Improving The US Education
Mainly starting this article, because Empty House is kinda dull, and needs more drama.
Since some of us like kaglover live in Canada, this is by no means universal, but maybe they can give us ideas. My dad tells me that the average person from about 50+ years ago had a much higher standard of education. Fewer people went to college/university, because fewer people really needed to. Eight years or so (basically primary school) was a high enough standard that you would have an entry level job, and for something really technical you went to trade schools. Most people didn't bother with college unless they were planning medical, priestly, engineering, or legal professions.
Today? Trust me, I went out of college with a general history degree, and all I could find was entry level jobs. There are certainly some things I learned from college. But do we need this much time wasted, or could we compress it to what the average person needs for a job for primary, and technical schools for engineering, computer science, etc. Liberal arts education is terribly expensive, and leaves you in debt until you get out from under it (if you get out from under it), so leave that for really loaded people who plan to make a trade in just knowing more the rest of the population. Plus, with less of the population going more energy could be concentrated into smaller class size and better education could take place.
"When are we ever gonna use this stuff?" is code for "get to the point, stupid." Figure out what we will need for 2/3 of the jobs today, stop the over-testing, time-wasting, and brainwashing. Focus directly on the other 1/3 with trade school so the people in it for the long haul are actually sure they are going to use what they're being taught.
Okay, I've said my piece, the next of you guys that says "It's all about bulma" gets bish-slapped. Give ideas or shut up.
Thoughts? How would you improve things? Because coming out of college or graduate school in debt is unacceptable, regardless of what you earn later.
Reply With Quote