4 ms·

I feel like this is because school, especially college, and particularly exams, is about as high-stakes as most people's lives ever get, so they look back at th

by nixass 4y ago

I feel like this is because school, especially college, and particularly exams, is about as high-stakes as most people's lives ever get, so they look back at that time as peak-anxiety. Think about it: you're being evaluated and the result of that evaluation shapes the next step in the pipeline, and ultimately the trajectory of the rest of your life! Well, at least that's what the university officials, professors, your peers and parents all tell you. You pretty much have a series of "one chance" events that you must pass or you're done for. Failure of any step is permanent, and affects your average (seemingly) forever. The whole path from elementary school through to college graduation feels like a career development game where the stakes are raised every year. Fail once off the path, and it's Walmart Greeter for you, forever! It's no wonder I still wake up in a cold sweat over it, 30 years on.

pasquinelli 4y ago
sounds like the process of becoming a civil servant in imperial china. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_examination https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_examination > During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), authorities narrowed the content down to mostly texts on Neo-Confucian orthodoxy; the highest degree, the jinshi (Chinese: 進士), became essential for the highest offices. On the other hand, holders of the basic degree, the shengyuan (生員), became vastly oversupplied, resulting in holders who could not hope for office. Wealthy families, especially from the merchant class, could opt into the system by educating their sons or by purchasing degrees. During the late 19th century, some critics within Qing China blamed the examination system for stifling scientific and technical knowledge, and urged for some reforms. At the time, China had about one civil licentiate per 1000 people. Due to the stringent requirements, there was only a 1% passing rate among the two or three million annual applicants who took the exams.[3]
coredog64 4y ago
Something to consider is that many European countries aggressively track students in conjunction with that free/cheap college. As a consequence, failing during early education can put them onto the vocational track much earlier than you’d see for a U.S. student.
- strangattractor 4y ago
  We need to stop knocking vocational programs in the US IMO. College has a learning modality that is not well suited for everyone. I wish I could find the Youtube video but there is a German Manufacturer of CNC machines in the US. Their apprentice program looked excellent/fun. The students were building electric bikes and motors - learning undergraduate level electronics in a hands one fashion - using CAD - then milling the parts out on a multimillion dollar machines. Mostly learning by doing. Getting paid to do so and would likely have a job when finished. In the US there is a perception that the vocational or trades route mean failure. We tend to think of trades as an expense, dangerous or someone that works on an assembly line. Some people just get bored sitting in a classroom.
  - brewtide 4y ago
    100%. Stuff that needs done, will still need done and a lot of it is going to be difficult to robot away. The trades have never been busier, and all the different trades I see at different job sites have the 30 whatever being the young person. Not only are they in demand, but can pay pretty decently as well, plus have directly applicable individual life uses, causing most of us tradesmen to spend very little $ maintaining our own things (cars, houses, etc). Go to college, awesome. Or learn to use your hands and do something well, awesome. The stuck in retail / service middle ground seems to be the hardest path in life, and obviously so very subjective, but I'd find that long term path not very internally rewarding, either.
- itronitron 4y ago
  Yeah, probably the main reason that US high schools seem to perform worse than other countries is that the US doesn't kick students out in middle school.

by nixass 4y ago

pasquinelli 4y ago

sounds like the process of becoming a civil servant in imperial china. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_examination https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_examination > During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), authorities narrowed the content down to mostly texts on Neo-Confucian orthodoxy; the highest degree, the jinshi (Chinese: 進士), became essential for the highest offices. On the other hand, holders of the basic degree, the shengyuan (生員), became vastly oversupplied, resulting in holders who could not hope for office. Wealthy families, especially from the merchant class, could opt into the system by educating their sons or by purchasing degrees. During the late 19th century, some critics within Qing China blamed the examination system for stifling scientific and technical knowledge, and urged for some reforms. At the time, China had about one civil licentiate per 1000 people. Due to the stringent requirements, there was only a 1% passing rate among the two or three million annual applicants who took the exams.[3]

coredog64 4y ago

Something to consider is that many European countries aggressively track students in conjunction with that free/cheap college. As a consequence, failing during early education can put them onto the vocational track much earlier than you’d see for a U.S. student.

strangattractor 4y ago
We need to stop knocking vocational programs in the US IMO. College has a learning modality that is not well suited for everyone. I wish I could find the Youtube video but there is a German Manufacturer of CNC machines in the US. Their apprentice program looked excellent/fun. The students were building electric bikes and motors - learning undergraduate level electronics in a hands one fashion - using CAD - then milling the parts out on a multimillion dollar machines. Mostly learning by doing. Getting paid to do so and would likely have a job when finished. In the US there is a perception that the vocational or trades route mean failure. We tend to think of trades as an expense, dangerous or someone that works on an assembly line. Some people just get bored sitting in a classroom.
- brewtide 4y ago
  100%. Stuff that needs done, will still need done and a lot of it is going to be difficult to robot away. The trades have never been busier, and all the different trades I see at different job sites have the 30 whatever being the young person. Not only are they in demand, but can pay pretty decently as well, plus have directly applicable individual life uses, causing most of us tradesmen to spend very little $ maintaining our own things (cars, houses, etc). Go to college, awesome. Or learn to use your hands and do something well, awesome. The stuck in retail / service middle ground seems to be the hardest path in life, and obviously so very subjective, but I'd find that long term path not very internally rewarding, either.
itronitron 4y ago
Yeah, probably the main reason that US high schools seem to perform worse than other countries is that the US doesn't kick students out in middle school.