"School is like work"

[James Comey]

Good god, I hate it when school staff say that school is like work, even though at work you get paid, and other things.

2 days ago, in order to welcome students back to prison, every class went to an assembly each period (each English class each period would go to the assembly). It was to tell us how college would be looming for us. Funny enough, they pretty much told us that only 9th-12th grade do colleges actually give a shit.

Not the point though. The school staff said that "school is like work". What's worse though, is that they told us to "think of this high school as a mini-version of the real-world". Even though in the real world, you have to pay bills and taxes, there is something called business and an economy, and such. I don't think school has any of this.

Seriously, go out in any given city's downtown, and experience the life and what is going on. That's the real world. Go to school, and you'll see a bunch of students who don't want to be there are there against their will, in a confined area, which they are not allowed to leave until 3-4 PM, and if they do try to escape they will be punished, and you have to repeat the process every, single, damn, day, with breaks and weekends in there, but only to start again until the end of senior year.

"Miniature real-world for youth" my ass. More like "miniature prison for youth". That's what school is.

[brainiac3397]

The perfect thing to have done when they said such a thing was shout "When will I get my paycheck?!".

I presume the answer would've been some bull like "You get paid with education/knowledge/learning/teacher service" or they'd be jerks and threaten to give you some punishment(or just give you punishment).

Have you ever wondered that if school is supposed to be a "mini-world" and the students denizens of this world, the admins/staff/teachers are implying themselves to be Gods?

[James Comey]

Heh, I wish I could've done that.

I remember back in elementary and middle school and I once said, "I'm sacrificing my time to be here, can I get paid". Yes, they replied with the "we pay you with education" bull.

I don't think the school staff would be gods. Dictators and jail wardens makes sense, though.

[154bmag]

There aren't any laws forcing you to go to work. You won't get arrested for not going to work

[brainiac3397]

(08-30-2013 08:36 AM)Hansgrohe Wrote:  Heh, I wish I could've done that.

I remember back in elementary and middle school and I once said, "I'm sacrificing my time to be here, can I get paid". Yes, they replied with the "we pay you with education" bull.

I don't think the school staff would be gods. Dictators and jail wardens makes sense, though.

I know but I mean when they imply school is like a miniature world, and they're in charge, seems to be a subtle implication that they are "mini-gods". It would sure explain their power trips and arrogance.

[James Comey]

It does make sense now. The school staff does seem to think of itself somewhat as "gods".

@154bmag, and they'll arrest you and your parents if you don't go to school. Seriously, schools are making some scary laws against truancy.

[Meow I'm a Cat]

School tries to balance getting ready for the real world and staying a kid. They fail at both.

[SoulRiser]

If they want to compare it to something work-related, being an intern would be more appropriate. Except in the case of an intern, the work you do actually has some benefit to the company and humanity in general (depending on the company). And they might give you a paid position later. Oh, and you can still quit if you want to.

[brainiac3397]

(08-31-2013 12:05 AM)SoulRiser Wrote:  If they want to compare it to something work-related, being an intern would be more appropriate. Except in the case of an intern, the work you do actually has some benefit to the company and humanity in general (depending on the company). And they might give you a paid position later. Oh, and you can still quit if you want to.

I still want my dental benefits...

[Dunjen]

(08-31-2013 04:38 AM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  

(08-31-2013 12:05 AM)SoulRiser Wrote:  If they want to compare it to something work-related, being an intern would be more appropriate. Except in the case of an intern, the work you do actually has some benefit to the company and humanity in general (depending on the company). And they might give you a paid position later. Oh, and you can still quit if you want to.

I still want my dental benefits...

Come on guys!
If your not willing to take control for yourselves then your entire life is going to be like highschool - just with bills and taxes. i pay both of those now(I'm in highschool)- and although they are side effects of a good thing they aren't something to look forward too.
In fact that maybe the thing that makes 4 year spent in highschool worth while!! I make alot of pennies, and I get to keep every one of them because my only costs are associated with my company. Profit is profit and because my parents cover my personal costs as I don't have a family. I get to save up and go into the real world with a little change In my pockets.
Why not instead of hoping for the distant future YOU start creating the better life that you want for yourself RIGHT NOW. It's easy to day dream about the future, but it won't pay off. It's hard to force change in your life right now, but it is so worth it.

[UnschoolShqiponjë]

(08-31-2013 12:05 AM)SoulRiser Wrote:  If they want to compare it to something work-related, being an intern would be more appropriate. Except in the case of an intern, the work you do actually has some benefit to the company and humanity in general (depending on the company). And they might give you a paid position later. Oh, and you can still quit if you want to.

Internships can sometimes come with pay anyway.

[Christian Hellhound]

"School is like work"

HOW ABOUT NO

[Just A Minor Threat]

I hate that "the real world starts after high school" bullshit. Why are they trying to diminish the value of the youth? Oh right, because if the youth have no rights or value, the people in power can take advantage of them and shape them and nobody will speak up against it because they're too afraid of power. I also see it like a cycle. Adults got treated like shit as teenagers so now that they're adults and have been bestowed with the idea of an iron fist, they take out their jaded bitterness on the kids. But I don't listen to them. I live life the way I choose, the way I want because what's happening right now is real. If I wasn't real I wouldn't exist. Plain and simple. I believe I'm important and worth something. Maybe not to other people, but to myself and, at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

[Christian Hellhound]

(09-03-2013 01:46 PM)Just A Minor Threat Wrote:  I hate that "the real world starts after high school" bullshit. Why are they trying to diminish the value of the youth? Oh right, because if the youth have no rights or value, the people in power can take advantage of them and shape them and nobody will speak up against it because they're too afraid of power. I also see it like a cycle. Adults got treated like shit as teenagers so now that they're adults and have been bestowed with the idea of an iron fist, they take out their jaded bitterness on the kids. But I don't listen to them. I live life the way I choose, the way I want because what's happening right now is real. If I wasn't real I wouldn't exist. Plain and simple. I believe I'm important and worth something. Maybe not to other people, but to myself and, at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

Pretty much, sadly.

[Dunjen]

(09-03-2013 01:46 PM)Just A Minor Threat Wrote:  I hate that "the real world starts after high school" bullshit. Why are they trying to diminish the value of the youth? Oh right, because if the youth have no rights or value, the people in power can take advantage of them and shape them and nobody will speak up against it because they're too afraid of power. I also see it like a cycle. Adults got treated like shit as teenagers so now that they're adults and have been bestowed with the idea of an iron fist, they take out their jaded bitterness on the kids. But I don't listen to them. I live life the way I choose, the way I want because what's happening right now is real. If I wasn't real I wouldn't exist. Plain and simple. I believe I'm important and worth something. Maybe not to other people, but to myself and, at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

so now here is the important question...

What are we going to DO about it?

pointing it out and being upset about it is one thing-an important thing-, but now its time to do something about it. i don't think it will take out-right revolution, violence, or education reform. it takes action on your part. the parents and adults may screw things up, but you dont have to let them win. I said "screw all of you" and i redesigned my own life. right now i get out everyday at 12pm. i'm taking classes at the local community college part time and i have lots of extra time to run a business. if i had done what the adults wanted me to do i would be: first off miserable, i would be in class till 3. i would be filling out college applications, i would be working for minimum wage at a fast food joint, and i would be slave to the ideas that the adults force on all of us. I made my own plan and i plan to prove it.

in short, Screw the Adults! if you can come up with solutions then execute, but if you can only identify problems then you better come up with solutions. If you only have problems then you will be stuck complaining in place until you graduate.

[Just A Minor Threat]

(09-04-2013 12:10 AM)Dunjen Wrote:  so now here is the important question...

What are we going to DO about it?

pointing it out and being upset about it is one thing-an important thing-, but now its time to do something about it. i don't think it will take out-right revolution, violence, or education reform. it takes action on your part. the parents and adults may screw things up, but you dont have to let them win. I said "screw all of you" and i redesigned my own life. right now i get out everyday at 12pm. i'm taking classes at the local community college part time and i have lots of extra time to run a business. if i had done what the adults wanted me to do i would be: first off miserable, i would be in class till 3. i would be filling out college applications, i would be working for minimum wage at a fast food joint, and i would be slave to the ideas that the adults force on all of us. I made my own plan and i plan to prove it.

in short, Screw the Adults! if you can come up with solutions then execute, but if you can only identify problems then you better come up with solutions. If you only have problems then you will be stuck complaining in place until you graduate.

That's pretty much the way to do it. Go your own way and refuse to let others dictate your life for you!

[Lime]

Quote:I remember back in elementary and middle school and I once said, "I'm sacrificing my time to be here, can I get paid". Yes, they replied with the "we pay you with education" bull.

Which implies that you can't learn outside of school or during work.

[brainiac3397]

(09-04-2013 07:55 AM)Lime Wrote:  

Quote:I remember back in elementary and middle school and I once said, "I'm sacrificing my time to be here, can I get paid". Yes, they replied with the "we pay you with education" bull.

Which implies that you can't learn outside of school or during work.

Ive theorized that a good number school admins are so shallow mentally, they dont seem to understand what they imply. All words without meaning spout from their mouths.

[James Comey]

School staff and politicians can be quite delusional in persuading you that your best learning happens (and for whatever reason, your best years) at school. It's the exact opposite. Take history for example. School manages to make it so boring that most teenagers couldn't care less about it, when in reality when you get direct 1st hand sources and non-watered down accounts and descriptions, it's fascinating.

[brainiac3397]

The American Civil War was a boring topic in my class history class. Its amusing my real interest appeared years later when I watched a TV show called "Hell on Wheels". Now Im fascinated by the civil war and 19th century US in general.

[brainiac3397]

(09-04-2013 03:08 PM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  The American Civil War was a boring topic in my hstory class. Its amusing my real interest appeared years later when I watched a TV show called "Hell on Wheels". Now Im fascinated by the civil war and 19th century US in general.

[James Comey]

What's wrong with bumping a useful topic?

Not directly related, but today, in my morning class, a student came in late and got criticized and was told "it's your fault" for being late, and I really wasn't in the mood at the time to hear the blame game. I'm certain my sleeping patterns and the fact that I feel like a zombie are totally my fault, right?

Also, the teacher mentioned, you guessed it, work. My teacher went on that jobs expect you to wake up at a certain time, etc the same bullshit, and I actually said, "but not all jobs have the same schedule" but she tried not to directly respond to that, and I just went "na na na na na" without getting noticed as she kept going on.

I absolutely cannot stand when teachers compare the school schedule with work. For one, work schedules vary, a lot. Second, even if a 9-5 job lived up to its name, I'd have an extra hour to sleep, and probably not feel nearly as crappy.

[Trekkie_Aspie]

And jobs tend to want you after your biological clock has settled, in any case.

[James Comey]

I thought I'd re-visit this thread after today, because today was quite interesting for me. This was posted in which I was going through a much darker time, but still, this is arguably one of my best posts.

Today, earlier this afternoon, I visited Downtown San Francisco. I haven't gone out much, but I'm really trying to do so. I'm tired of being inside, it's driving me nuts. I feel I've missed out on so much since my massive social anxiety began (which is finally showing signs of ending, as well). What I noticed while I was in San Francisco was the movement of so many people, and not just so many people, but the variety of people. I imagined a lot of these people were from other areas of the Bay Area, other areas of the country, or hell, other countries. I imagined why they were there; they may have been visiting relatives, going out shopping, trying to make a meeting, etc.

Not just the variety of people and their objectives, but what struck me was what was going on. I saw a car blow out its own tire. I saw people eating at restaurants, conversing with each other. I saw people conversing on their cell phones. I saw people outside buildings hanging out, for whatever reason. It was so much immersion that I had not experienced in such a long time. So many events, so many people, all going out at the same time. It was mind-blowing, actually.

Compare it to school. What you see in school is practically.... I'm not sure how to describe it. It's definitely nowhere near what I saw today. Mostly what I see in school are bored students disengaged with the learning environment that try to take their mind off the boredom with conversations. I mean, comparing school with an actual urban area is like comparing a fiber bar to a fancy restaurant meal. It's no match.

What I notice abut the actual real world and the so called "miniature version of the real world" is that practically every individual is freely moving and interacting. Virtually all social norms that are in school pretty much disappear. There are no jocks, geeks, etc. Yeah, there are poor people, rich people, etc, but there's far more interaction between a variety of groups in the actual outside real world compared to school. It felt so liberating to see this, actually, seeing so many backgrounds clash, with no restraint. So many things going on, so many people, so much space.

Whoever says "school is like the real world" needs to go to an actual urban area. That statement needs to disappear. There's no way that school comes even close to a city. If high school is meant to be a miniature version of the real world, then it has failed it's job miserably, and that's an understatement.

[GamerGurl]

Hans is the only one who can necro threads. <3 I don't even know where to start. Mostly everyone here took the words out of my mouth, but if I have anything to add on to what's already been said then I surely will.

[xcriteria]

Yeah, downtown in a major urban area is such a different experience from being in factory-model school, or sitting at home. There's a whole world out there... so many people doing so many things, interacting, and... if they step out of their habits and routines, at least: free to choose from a range of options.

Also, all kinds of things can happen.

And yes, there are so many different people... so many more than you'd expect with school (or family, or even TV) as your only reference point.

How can we introduce more people to a different way of thinking about life?

I'm reminded me of this "This is Water" video based on a commencement speech...



Watch on YouTube

And this clip from Chris Lehman's TEDx talk... about what's wrong with high school as usual...



Watch on YouTube

There's more to life than both of those clips make it out to be... and so much more to the "real world" (and even people's inner worlds...) than people often realize.

So... again... what can we do to change things?

[KFC Nyan Cat]

People calling school like the real world always annoyed me.

[James Comey]

Holy crap xcriteria.... I watched Wallace's video and it really is absolutely mind-blowing. To be fair though, I had already learned and realized this, but Wallace's video pretty much re-enforces the point, the idea of showing at least a little humility, and realizing that we, as humans, aren't drones, and we're all driven by all kinds of ambitions, goals, dangers, etc.

Actually, both of those videos essentially destroy the "school is like the real world" myth even more, because I feel high school essentially only taught me to think for myself rather than others, with the competitive grades, not being allowed to help people, etc. Essentially, the schooling system killed my humility, and Wallace's video also got on my nerves a bit because it reminded me of my less than humble past.

Still though, there's definitely more to life than that boring cubicle lifestyle that is presented in Wallace's video. We need to remember people have much different schedules in much different jobs, in much different areas, and we all live in much different countries. What I experienced yesterday was a small piece of life. It tasted good, and I hope to experience more of it.

I think a thing that must change with schools is to switch from the "fend for yourself" mentality and instead switch to a "work with each other" mentality. It seems the "fend for yourself" mentality creates the "it's all about me" attitude. Funny enough, I'm supposed to do a paper on narcissism in the 21st in English class. This makes for good, juicy info.

[Ky]

In response to the kind of people who say the thread title's quote...

No, it is work. As in your job. Stop lecturing me and get back to it.

[brainiac3397]

No hope of promotion to higher position of authority for students in school.

I know I'd easily have replaced my principal...