To think secondary school rules are harsh and missing the point

[craxyrulebraker]

DS has just started secondary I just think it is all too much and the focus is all wrong.

You have to ask to take your blazer or jumper off
warning about the 'wrong' type of PE shorts, etc
Not allowed to drink water in lessons
Cautions for forgotten kit
Detentions for homework not complete - even when its not clear who/how to hand it in

Meanwhile very little nurture or pastrol care; poor communication so children don't know what is always expected of them, but scared they will get a detention; hardly any SEN support; very little staff presence at break/lunch times or in corridors; problems with bullying. Schools can't do these basics but tell the kids off for wearing the 'wrong' grey trousers!!

But requirements for grades or subjects indicates a standard of education, even if you don’t use Pythagoras every day. The alternative is teaching people to read and nothing else, because what else do you need?

You need lots of other things, of course. Life skills being one, but we don't teach them and we wonder why people don't understand their mortgage, or end up in mountains of debt, or whatever else. I don't think we should do away with lessons, especially history, geography etc actual things that have happened, the world around us. But I don't love that out ability to remember things can dictate the rest of our lives. Because that's all it is, coursework would probably be better test of actual understanding, I think.

And also, having a good standard of education certainly does not mean you're any good at a job. I have literally worked with people who had PhDs but we're absolutely shite at their job! And people who were realistically "underqualified" but actually were shit hot in reality. It's really not the measure it should be.

I was thinking along similar lines school one doesn’t sound very accommodating to Sen, no reasonable adjustments. Overall Sen children don’t tend to perform as well in exams as non Sen so if you can lower your Sen population you will automatically improve your results

And I say this as someone who has really good GCSEs!

Pissing myself laughing literally.

The real world you have literally no idea what is coming over the horizon in terms of technology.

Good quality roles oh my fucking god, I don’t know where to start 🤣🤣

Why do you think we don’t teach life skills?

It doesn’t mean you’re good at any job, but I don’t think anyone is claiming it does. A phd shows an academic standard that isn’t relevant in most jobs, but every single job requires a level (a standard) of literacy. We’re back to ‘teach only the basics’ again, and that’s a miserable society.

Life skills being one, but we don't teach them and we wonder why people don't understand their mortgage, or end up in mountains of debt, or whatever else.

Most schools do teach debt, savings, mortgages. Shockingly 14/15/16yos forget this knowledge when they need it aged around 30. It used to be parents who educated children with life skills; that home school partnership should still be there. Stop expecting schools to fill gaps left by crap parenting.

Many don't!

I'm not expecting schools to fill gaps left by "crap parenting". However, it's a damn site more useful than Pythagoras' theorem isn't it? Which teenagers also forget

That's not at all what I'm saying though, is it?

Realistically GCSEs don't actually tell you anything.

Basics and actual useful information would be better, plus coursework and not tests. Actual understanding. Not pressurised exams. No part of that is "teach the basics" is it? No.

The teens that go on to use Pythagoras through A level and university, and sometimes in jobs, don't forget. Education should be broad enough for people to have options in life. We need some of the population to go on to jobs that use Pythagoras, we need some of the population to go on and use their knowledge of History, we need some students to be great photographers. We'd do a disservice by limiting students options to 'only what they need to function as an adult (eg mortgage, bills, literacy and cooking)'.

All schools will teach percentages, it is examined at GCSE and usually over multiple questions. Mortgages and savings are percentages.

Why? Presumably because it's not in the curriculum? When a lot of other useless shit is?

How do you decide what is 'useful information'? Useful to you might be useless to the person next door.

Coursework is a cheats paradise, hence it getting scrapped. Coursework in maths 😂🤣😂.

Yes and I would imagine they are not the majority. Many of us have jobs where we use a specific thing but many of us learn that in further education or specific training. Again, I've not suggested we should only teach the basics. I've literally said this several times.

Mortgages and savings are percentages, of course, but they're not taught about those actual things are they. They're taught generally about % which many people clearly don't grasp relates to their mortgage and what they pay.

Well useful information might me things the majority of people use in everyday life, no?

"cheating" what though? Themselves?

Exams test memory though. How is that any better of a measure?

I think the laughing faces are also a bit mean, to be honest. Clearly no consideration for those who really struggle in exams and don't get results that reflect their actual understanding. Very intolerant.

Many of us have jobs where we use a specific thing but many of us learn that in further education or specific training.

The way memory works is that it can only attach to existing 'data'. You need links between current knowledge to take on the specific training or further education. How would you know which bit of further education you need/want to do without some experience first?

Cheating to get better grades, yes. Not sure why this is a surprise.

I'd argue schools do teach the majority of stuff people use in life. Literacy, numeracy, manners, social skills, how to form an argument, physical health, mental health, respect, tolerance.

Fwiw the maths curriculum usually examines compound interest in the context of savings and uses the word interest and savings. Not quite the lack of link to real life you seem to think is happening.

It is in the curriculum though.

How would you know which bit of further education you need/want to do without some experience first?

I mean, schools don't offer all the courses universities do, do they? That is quite literally what people already do.

Respect and tolerance seem to have gone a bit amiss.

Well actually, it is. That’s a very bare education system - who decides ‘understanding’ for example, if there’s no tests or exams?

I was laughing at the maths coursework I had to complete, and those I had to mark. Both ridiculous, not a show of my (or students understanding), instead a show of how well students copy. Because it was maths there was only one correct answer.

Coursework has its place for some subjects and can be utilised well under controlled conditions. You're all about the large majority being catered for, evidence is that exams suit the majority just fine.

Also, who decides what’s ‘useful’?

......I mean, teachers have done just that in the past couple of years. Also, coursework but apparently that's totally fucking stupid so what do I know.