4 ms·

I had the same issue. TOtally quit doing homework in the 5th grade, coasted through highschool (mostly) with a 3.5. Fortunately (for me) I had a not so good HS

by steverb 11y ago

I had the same issue. TOtally quit doing homework in the 5th grade, coasted through highschool (mostly) with a 3.5. Fortunately (for me) I had a not so good HS Counselor who I never met and who never explained to me that it was possible to go to college without having rich parents. So I joined the Army straight out of high school, and that's where I learned how to work my ass off. Not mentally so much, but in general how to have an expectation of myself that I should always keep pushing myself to do better. That was 25 years ago mind you. Your mileage will definitely vary.

jackmaney 11y ago
When I was in academia, some of the students I rooted for the most were non-traditional students, especially those who were former/current military. None of that "b...but, when will I ever use this in REAL LIFE! Waaahhh!" or "will this be on the test?". Just a willingness to work their ass off.
- 6stringmerc 11y ago
  When I was in academia, some of the most intolerable time wasting, tangential and selfish people were non-traditional students taking courses because they had the means and time to do so...just sayin'
  - jackmaney 11y ago
    I guess that could be a function of one's discipline. I was a mathematician, so there were very few attempts at time-wasting and being tangential (and when there were, a quick "That's a great question, but it's a bit far afield from what we need to cover right now. I'd love to discuss it during office hours, though" would defuse the situation).
- bigtunacan 11y ago
  Personally I find the, "Will this be used in real life?" question a very important one that sadly isn't answered frequently enough. There is a disconnect between educators and students who are there to prepare to enter the workforce.
  - jackmaney 11y ago
    That's the problem: college does not--nor should it--solely exist for preparation to enter the workforce. That's why we need a resurgence of trade programs.
    - marcosdumay 11y ago
      Anyway, for every course that is not Math, everything you learn was created for a reason (make that a "most things you learn" for Math). Yet, before one enters an university, teachers almost universally refuse to answer this question.
  - nitrogen 11y ago
    Everything will be used in real life somewhere. Also, education is about more than just the immediate facts being presented. Its primary purpose is (or should be) developing the ability to recognize connections between subjects, events, and ideas, and use those connections as the common language of society for communicating and understanding. The lack of this intended benefit of education is what allows talking heads to polarize society by shouting past each other.

by steverb 11y ago

jackmaney 11y ago

When I was in academia, some of the students I rooted for the most were non-traditional students, especially those who were former/current military. None of that "b...but, when will I ever use this in REAL LIFE! Waaahhh!" or "will this be on the test?". Just a willingness to work their ass off.

6stringmerc 11y ago
When I was in academia, some of the most intolerable time wasting, tangential and selfish people were non-traditional students taking courses because they had the means and time to do so...just sayin'
- jackmaney 11y ago
  I guess that could be a function of one's discipline. I was a mathematician, so there were very few attempts at time-wasting and being tangential (and when there were, a quick "That's a great question, but it's a bit far afield from what we need to cover right now. I'd love to discuss it during office hours, though" would defuse the situation).
bigtunacan 11y ago
Personally I find the, "Will this be used in real life?" question a very important one that sadly isn't answered frequently enough. There is a disconnect between educators and students who are there to prepare to enter the workforce.
- jackmaney 11y ago
  That's the problem: college does not--nor should it--solely exist for preparation to enter the workforce. That's why we need a resurgence of trade programs.
  - marcosdumay 11y ago
    Anyway, for every course that is not Math, everything you learn was created for a reason (make that a "most things you learn" for Math). Yet, before one enters an university, teachers almost universally refuse to answer this question.
- nitrogen 11y ago
  Everything will be used in real life somewhere. Also, education is about more than just the immediate facts being presented. Its primary purpose is (or should be) developing the ability to recognize connections between subjects, events, and ideas, and use those connections as the common language of society for communicating and understanding. The lack of this intended benefit of education is what allows talking heads to polarize society by shouting past each other.