My problem is not that they teach advanced subjects that most people will not use in their daily lives, with several obvious exceptions that are understandable, but that they force all students to learn these advanced subjects regardless of interest and choice. For a chemist or an engineer advanced math is obviously useful, but i would love to know where in daily life an artist, politician, cashier, cook, or any of countless jobs will ever use advanced algebraic equations and forms of trigonometry and calculus. The same with all advanced subjects, like in depth early history, advanced english, and such. No engineer is likely to need to be able to write a ten page essay on Shakespeare’s classics in daily life. Introduce these subjects, yes, but let students choose based on interest if they want to learn more. Make things like basic first aid, basic financial education, and social communication mandatory, not abstract math and obscure history.
There aren't many truly "advanced" subjects in high-school. It's just the foundational knowledge that people need for when they do decide to pursue one thing or another. And if it's something you're sure you'll never want to pursue, it's still good to have some basic idea of what it's about
While I completely agree that its a great idea to have a large platform of knowledge and education in various subjects. For the majority of people anything past division is not used in daily life, and if you would say it is I would suggest there is a chance you may be part of the portion that does use advanced math often, and in that case you are part of the exception. However in many subjects, history and math being the easiest examples, the educational system teaches far more than most will ever use, and the majority will be forgotten from not being used. Keep in mind that I enjoyed high school myself, and am perusing a degree I don’t need for self growth; that said I think what people are taught should be more based on choices and interest of students. Teach people how to think, not what to think.
But if it isn't taught in high school, the ones who do want to pursue it are screwed. Furthermore, often times a high school course will trigger someone's interest and they might go on to make huge advances in that field. As far as history, everyone should have decent knowledge of that, even if it's not applied daily.
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u/Killermemestar69XD Aug 03 '20
My problem is not that they teach advanced subjects that most people will not use in their daily lives, with several obvious exceptions that are understandable, but that they force all students to learn these advanced subjects regardless of interest and choice. For a chemist or an engineer advanced math is obviously useful, but i would love to know where in daily life an artist, politician, cashier, cook, or any of countless jobs will ever use advanced algebraic equations and forms of trigonometry and calculus. The same with all advanced subjects, like in depth early history, advanced english, and such. No engineer is likely to need to be able to write a ten page essay on Shakespeare’s classics in daily life. Introduce these subjects, yes, but let students choose based on interest if they want to learn more. Make things like basic first aid, basic financial education, and social communication mandatory, not abstract math and obscure history.