HS scholars

[Sound]

I'm not saying that all Americans have a carefree attitude about their children's education, it's just that the (vast) majority seem feel that way. Even my Grade 12 AP Chemistry teacher couldn't care less of what her children grew up to be. To paraphrase her statement, "They have ample opportunity to go down whatever path they wish, I've provided them with all they need."

 

I personally feel that such a relaxed view is hurting your people's futures (of course, feel free to do so, you're only hurting yourselves). By the time US (along with other countries with similar mentalities) realizes the severity of the problem, it may be too late (assuming global nuclear war doesn't break out before then).

 

Ironically, the thing that holds back many Chinese children is the lack of funds for their education (they may have to work many years before they've saved enough), while thats not as much of a problem for Americans (pre-recession anyways).

 

I wouldn't quite call the American attitude carefree, though it can be mistaken that way. The mindset of this kind of parent (your chem teacher) is more aimed toward the child achieving true happiness rather than driven success. The parent provides the child with enough resources and safety to grow to maturity. Instead of being pushed to do what the parent wants, the child is intended to utilize the "ample opportunity," available, and urged to pursue whatever they truly desire. This may look carefree because the parent's influence is limited, but it's meant to be in the child's best interest. The parent is merely starting them up, preparing them to make these decisions.

Considering the productivity of the nation, i agree this may not be the best strategy. It's a conflict of interests, or even tradition - Live a life of treasures and unhappiness... or happiness.

America is run by ambition - capitalism. If the person wishes to be rich, they (for the most part) have the opportunity to work towards it, and that's what they're supposed to do. If they work hard enough and long enough, they get it. It wasn't their parent's ambition that put them to the top, it was theirs. The child's free choice is meant to generate this ambition.

[t1m1976]

A friend of mine asked me to review this post as we were chatting on a SSC zone about pretty much the same topic. This post came to his mind and he related it to me (via web link) so that I might come and take part in the conversation, or at least read it.

 

I only wanted to add a thought that I had on this just now while reading. It's certainly true that if we don't give our children aspirations that we may be weakening our country's development as a whole however the reverse is that if we push our children into doing certain things are we not leaning towards socialism? I myself am not against socialistic forms of government. I think, "At least everyone would have some kind of work instead of some kind of unemployment and no trade!" ..I know, a double-edge ideal. I suppose children should be taught to aspire. Perhaps through a set of goals that they might be able to achieve (other than homework and tests) that will keep them in the mind-set that accomplishing things and aspiring to better themselves would be the best way to develope themselves and in doing so, assist the country as a whole. How many children want to help the entire country though?

 

The mind-set that I've been focusing on is the one where American people say things like, "I'm an American, it's my right to be a jerk!" (quoted from Trench Wars by the player known to me as en.you.tee.zee.es (sp?)) I realize people who think that way are probably a small percentage of the whole but they still damage the rest of us, and growing larger all the time. It's too easy to just be like other people and far easier to not give a damn about how you affect others around you.

 

I'll say it again: What this country needs is a philosophical revolution!

Edited August 28, 2009 by t1m1976

[Aileron]

OOOOOHHHH!!! SOAPBOX! HERE, LET ME STEP ON THIS A WHILE!

 

I have a BS in Mathematics from Penn State. By the way, my GPA was pathetic.

What I did with it was join the Army and become an officer in the Engineer Corps.

And the thing is, I probably *do* have the kind of talent in math and physics that Einstein had. I share many of the same strengths and weaknesses.

 

Right now to be honest I have a love-hate relationship with my country. I love how freedom gets handed to us on a silver platter, hate it when idiots don't know what to do with it. Education is something I'd say our country is screwing up in a major way, based on my life experience. Everything you need to know falls into two categories: knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge encompasses facts that are needed to complete tasks, while wisdom is what is needed to live life. Wisdom is the more important of the two. Knowledge can be learned or forgotten to suit the task at hand, but without wisdom one can't truly make life choices, and won't be free due to lack of understanding of decisions. At least in my life, I didn't learn an ounce of wisdom until I joined the Army, so its fair to say that my education truly began a year ago and the 18 years before that were a waste of time.

 

I screwed up college royally by my opinion because I lacked wisdom. I didn't have the willpower and discipline to study as much as I should have. I didn't backwards plan from the career I wanted into my choice of major. I didn't plan my courses in way in which they could be managed. I didn't have the social skills necessary to bond with my peers in order to study, and frankly maintain my sanity. Above all, I didn't have any idea where the limits of my talents were nor had an idea of how much harder I could have been working. Now, obviously this didn't turn out all bad as I was able to drive on to graduate and start a respectable career. I don't have everything I want yet, but I've reached the point where I will be able to develop the things I am lacking and will be able to shape my career in the direction I want it to go, so all in all its a 'win'.

 

The so-called 'education' I received prior to college did way too little to prepare me for it. My strengths and weaknesses were obvious to everyone around me, but aside from a small group of hard workers, few of the teachers and staff were willing to drive me. They just wanted to check the block, so when I excelled in general science and basic algebra, that was sufficient. I met the minimum requirements, and there was no need to push me to my maximum ability. A few years later when general science became quantum mechanics and algebra became complex analysis, the defecation hit the rotary oscillator and I first learned what 'pain' was.

 

That four letter word is what is the problem. The p-word is one of the key components in building wisdom. Positive rewards do motivate some in a limited capacity, but in order to build someone's full drive and character, you need to administer both positive encouragement and some of the p-word. Our schools have banned it. We are loath to apply it to even the failing and the undisciplined, and we don't apply it at all to those who are performing successfully but have higher potential. Thus, when we have someone with talent, we don't develop that person properly.

 

I'm not worried about our countries' education system though. I've spent the last year meeting the people who are going to fix this mess, as well as many of the other problems our country is facing right now. The spectators can just sit back and watch as they always do.

 

 

 

As for college plans, if you know yourself, you should be fine. Just pick the career you want, research it, and what you need to do at college will become obvious. The problem is that young people are impatient and don't know themselves as well as they think they do. If you don't I do suggest you take a year off and work for a while. I know when I was 18 that was a ridiculous amount of time to waste. However, if you don't know what you are doing, you'll end up messing yourself up and it will take quite a bit longer than a year to fix.

 

 

I'm not a recruiter, but I will advocate for the idea of joining the military. The disadvantages are that its a few years between yourself and you career, and you'll be served a heaping helping of that 'p-word' *. The advantages are that afterwords when you do go to college, I guarantee you will love your major, get straight As in every course you take, and will get prime pickings on the job market after college *.

 

*Minor disadvantage - You will be less popular with your political science professor, protesters, hippies, all varieties of homosexuals/transvestites, and any of the varieties of the radical left found on college campuses. On the other hand, you won't care.

 

*Minor advantages - You'll be more popular with the ladies/(gentlemen if you are actually one of the 1/100000 females on this forum). I'm not joking about this, as between the physical fitness, hero status, and the uniform, its pretty much a done deal. Every soldier I've seen had a partner I swear could be a model. Another minor advantage is that the military pays for college. I consider this minor, because I'll admit there are easier ways to get the money.

 

What I wanted to impress upon the reader here is that the major benefit is the character/leadership/teamwork/discipline qualities that will pretty much give you the freedom to do whatever you want.

 

 

Oh, as a sidebar - history. History is not taught in any school in the US. Yes, there are courses titled 'history', but the content of those courses is political correctness. The Army's main focus isn't teaching history, but when they teach it, they actually teach history. After I learned a little of it, I bought some books on it from private booksellers and I love it. Seriously, whoever you are, buy some history books. Go for anything that is prior to 1940 other than the Revolutionary War. Read them. You'll be astonished what you don't know.

 

 

Alright, I'm getting off my soapbox now. Wow, come to think of it, I think this is a sign that 30 years from now I'll be old and crusty, hanging out at the VFW, and complaining about hippies. I mean, I don't even have PTSD to fuel my rants yet.

[scarface.nl]

me and d1 r opening a school of ass kicking who wants to apply

[ArcticxWolf]

You can't even grasp what math is until you've taken calc 1 and 2.

 

Well, I'm taking that stuff in 11th grade, how do you think i'll do? =/

 

P.S. I plan to study Computer science at Waterloo a couple years down the road...my academic life is quite similar to Syrith's actually >___>

[Raw-Tard]

y on earth r u guys typing so much.

 

LEt SS die and get ur carrer plz.

 

 

btw: getting associates degree in Computer Network Systems