<p>public education is ineffective because the majority of people get nothing out of it. Teachers are dull, classes are nonapplicable, and learning is viewed to be just plain lame</p>
<p>that aside, I think you can derive some benefit from anything you learn in school. Science and math can teach you how to think in a unique and logical manner. History is about what people have done in the past. Since people have not really changed (only the environment) it will help you understand present social and political conditions and motivations of leaders of the world . You can even apply that to a micro level as you try to navigate up the ladder of success. Of course that is more psychology and a bit of economics. </p>
<p>In all honestly, I do not like most classes. They are boring, tedius, and I learn nothing useful or valuable. There are a few exceptions (my physics and economics class) but the majority of classes are a waste of my time. </p>
<p>But I try not to see school as learning a bunch of boring facts, but exposure to new ideas and views that can help you grow as a person.</p>
<p>I would learn the politics, history, economics that affect my profession. I don't need to get in great detail because it is general infor that I will need.</p>
<p>Vtran31: How did it help you grow as a person? And, what value did it have for you?</p>
<p>I can tell you how education helped me grow. If I was trained from a job in middle school I probably would have never been exposed to the literature and philosophy I have come to love. I would not have been exposed to the links between all the subjects nor the links within our world. If I hadn't studied history I wouldn't be able to see the connections between the Cold War and the War on Terror nor the use of Goering style propoganda in today's world. </p>
<p>It might be more efficient to learn just a trade from an early age. But you must realize we have only one life, about 80-90 years to live. Part of the interesting and exciting part about being human is understand other humans and human behaviour, both past and present.</p>
<p>Sometimes I think it's funny that the ultimate goal seems to be going to college. Everyone is encouraged to go to college. My friend's brother scored a perfect score on the SATs, but you know what he wanted to do? He wanted to become an electrician. Nothing more. A waste of talent? Maybe to some people. He went to a trade school/ on the job learning experience, and loves his job. He finished his training in under 2 years. </p>
<p>If everyone went to college, then would I have to have a degree in cooking just to get a job at McDonald's? Would orthopedic surgeons be teaching gym class? It'd be like an arms race to see who could get the most degrees... and then of course everyone could be in debt from college. But then college would probably become cheaper... Would we have a better-informed electorate as a result of everybody going to college? </p>
<p>Here's where I'm going to end this: If we had a well-informed electorate, would we demand a more intelligent president? Would we demand a news media that doesn't try to scare us with their "will you die today...find out at 11?" It would be an interesting world. </p>
<p>What you are describing is the current collegiate system, I don't see where you think you are differing from reality here.</p>
<p>You will learn the basics of politics, economics, etc in some of your electives (which you will only have a few of) and the rest of your courses will be concentrated in your major (or trait). What is so different about the system that you speak of and what reality is?</p>
<p>Most people use high school as a means to be introduced to a variety of courses to see what they like to do, so they can be more specific to that major in college. If you made high school like college, that doesn't give a lot of time for me to decide what I want to be when I grow up, and I sure as hell don't want it being decided for me, no matter how efficient it might be (and thats probably counter productive anyways).</p>
<p>But you just told me you will need to know the social science (econ, politics, etc.) for your trade regardless. History must be included as well to see why these things developed that way and why things such as our constitution was written and for what purpose. Lit (which in high school is paired with english) only serves to better your written ability and is definately needed. What other courses (besides gym) are there?</p>
<p>I am saying that I would have to learn those subjects that affected me. I would only learn about the history and politics taht affected my proposed profession. I wouldn't need to know the great extensive history which can be useless in many cases.</p>
<p>Intro to politics/econ won't change a bit, and you still need to learn how to write so lit/english courses won't really change much, and lets say you swap some ancient history course with some history of science/engineering course; how is that any better than what you currently have. A relevant background in the history of sci/eng will take just as long (if not longer) than our current system and would essentially be useless if it was not supplemented with standard history/literary courses. </p>
<p>I am not seeing how the system you are describing is any better than what we currently have, in my opinion it is less efficient</p>
<p>Ok, I'll play along with your little scheme here. You'll save yourself somewhere between 2-4 courses if you cut out some lit/hist courses. My next question is what do you replace them with? Lets look at some options. You can't put any engineering courses in because you will not have had enough math/aren't intelligent enough yet. You can't force feed more math courses because you aren't intelligent enough yet. Computer programming, sure, but high schools already offer it. There are relatively few other technical courses that could replace the humanities courses you intend to bump off, so again, how is this system any better</p>
<p>"My next question is what do you replace them with?" </p>
<p>I would advance more in my proposed profession. I would obviously work more towards my profession in attempt to become an amazing whatever. It would consume the most of my school day.</p>