At what point did learning in school become just about making the grade?

I don't know which school district you refer to but at my D's.: Regular Geometry counts for 5, PreAP/ GT Geometry counts for 6. Calculus counts for 6.
It's simple, the harder classes count for more points.

Hence the reason to reward the students who take the harder classes.

 

I'm 20 and I honestly have no idea what to do. I'm taking some classes right now at hcc but they're just the basics. I was thinking of looking into broadcasting... The honest truth is that I hate school, always have. But the thing is, I've been told throughout my life that you can't be successful without a college degree... You won't make good money... Blah blah.

I'd like to go to school very minimally if I have to.

Clutchfans help!!!

 

i imagine you'd at least need a degree in communications if you want to be a broadcaster

 

Well I was looking into being a broadcast technician. They have certificate programs and 2 year programs.

 

Definitely look into those programs, because they provide a much more direct route to what you're looking for than traditional 4-year colleges.

 

Broadcasting is definitely more about who you know and your experience than the piece of paper you get at a college. I have a degree in it, and the only reason I found work in the field was because I was standing in the right place at the right time. Broadcast journalism, a degree would probably help. But behind the scenes, I don't think as much.

 

So if it's not about testing, what should it be about? I certainly understand the downside of studying for test. I myself have done this ever since middle school when I realized how much I can slack off if I just crammed night before the tests. But TBH if school was much less rigid, much less test based, I'd have found even more ways to get around the system where I don't even bother cramming.

And obviously do this with the real life restrictions due to low public school funding, bureaucracy necessary to run schools, and the need to balance the smart, fast learning students with the lesser students who struggle just to keep up with class.

 

For me when learning became about just getting by is when the teachers stopped caring about their jobs. Looking back the areas I did good I had great teachers that had a passion for teaching. The areas I slacked off I had teachers that were just going through the motions. Teaching is just like every job you have some that love there job and are there to give 110% precent every day. While others just there to get a check.

 

Teaching these days is about teaching kids to learn how to pass the standardized test rather than teaching them reading, writing and arithmetic. Sad but true. Used to be you could pass the test based on what you learned in school rather than the teachers concentrating on teaching how to pass the test. I have been blessed with some very bright children. My son. a college freshman, got a heck of an academic scholarship and my daughter, a sophomore is currently second in her class (not to mention she already has a $20,000 dollar scholarship from the CCA STAR fishing tournament for catching the largest Gafftop in the state in the teen division). I have always taken time to discuss what they learn at school and have been appalled that teachers take so much time trying to emphasize the test.

 

Schools are a symptom of the greater issue
LIFE has become about making money and getting a 'good job'
Becoming a good earner/worker . . . everything else is irrelevent
Life is about the test now

Rocket River

 

I will also add that in my conversations with other parents of school children, I am shocked at how little time some parents devote to their children and school. Taking time to actually see what they are learning in school, checking their homework, visiting with teachers whenever the opportunity presents itself, seeing them when they participate in extracurricular activities etc.... Lack of parental involvement may be the biggest problem with schools these days. A few weeks ago we were in the Houston area for a school vasity soccer tournament. We are from the Beaumont area and were playing a local Houston team. There was not a single parent from the more local team there to see children play on a Friday night (truly sad). Our team had at least 3/4 of the parents there supporting the team.