School is out, as of now, but as the days go by, it draws near. I am about to be a Junior, my third and one of the most important years in High School. I have the chance to take two honors classes. Honors Physics, and Honors Pre-Calc.I have taken Honors Science since the start of High School, and I haven't got much higher than a High C in that. The grading system gives you a 4.0 for a B in an honors class, but not a 3.0 for a C. So it jumps from a 2.0 to a 4.0 immidiatly. I've taken an Honors math class way back in Middle School, and I can say, I didn't like it. All throughout High School, I've taken the grade's above me math class(As a freshman, taking a sophmore class, as a sophmore took a junior class).
But as College is coming up, I really can't help but seroiusly consider that High School isn't about learning. It seems to me that the only reason for pushing yourself to get grades in class is for colleges to see this, so they can accept you. When the Colleges accept you, you work hard then, so you can get a job that pays well.
Now as this school year is going to come up sooner than I think, is it worth taking the honors class knowing that I may just end up with a high C/low B?

tl;dr: Am I wrong to think that school isn't for learning?

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what is this I don't even

I'd say it's definitely worth taking the honors classes. I'd think that the colleges would notice that you had the stones to try a harder class and not just coast through regular ed. I'll also be a junior coming up this year, and taking some honors classes, and I'm looking forward to it, becuase I actually like the challenge (that and I hate being in a class full of stupid people). Science was never my stong suit (low C's) but I took Honors Chem 1 last year and got low C's both quarters, but I was glad I took it becuase it gave me a chance to rack my brain and think for a change.

And as with your last question, doesn't getting grades go hand in hand with learning? In most cases anyway. Why not actually... try to learn the material so you can get an even better grade?

But to me, really, I think school is more for surviving, High School especially. If you survive HS intact, I'd say you've earned a pat on the back or a gold star or something.

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^ Check what Beck's up to now.

TMUnderground

dante906v2:

School is out, as of now, but as the days go by, it draws near. I am about to be a Junior, my third and one of the most important years in High School. I have the chance to take two honors classes. Honors Physics, and Honors Pre-Calc.I have taken Honors Science since the start of High School, and I haven't got much higher than a High C in that. The grading system gives you a 4.0 for a B in an honors class, but not a 3.0 for a C. So it jumps from a 2.0 to a 4.0 immidiatly. I've taken an Honors math class way back in Middle School, and I can say, I didn't like it. All throughout High School, I've taken the grade's above me math class(As a freshman, taking a sophmore class, as a sophmore took a junior class).
But as College is coming up, I really can't help but seroiusly consider that High School isn't about learning. It seems to me that the only reason for pushing yourself to get grades in class is for colleges to see this, so they can accept you. When the Colleges accept you, you work hard then, so you can get a job that pays well.
Now as this school year is going to come up sooner than I think, is it worth taking the honors class knowing that I may just end up with a high C/low B?

tl;dr: Am I wrong to think that school isn't for learning?

I'm sorry to clue you in here, but physics is a math class for all intents and purposes.  I took it last year, the entire thing was formulae.
So if you don't like math, neither of those is the class for you.

And, honestly very little of HS is about learning in reality, you can make it about learning for you, but it is just a proving ground, think of it as college tryouts, you are there to be scouted, not much else.

I would recommend the Honors/AP/IB classes over the alternatives because you get a different crowd in them.  You get the students that are interested in and plan on succeeding, and in my experience "your" quality of work reflects that of your peers to some extent.  If they are numbskulls then your work quality will fall because there is nobody that comes close to you in the class; if they are brilliant then you quality goes up because they ask better questions, they can give you better advise and tricks, and they give you competition. 

Consider AP Biology if you want a upper-level science course (assuming your HS offers it).  It is a fun class and the test looks for colleges (the exam feels hard as hell yet is easy to score well on).


Beware, if you take a honors class and fail, you must retake the honors version again to rewrite the D or F--the basic version will NOT fix it.  So think carefully.

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satansmunchkin:

hey man, just wanted to let you know going to dinner with your wife and plan on boning her until she screams, you'll then get the sloppy seconds

I don't understand the American education system at all ... so can't help with that conundrum.

However as far as schools are for learning? Well that depends ... They are and they aren't.

They are for learning because that is what you do there, you learn things, however you are forced to learn a lot of what you don't like and only a little of what you do like, and you are spoon fed facts that you shouldn't always agree with.

They are not for learning because people put too much emphasis on grades and less emphasis on actual knowledge.

One of my friends had a brilliant mind, stupidly intelligent. Failed school ... why? He didn't examine well. He got nervous and confused by the questions which he always thought were out to trick him ... go figure.

If you want to learn, you should read things in your own time, if you want to get a job then you should do what the school tells you and get the grades you need to get into college, then do what the college tells you and get the grades to get into a job.

I found it more interesting to watch documentaries and read things than I did sitting in a class being told things that I wanted to argue with but wasn't allowed because it was "disruptive to the class" ...

I think the worst point came when I was in a science lesson aged 15 and they were talking about global warming and melting ice caps leading to water levels rising. Being me I asked "Ice is less dense than water, so if the ice caps melt won't the water levels drop" and my teacher looked at me quite startled, then said simply "that's not what it says in the curriculum" after that I took nothing I was told in school too seriously (and later found out the answer why water levels would rise rather than fall lol)

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Mortalitis_Infinitas:

You have gained enough renown to purchase the "Creative Director of European studios at Microsoft Games Studios" title.

satansmunchkin:

One of my friends had a brilliant mind, stupidly intelligent. Failed school ... why? He didn't examine well. He got nervous and confused by the questions which he always thought were out to trick him ... go figure.

I know so many brilliant people that fail horribly because they have the attention span of a butterfly, or absolutely shoot themselves on tests.  I always did well yet I still thought all the questions were out to get me

I found it more interesting to watch documentaries and read things than I did sitting in a class being told things that I wanted to argue with but wasn't allowed because it was "disruptive to the class" ...

In my area at least, Honors classes are where you get the epic debates, its better if the teacher is okay with it, but he/she will have a hard time stopping all of them

I think the worst point came when I was in a science lesson aged 15 and they were talking about global warming and melting ice caps leading to water levels rising. Being me I asked "Ice is less dense than water, so if the ice caps melt won't the water levels drop" and my teacher looked at me quite startled, then said simply "that's not what it says in the curriculum" after that I took nothing I was told in school too seriously (and later found out the answer why water levels would rise rather than fall lol)

  I can't stand those teachers.  tangents ftw

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satansmunchkin:

hey man, just wanted to let you know going to dinner with your wife and plan on boning her until she screams, you'll then get the sloppy seconds

I'm one of those "Had a mind, but failed" folk.

Although I think what made people think I had a mind was that I was a story writer, and I used to capture the entire classes attention with all these anecdotes.

The teacher hated me, but loved me at the same time, she said I was too amicable to hate, but that she hated that I put in absolutely no effort whatsoever.

Eventually, instead of the exam questions, I just wrote a story about a depressed caterpillar, and I didn't have the heart to tell my teacher, so I just told her I did the essays.


There's my life story for you, at no prompting whatsoever.

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I only wrote this because I hate you.

dante906v2:

. It seems to me that the only reason for pushing yourself to get grades in class is for colleges to see this, so they can accept you. When the Colleges accept you, you work hard then, so you can get a job that pays well.


tl;dr: Am I wrong to think that school isn't for learning?

I think you make a point,  many people view their education as a means to an end, and nothing more... just as you stated above;  Honestly man, it "can" be what you make it, if your desire is to accumulate knowledge and learn, you will; and get more out of your education than people who just want to (get) through school so they can get on with their career.  Your focus determines your reality.

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As much as "it is what you make of it", the reality in america is that they teach to the test and design schools around the uninspired idiots, not those that actually care what goes on within the walls.  School in america has become a battleground for politics where the many are sacrificed for the of the few and whatnot. 

Edit: sorry if that is confusing I can try to elaborate on specific points if anyone cares.

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satansmunchkin:

hey man, just wanted to let you know going to dinner with your wife and plan on boning her until she screams, you'll then get the sloppy seconds

ExpiredRascals:

As much as "it is what you make of it", the reality in america is that they teach to the test and design schools around the uninspired idiots, not those that actually care what goes on within the walls.  School in america has become a battleground for politics where the many are sacrificed for the of the few and whatnot. 

Edit: sorry if that is confusing I can try to elaborate on specific points if anyone cares.

I agree with your statement concerning teaching to the test, my sister in law is a teacher and is very dissatisfied with the current system. I suppose my statement has it's roots in Zen philosophy. regardless of where you are or  what your doing you can learn something, if you care to.  It was the same way in college, people just wanted to get through humanities,and  philosophy because they could care less about the subjects because those subjects did not pertain to their major or field, so they crammed before exams and said to hell with it, I just want to get through it , they had an opportunity to actually learn something of value. maybe not from a monetary stand point. but valuable none the less.

 As for the issues plaguing the American school systems, *shrugs* there are issues without a doubt.

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Another question.

Private schools, are they better than public?

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what is this I don't even

dante906v2:

Another question.

Private schools, are they better than public?

Not necessarily.

Students might get graded harder, but they get the same tests and learn the same things (in my experience). Some of the teachers might be better though, as in they themselves have a better degree. Im not entirely sure though.

Some public schools have a "TAG" program (Talented and Gifted) in which they learn the material from the year after (eg, Grade 8s learn grade 9 stuff).

That happens frequently in my town, which is ironic because our grades are often much lower compared to other school districts.

One reason why kids would go to a private school is because of the fact that their parents would want them to learn about religion as well.

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what is this I don't even

dante906v2:

Another question.

Private schools, are they better than public?

I've been to both private and public, and they aren't that different.  However, private schools normally have deeper pockets and therefore may have more programs

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satansmunchkin:

hey man, just wanted to let you know going to dinner with your wife and plan on boning her until she screams, you'll then get the sloppy seconds

Oh surely, but my a friend of mine is currently enrolled into a private school. Even though they do have a decent amount of money, they only have 12 kids at most who would end up attending.

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what is this I don't even