. You needs the skills to be completive in business in life WAY more than you need Algebra or even Calculus. I took Calc 3 way back when I went to college, and to this day I have no use for it. If there was any math and science class I wish I would've spent more time concentrating on, it was Geometry and Physics. I apply those theories on a daily basis.

 

[bang guy]

I agree with Aggie on the extracurricular activities. This is real world experience that you cannot get in a classroom and often sets people apart. I disagree that the advanced math isn't used on a daily basis. It's the problem solving skills you are exercising and growing. You may not use the actual math itself but without the academic challenge you may not reach your full potential. I've never used abstract algebra or physics level calculus, I agree, but it help trained my mind to think out of the box when looking at solutions.

 

[reefraff]

Without having all the details it's hard to say what is best. If the kid has 4 classes and is participating in everything from glee club to wrestling and track then yeah, some extracurricular stuff needs to go away. As far as dropping classes it sounds like the parents made the call. Without knowing the kid and which way he at least intends to go with his studies at this point I wouldn't second guess them BUT, If my kid were in school still I'd be pushing him to take Chinese because it is a very useful language to know in today's world.

 

[mohawkninja]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///t/397250/education#post_3540508
Without having all the details it's hard to say what is best. If the kid has 4 classes and is participating in everything from glee club to wrestling and track then yeah, some extracurricular stuff needs to go away. As far as dropping classes it sounds like the parents made the call. Without knowing the kid and which way he at least intends to go with his studies at this point I wouldn't second guess them BUT, If my kid were in school still I'd be pushing him to take Chinese because it is a very useful language to know in today's world.
I'm only doing one extracurricular, and it's almost over at this point. Well, got my course recommendations for next year... Honors Precalc, AP US History, Honors Chem, Honors English.
Probably gonna scratch APUSH and take normal history. Taking Spanish next year. I might try to double up science and take AP Bio too.

 

[beth]

If you can swing academic honor roll grades with extra-curriculum, I'm all for this. But if not, sacrifice the extra-curriculum. After school band over 3.9+ gpa in college prep classes is a no-brainer. Ask a high school student in China how much time they spend on extra-curricular compared to studying math and science day and night, weekends and holidays. Kids in China are learning trigonometry while most college kids here don't even go there. We are not our own peers anymore, and that certainly will not be the case with the next generation workforce.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/382018-us-lags-behind-china-on-student-math-skills-pisa-results/