5 reasons why you shouldn't rely on school to teach you

1. The school's curriculum does not always provide sufficient material

Many times before, I've realised that a lot has been left missing by a few different subjects, and only a basic understanding has been given.

This year, in the computer class that I take, for 2 terms (that's half a year) we were working on this program called Gamemaker. That makes Games of course, and is a great, free, downloadable tool to assist beginners in creating games. The teacher we had at the time took us through the basic functions, and had us create a few of the example games. After some weeks, we had learnt the basic functions of the program and eventually given a piece of assessment.

If I remember correctly, the first piece of assessment was to create a game with a minimum of 4 different rooms. Now I wanted to get more technical so I decided I wanted to create a platform game. Using what we had learnt, the game turned out flawed, had dodgy controls, and I was just about the only person who could beat it. I still got a B.

The computers were down for a few weeks at the next term, but they decided instead of giving us a new topic they would give us another assessment for Gamemaker. This time, we had to create a game with a minimum of 7 rooms based on a movie. Since we had not covered any new material, and this game was a lot more restricted, I ended up creating an even worse game than I had in the first term. I still got a B, probably because we weren't expected to be able to do much better.

One day on the holidays, I got bored so I tried to create a game with Gamemaker. In not much time and a bit of Google searching, I ended up producing a far better game then we had ever created at school. It involved a rolling lemon with enemies to jump on, 45degree inclines, and a properly working system which allows the jumping and gravity to work(rather than being able to jump in mid air, like in previous games). The controls weren't dodgy and it functioned properly. They never bothered to teach us how to do more advanced things with the program.

This term, we have been studying HTML. After learning all the basic functions, we have been given our assessment. Now we must create an online magazine based on whatever we like as long as it contains the few pages that were requested, such as a profile and feature article. At first I thought that would be horrible, we had only learnt basic HTML. I tried to create the layout of the site, and it ended up very dodgy and looking like a complete beginner had made it.

From past experience, I know that instead of relying on what the school has taught us, why not just look it up on Google? I now have used CSS also in the website, for the basic layout. Now I didn't just go and copy a bunch of code and paste it into the notepad file for the layout, I actually wrote it myself. I can tell you now that the layout I created in about a lesson and a half is far better than what I would have struggled with using just the HTML we had learnt.

This all proves, that in this class, the best option is not to rely on the material they give and proves that it is much more effective if you look it up yourself.

2. Not enough sources

The way the school teaches you is not the only way. Unlike in reason 1, they can provide sufficient information, but only in one view. For example, if you read the history textbook given to you for the subject, it will provide you with the information you need... but it is only one source. Generally with history you have research assignments, but you may often be learning by the book, the one source you are given to learn from.

The same goes for maths, you don't need as many sources because it does not have many different views on it, and they are generally all correct. But it can greatly help you understand if you can find it on the Internet explained simply.

So, if you can find more, often more relevant sources it can prove useful. Because they weren't given to you by the school, you aren't relying on the school's resources to teach you.

Sick of reading the science textbook? I find it often best explained on wikipedia.

3. Much of the time in class is wasted

I know I wrote a bit about it before, but it is here again. When you go to a class, a lot of the time you won't learn anything relevant or useful, or you just won't learn anything at all. Often pointless worksheets are given, or the methods used just aren't efficient.

In my health and physical education(HPE) class, for several lessons we watched movies. Sure that's okay, a nice easy lesson, but I didn't really learn anything. Other than that, we copy notes off the projector about illegal drugs and how to avoid drugs(including the basics about confidence and self esteem -- I barely bothered to copy most of it).

This goes back to what I said in a previous blog entry Here where I explained about a non existent program where some students who thought they were too good to attend school normally can just be given the material, study it, complete the assessment then sit the exams and be done for the term in less than 2 weeks. That's 1 year of school in 2 months. That is how inefficiently class time is spent.

4. You don't learn it all at school

This reason isn't just school, it goes on to university.

I am looking at computer game programming. When I leave school after senior, I definitely will not have what I need, I won't have the qualifications, or the skills.

So then I would go to university for that, study Maths and IT. That will get me the qualifications, but from who I've talked to, and from what I know, it won't always get the skills. I don't see a university course teaching all the major programming languages to students. I see that as more of a thing they would expect students to do in their own time. I most likely will learn programming before I go to university anyway, and I am definitely not going to rely on university to teach me the skills I need.

As I've read before, the degree gets you in the door and your skills and experience do the job.

However in saying that, some courses may give you all you need for the job, but like I said from what I know, not this one.

5. School is designed for the majority

The system is not best fit for you, it is best fit for everyone. Top of the class, you are doing well but you can't rely on school to take you much further because the slower people have to catch up. Just like how I wrote about our spelling, a few people in the class struggle with some of those words, and, because it is designed for the majority, I was stuck with them. Actually it was decided that we don't HAVE to do them anymore, but it still stands as a good example of what they tried to give us.

Same in math, you might have worked out the stuff last year and don't want to repeat it with slight more difficulty added to it this year. However again the slower people in the class won't have done it as well and will need it again. I am only getting a B in math, but that is because I don't need to spend the time to get an A until next year.

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I personally don't rely on school to teach me. I don't come home with 4 hours and 40 minutes worth of learning(time spent in class). I don't even get 2 hours worth of learning, maybe 1 hour on a one off occasion.

It will be nice when I am finally out of it.

What do you see yourself as in the future?

Like I said an a past post, subject selections have happened for senior. People are starting to think seriously about what they see themselves as in the future. What they want to do when they leave school.

I personally don't think, to maximise your life, you need to look that far in the future.

No, that's not good enough, you need to look much further.

After I have read blog posts by other more successful bloggers, I have seen that it is clearly possible to develop a talent in blogging so far, that you don't need to go for a 9 to 5 job.

The school has been stressing that our primary concern should be that of choosing a pathway to follow with a (usually) 9 to 5 job, and studying for that. That's what I am doing, I think I will do some sort of IT work. But, that's only so I am not broke while developing this talent(particularly in blogging, but not necessarily) as to replace the need to devote over a third of my day to work.

Now, in the future I want to be an energetic, healthy person. Similiar to what I've also said in a past post about optimism, that is one of my plans for maximising life. I want to make money in a smart way, not by running a busy business which requires me to work a lot, or by being employed for 8 hours a day.

OK, that may eventually start working some years into adulthood, I couldn't be certain of the future, but that's what I see myself doing.

Now, while the school is encouraging the general system, I am encouraging myself to make my life better than that. To the majority, you get educated from school, college, courses and whatever else. Then you get to work, yay.

Your average work day would be something like this;
First you wake yourself up at about 7am. You eat some breakfast, shower, and get ready for work. You then drive to work to start at about 9am. At 5pm, a third of a day later, you head home. It could take you a bit of time to get home, depending on how far you live, but you get home early evening.

6 hours, 6 hours of your day you have left before you should sleep again. Sure you had the bit of time in the morning but that was mostly devoted to getting ready for work, or reading the news paper or some such quick activity.

So that is a quarter of your day when you can relax, watch tv or do something to keep you entertained or busy.

Now don't you think it would be much better if you could wake up in the morning, having your finances under control while you are barely working, to enjoy and make the most of your day? I certainly know which lifestyle I will be aiming for.

So most likely you will end up on the 9 to 5 job, unfortunately. Then for atleast another 40 years you save for your retirement. Then you retire, grow older and die. That is the system. Fairly simple when you think about it, education > work > retire > die. I still like the idea of forced education > retire(at 25, not 75) > die. See how it is missing the work? well, it might contain a small amount, maybe 5 years, I believe I said previously.

Sure, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a job. It will just be something you are bound to.

By the way, I don't see blogging as a job, more of a hobby, and I don't think it is much work, in comparison with having a regular job anyway.

Looking even further into the future, this should just continue up until it is obsolete (say in the future if people get less bothered about blogs and there are new things). I don't know, I am not psychic but the general idea still continues.

More Romeo and Juliet and school

Well just in the last week or so, we were given our assessment for English. Two tasks; one is to write an essay on whether or not we think Romeo and Juliet is suitable for Grade 10 and write a scene from Romeo and Juliet but in a different time setting, I believe I mentioned that one in a previous entry.

So I find that funny, half the assessment on Romeo and Juliet is writing whether we think it is a good idea for grade 10 students or not. I'm sure you know what I'll be writing about.

Also, last lesson in science we had a substitute teacher. Instead of doing completely boring and obvious tests which may amuse (or completely bore) a grade 3 student he showed us a bit of basic chemistry with some household products. That's what we have been supposed to be doing this term, but turns out so far we really have failed to be taught much. Sure a half hour to work out Australian bar codes start with "93" but you just learnt that by reading it(much easier).

Well, I had this idea, an idea the school will never accept. Both from legal issues and their views on school which are obviously different to mine.



How about a special program.

One which certain students could do instead of attending school. I know this sounds silly, and most will think its a bad idea, but I think I could complete each 10 week term in less than 2 weeks, if I was given the material and assessment. Once finished, return to school for a day or two, complete the exams and move on. Possibly visit the school for a short period once a week for any school updates, class updates and changes.

Trouble is some subjects cannot do this, such as HPE. Well one solution would be to have a blank timetable except for that class, or just not do HPE, I'm not.

It would be more like a TAFE course. (not sure if it is called TAFE in other countries such as America, Google it)

It is just that SO much time is wasted during school, and I agree with the opinion that one side of it is to keep young people busy while their parents are at work.

But that's why this option would only be for a small number of people, those who can actually accommodate it, and It should only be for seniors.

Now you might think that it just sounds like home school or actually leaving school and attending TAFE, those are options but they cost money. I don't necessarily think that the school is incapable of teaching that I would have to go for another option, I just think that the system doesn't work for me, and I'm not liking it. So this would just be a school based program, nice and simple, saves time.

I-doser, simulation drugs and feelings

Wouldn't it be cool to try different drugs, without actually having them? It has quite a fair few drugs, like cocaine, heroin, alcohol or you can even take a french roast. It also has different feelings like it can make you happy. And it is all just a simulation -- you don't actually have illegal drugs. Infact, all it does is simulates some of the positive effects of the drugs, cocaine is basically just a stimulant, alcohol makes you walk funny and trip(i think they are magic mushrooms) just makes you hallucinate a bit. Best of all it is safe, fun, and isn't bad for you.

Don't worry, you aren't actually taking drugs. It's called I-doser, you can download it and it comes with a few free doses. It sends binaural beats which adjust the frequency of the brain to simulate the effect of the drug or the feeling. You just have to listen to the sounds, most of which go for about 30 minutes.

I have taken quite a few, you have to be in a dark distractionless quiet room, with stereo headphones. It does actually work. It is harder to do correctly than they say, but with a bit of practice at clearing the mind and focusing on the sounds, you can get it working quite well.

Just a bit of fun.

I may use the sleep dose to put me to sleep when i try polyphasic again, and I may use a stimulant to keep me awake. It is not actually drugs so it shouldn't negatively effect changing from monophasic to polyphasic but I guess I'll find out one day.