To think the school system is ridiculous

[Suflan]

This post is talking about the school system in the republic of Ireland, but I know that the school system in the UK has some similiatites, so this is also relevant to people in the UK.

I went to school in Ireland a long time ago, 20 years ago.

My younger cousins are just sitting their school leaving certificate (irish equivalent to a levels) this year and they and their friends have been posting about the exams, after it happened, on social media.

I was just thinking what they learn and do exams on is such a load of shite. Like how is it relevant or necessary in todays world at all.

They posted about their maths paper, all the quadratic equations, prove that point 5,1 is on the line etc etc, extremely complicated equations, and algebra.

Like what do you need that for in life? Its so totally pointless. And maths is mandatory to do, so they need points from maths to get into University.

Like what is the point of learning these things. Surely they should be learning something useful. My cousins have said to me that they think that a lot of what they learn is totally pointless too

Youve picked on the wrong subject their OP. I agree the curriculum needs updating , but algebra is essential for anyone going on to study a science related subject . E = mc squared?

By not teaching it, you reduce the career options available to them

I think I would have agreed with you prior to having my son. I used to feel anxious about maths… “it’s hard/ I can’t do it”, which would often make me defensive… “it’s pointless!”
I actually remember feeling so lost and trying to copy my friends work; I think I would have really struggled if I’d had to study it at A level. But now I have a son who loves maths, who finds it thrilling and logical and I’m starting to love it too. I’m beginning to see how it is a language that can help us to problem-solve. I’ve met fabulous people who love it too.
I do wonder how narratives around maths shape our approach to it and our feelings about it - and how we can begin to challenge these

Every phone has a calculator yet we teach kids how to add up and multiply and do arithmetic. Why should we bother?
Every phone has a spellchecker, yet we teach kids how to spell.
That phone in your hand needs algebra and quadratic equations to do those things for us. Someone has to write the code to enable those functions.
Engineering - bridges, software, roads, cars, most of the things you use every day - needs the maths you are despising.

I can see that you might argue that only specialists need learn it all, yet we cannot discern who might specialise at an early age.

Moreover, if we don't teach these subjects at an early age, it could mean we lose brilliant people because they never learned in the first place.

More importantly, we need people who understand science and maths in every walk of life because we work better as a population when we share a broad knowledge.

FYI, I do have a maths A Level. I also studied software engineering and got a first and systems thinking and got a Merit in my MSc.

I suspect you will discount my knowledge because I'm a specialist, so those of us who fulfil your criteria can be dismissed because we don't fit your argument.

Algebra and quadratic equations mean you can post on MN. But hey, who needs to learn algebra?

There isn't a UK school system. Wales and Scotland are devolved.

You're talking about an overhaul of "the system", but clearly don't know much about education, as you'd know that Wales are currently in the process of just that.

You are not the only one who has experience of both school systems! I went to school in Ireland, and I work in a school in England at the moment.

I see the A Level course work that the students do in my school. They definitely don't have as much to study, as i had to study in the Leaving certificate in Ireland.

They do a lot less.

Loads of jobs need technical maths - even making huge commercial movies, mobility aids, and to some extent learning how you know something from what you've observed and to make sure you're not just guessing based on a handful of data points and stating it as fact.

Just because OP doesn't understand something doesn't make it worthless.

I've seen young people say that algebra is pointless to study. Are their opinions not valid?
Are you suggesting that the curriculum needs sign-off from all young people about what they reckon is and isn't going to be 'pointless' in their life before it's implemented?

What subject would you pick on?

Yep. I commented earlier regarding the various options in Scotland for maths but it’s been glossed over by the tone of the post. Feel for you Wales, we’re always lumped in with England too lol.

Both of which careers use algebra daily!

What ever you obviously know best!

Again what would you suggest is better that maths, you can’t seem to answer this

To be fair to OP, she is talking about overhauling the Irish schooling system, not any of the UK systems.

Algebra+vodka=useful
The only time I've put algebra equations to good use was when one making vodka Skittles

Having compulsory math as long as possible is a gift, something which makes your population better equipped to deal with information overload era. Students don't like it because it is hard, but it's worth it.

(In my country, everyone on academic path study all subjects untill leaving the high school, with deeper focus on five of them, from that three according to one's choice plus national language plus math or foreign language. I'd love to see math being compulsory)

The A level algebra isn't really that complicated, it is still about understanding math operations, relationships between numbers and shapes. You live in a physical world and those kinds of knowledge are necessary if you want to understand/describe it. And if you don't care about nature or mechanics, many human focused things use it a lot - algorithms of social networks work, medical research, sociology, journalist reporting about anything from the previous, ...

But you can't win on mumset

I wrote 'England 'on another thread. It was a thread about something that was in England

And a poster wrote, "don't you mean the U.K?"

Let's not mention the annual horror of leaving cert poetry. All the themes and quotes, then your favourite poet isn't on the paper.

She said she works in a school with the UK system, which does not exist.

Vodka to mixer ratio is another good use of maths!

1:1 or 1:2 ratio - anything else makes it too weak!

Yes I agree entirely with you. And I'm highly educated myself and did well. I concur, an absolute pile of shite.

It needs a gigantic overhaul. That would take a fair amount of work to determine how that would work to meet the skills and interests of all.

I would prefer to see much greater emphasis upon vocational subjects. I'd like to see say Religious Studies bullshit replaced with say Politics and economics in Secondary school. You could cover the variety of religions at a very basic level in say 6 weeks. Why do I give a shit who wears what religious garment? I don't have any interest and most young people don't care either.

I would like to see greater focus upon financial management, budgeting, the important things in life that many leave school not understanding.

History is another example. Who has determined what's covered here and why does it seem so much is still missing from history taught. Are kids still learning about the Bolsheviks? Who gives a crap. Do we not have other issues of greater significance to cover. Do we cover the questionable role of the UK in dominating other countries and cultures yet throughout history? Or is that still ignored.

I too used to firmly believe that the education system taught us discipline and how to be committed etc. But really, what a total waste of the capacity of young minds in our conveyor belt system. I find it really sad because I can't do anything about it and instead try not think about that which I can't change.

You don’t “need” to pass maths at higher level to study history in most cases though? Certainly at UCD you don’t

I've looked at A-Level past papers, and they don't look like they have any more depth than Irish Leaving certificate papers.

And as your posts show that you have very little understanding of Maths, what it consists of or how it is used in academic study or in everyday life, I don’t think you’re qualified to make that judgement.

I wrote, "I work in a school in England"

Unless you have lived in England and Ireland, and worked in a school, then I'm more qualified to make that judgement than you.

A lot of university courses in Ireland require pass maths, not honours at leaving cert.

But all University courses require a certain amount of points to get in, and if you drop to pass level in mandatory maths, you can lose a lot of points.