seems like everyone here is stuck up spoiled brats even some of the teachers.
- sick of high school
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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seems like everyone here is stuck up spoiled brats even some of the teachers.
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Hate to jump on my soap-box but the door has been opened.
The School System, overall, in this country is broken! I was born, raised and schooled in NY. I felt I had a challenging and stringent education in the 1980's to mid 1990's. I moved to Indiana upon graduation from college.. now with 2 elementary aged children I can tell you that the "No Child Left Behind Act" has totally and undeniably SCREWED the system. Teach to the dumbest kid in the room- while the kids who "get it" have to suffer through the pain of repetition over and OVER and OVER again.
This leads to children who become agitated, bored and unruly.. what is the school systems answer? MEDICATE THEM! I am currently battling my children's school who believes that even though my son is reading at a 7th grade level (he is in 3rd grade) and his NWEA scores are far and above the school average AND district average.. he has issues with sitting still and being bored. Their uneducated and short-cut solution "Take him to his doctor and get him medicated"
OVER MY DEAD BODY!
They refuse to challenge themselves to learn different children and the best ways to assist and nurture them.. they would prefer medicated, robot and complacent children- makes their jobs and lives easier.
I was recently told by someone "in the know" that the schools hope to build a case of the amount of children that are medicated so that they can "PROVE" that the system is broken and utilize that to change the system. So all the children they have sent down that road are basically collateral damage for the cause. Not in my house, not my child- no way in hell!
[/RANT]
Last edited by sledge; 09-17-2014 at 11:09 AM.
I'm so into scrapping.. When my Steel Toe Boots Wear out, I cut the Steel out of them and recycle the Toe!
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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We've all been there, and let me tell you this: the petty, embarassing, or awkward things that happen in high school mean nothing in the real world. Something that will always matter, though, is education. Like sledge said, the system may be broken, but that doesn't mean that you still can't get a decent education and that there aren't still some teachers who care. No matter what you do with your life you need an education. Do you want to be a full time scrapper? Nothing at all wrong with that, you can make a good living at it, but you better be good. Want to do something else? Then you better learn a trade or find something to go to school for which will get you a career. Computer science, engineering, something you know is worthwhile.
My dad always told me to get an education so I wouldn't have to work as hard as he did. I went to college, but didn't work as hard as I could have and I didn't pick the best major I could have. Now I worry that I'll be saying the same thing to my kids someday, "Work hard now and get an education so that you don't have to work hard later." Sorry for the rant, but it can't be said enough, and again, there's nothing wrong with scrapping, but it's not an easy way to make a living, and it would be better to scrap as a hobby, an extra source of income, than to rely solely on it.
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To summarize my feelings about public education, I took early retirement because I know longer believed in what we were doing as educators. To Hunter and Scrapper, you have made it this far and graduating does not mean you are any smarter, just that you play by the rules. Hang in there, it is worth it in the long run. Take your frustration out on your scrap.
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You were a teacher or administrator then? May have to PM you. I have a battle on my hands right now. Could use some insight from someone on the other side of the desk!Originally Posted by Patriot76
Experienced Scrapper
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The best advice I got from my Father was not to let school interfere with your education. The point being everything you learn in a book prepares you for when you have to learn something from a manual. Focus on your grades but dont let that scew with your social interaction. I played 3 sports a year, after sports I worked a job until about 10-11, then homework and bed. When I got a day off I made it a day off. Taught me great work ethic and to not put off tomorrow because tomorrow might have some interesting propsects and you want your dance card open.
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We could all talk about these issues and more for a long time - politics of education, public school/private school/homeschooling etc. I think there was a time when parents could generally send their kids off on the school bus and be reasonably confident that they would be well educated. I think too that as that as the educational system became more "political" and less academic, this was less likely. Without carrying on for pages at this point, it is evident to me that parents must take active responsibility for the education of their children. I don't necessarily mean that everyone must home school by any means, but we can't just passively accept whatever the schools do. Children do learn at different rates and with different styles. If a teacher tries to press everyone into the same mold, all suffer. We all know of great schools and not so great schools, but do we all look at our children's homework and have interaction with their teachers? Do we give them experiential learning opportunities and the chance to learn to use their minds to think critically, logically, and analytically? Do we show them what we have learned in our own life experiece and "apprentice" them toward gaining those skills as well? Ultimately, we have to own whever our children learn. Heck, do we take them scrapping with us so they learn how to find a good dumpster?
Just to close, I am all for schooling, in whatever form it takes. I just counted up, and between my wife and myself we have 42 years of formal education. (Sheesh!) We also happen to have chosen to homeschool our children because of the additional flexibility and opportunities it provides. Raising kids is a big job, and providing education is a big part of that job.
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Goobie-
I agree 1000% with you. My wife and I personally take a hands on approach with both the children. We expose them to learning experiences outside of the classroom, we sit with them every night to work with them to do homework and sometimes keep them on task. We take them places to explore, to learn, to feel and see, to touch and experience. My son is most content with building legos. He can literally sit down for 2 or 3 hours and create these amazing vehicles or space stations or whatever his beautiful mind can come up with. He is very logic and mechanically inclined. Even as a 37 year old dad, I am astounded by some of the things he creates.
It is a true irony that because of our education and thirst for knowledge as parents, and sharing the same with our children that it has actually put them at a slight DIS-ADVANTAGE.
Case in point: We recently had a parent/teacher conference. The teacher said they are journaling what she puts up on the overhead projector. She says "This is MY notebook" "This is your son's" He had stopped writing after the 3rd of 6 steps. What was it that they were journaling about? Planting a seed and the cycle of germination from seed to plant. She said it in such a condescending way. I retorted "Well Mrs. XXXXX.. it may be that we have taken him to the dirt, he has planted seeds, he has tended to the seeds, and he has seen the fruit of his labors.. in fact we have a pot of marigolds on the porch that he planted this spring" Now believe me I know that he must learn the ability to document things, I do not disagree with that portion of this work.. but my son is a "hands on" learner. And Public schools fail to allow such a thing in elementary school.
The school refuses to place him in High Ability because they think his "behavior track record" does not warrant it. My feeling is that if he was further challenged.. the behavioral aspect would resolve itself. But it is political.. the teachers and administrators get together and decide who should go. Does he pass the high ability exam? We don't know because we are never given results- only a form letter saying that this attempt he did not qualify. Judging by the fact he is an "A" and "B" student, as well as given all of the test results we are given.. it seems very unlikely that he could pass every other exam thrown at him.. but falls short every year on this particular one.
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Preach on sledge... you were basically speaking for both of us, no sense in repeating it.
Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana - Bill Gates
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The thing that pisses me off about the schools is that they don't judge individuality at all. They have a "conformity" that if the kid does this this way or says this that way, they're doing it right. In a lot of cases, there is no perfection outside of interpretation. Sure when it comes to math skills, you're right, or you're wrong, period. But on the creative side of things, to grade a kid because he/she isn't thinking like the mass majority of other "higher thinking" people out there that standardize these evaluations, they are passed over and given a lower grade and less consideration. My daughter is an EXTREMELY creative mind, but not as fast on the factual (math and spelling... etc.) as my son was. But does that make her less brilliant than he is? Absolutely not. But the standard tests would make you think otherwise. It's pretty gross. Back when I was going through the same point of school that she is in now, I was placed in an advanced group and moved to another school entirely. 2 Classrooms formed from 2-3 kids from each classroom across the entire school district and they isolated us. We were only in classes with each other virtually from 3rd grade through graduation. A few others were injected into our classes that had gone to private schools or had slowly proven the original 'evaluations' wrong prior to high school, but for the most part, if not for social interaction and sports, I wouldn't have known 75% of the kids I graduated with. So there is a LOT to be said for those aspects too.
I guess my rant is a compilation of everything else that was said on this thread, but still...
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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Hunter,
There's a few things you should know very well right now, while you can do something about them.
What it boils down to is your ability to bring home money for you and your (maybe future?) family. Your "earnability".
To get considered for jobs, you need the pieces of paper your schooling shows....lots of places won't hire without grade 12 graduation. I worked in the forest industry up here in Canada, and they would not hire anyone, even to shovel sawdust, without grade 12.
I found high school very frustrating. I was an outcast, overweight, glasses and geeky. Always the last guy to be picked during physical ed. games. I had to do my own things on the farm. Liked mechanical stuff, welding and machining work. Fixing things.
I wondered why all the other kids worried about life after graduation....I was glad to get away from the peer pressure, the bullying, the constant putting down because I didn't fit the "norm".
So put up with school and at least get your grade 12 graduation.
I went to university because I wanted to take a run at becoming an engineer. Made it. Got another piece of paper.
I spent (most) of my working life working for someone else. Got a heck of a good wage, but found out that working hard doesn't get you further ahead, at least in companies where you are the only tech guy.
So its not really about school, its about your position on the ladder of "earnability". You want to get up that ladder as far as you can while you are young. You end up with more doors opened to you, and you want that choice of your destiny. The less schooling you have, the less doors open to you. You might not want university, but that doesn't matter. An apprenticeship, college, you name it. Whatever. Just strive for the max, regardless of the system is broke or not. Its the only system we have.
When I'm talking about schooling, I am NOT talking about "the Arts". You need to chase the stuff that the business world needs: science, finance, medical, trades, and the like. The "hard" stuff, unfortunately.
Once in the working world, your earnability increases by the number of people that report to you. So if you have any interest in moving up in the job world, look to becoming a charge hand, foreman, superintendent, etc. But these positions are also more easily accessed if you have some schooling...
There is another side to the whole thing...and that's getting into business directly yourself. Starting your own business. Its a whole different angle, because you live and die by your own hand. It can be done, but the statistics suggest something like for every successful business started, 50 fail....not sure of the exact number, but its a lot. Also known as the school of hard knocks.
And when considering a business, there are lots of things you can learn in school that will help you make business decisions later on. So schooling can help a lot even if you consider your own business.
One of my boys is wanting to become an electrical engineer. He's unsure that he can handle the math, so is taking an interesting, but round-about way of doing it. He is currently in college, taking electronics technician schooling. Its a 2 year course and you get a diploma at the end of it. The course work is directly applicable to transfer to a local university, so he will get two years credit towards his electrical engineering. He's viewing it as a fallback position should he choose not to go to university...he will still have that piece of paper. Its better than starting on a 4 or 5 year engineering course and dropping out--with no paper--halfway through.
So, Hunter, right now its all about schooling, to get those doors open.
Jon.
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What they're not telling you...schools get extra funding for kids diagnosed with ADHD who are on medication...neighbor confirmed this years ago (retired teacher).
The pressure schools place on parents to medicate | ADHD or Active Child?
My son has had health issues for the last couple of years...so our only real option for him has been cyber school. It's worked out pretty well so far, but it does require a lot of time/input from the parent, unless you're child is very self motivated. It's not a solution for everyone, but it IS an option.
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Curbside:
Yes indeed I know that you are correct. They want to push him to have a medical diagnosis and is urging us to place him on meds. Which is VERY borderline violating federal law. They are compensated for IEP or 504 students.. this I am very aware of and am appalled by it.
Here is a startling statistic:
Are Schools Driving ADHD Diagnoses? | Child Mind Institute
And the disparity isn't just a matter of a couple of outlier states. The five states that have the highest rate of diagnoses—Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana and North Carolina—are all over 10%. That's more than twice the rate of the five states with the lowest percent diagnosed—Nevada, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, and California, all at under 5%.
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High School may suck, and work can too. Hang in and finish what you started! Finish school and then start the next adventure!
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Sledge, my daughter also was "bored' with the teaching and so the astute teacher had her mentoring other students after she had done her work.
She even went to another class to help out just like a "student aide". And this started out in elementary school, and went all the way up to high school. She was even taking all sorts of college courses her last couple of years. Even had the meetings suggesting med's or something but we just told them that they were not doing their job, our daughter was totally bored. That was their best answer was the mentoring after I explained that my taxes paid their salary!!
* Now she's an assistant manager for a large liquor store chain, just for some fun as it's less stressful than office mgr in a big office.
* She sure didn't get all those smarts from me, must have been her Mom. lol
For Hunter, find a class or two in High School that really interests you and your time will go so much faster.
P & M Recycling - Specializing in E-Waste Recycling.
If you enjoy your freedom, thank a vet.
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++++1 for every post so far. Here in NYS our kids are not only up against the new Common Core curriculum but also have to take state assessment tests in math and language arts. The tests are supposedly used to see how children are progressing. What they really are is a way to assess the teacher to see if they are doing their jobs. These tests are not factored into the child's grade and have no bearing on whether they move on to the next grade at the end of the year. About two weeks before these tests the teachers hammer the kids with work to prepare them for test day. All other curriculum is put on hold, and after the tests they play catch up by sending home twice the normal homework. The pressure is not only on the kids but the teachers as well.
I have three kids in the system, one of whom goes to a special ed school for disabled children. She was assessed by the district using a similar testing techniques only geared for disabled kids. Guess how she did? We were told that her reading and comprehension skills were at or slightly above her level. Well my wife and I were so proud of her considering she has NEVER HAS SPOKEN, READ A BOOK AND HAS NO ABILITY TO EVER DO THIS !!!!
These tests are money makers for the school districts And they are making money on the hard work of our kids!!!
At Sledge- if you child is in the public school system, which YOUR taxes pay for, it is your right to know how he scored on any exam given by the school. I bet you could find out as soon as you utter " my lawyer will be in contact with you". And if they are holding him back because of what they say is a medical or physical issue without a diagnosis, well you have some case on your hands and I wish I was your lawyer. Good luck.
Forgot to add, I now tell my kids to write their name on the state tests and then take a nap. My typical kids are are at or above their reading grade level and both are 90+ students. I dare the state to tell me there is a learning problem with either of them when they are pulling those types of grades.
Last edited by BRASSCATCHER; 09-17-2014 at 04:37 PM.
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” John Wayne-- The Shootist
NEWBS READ THIS THREAD ABOUT REFINING!!!!
http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/off-t...ning-read.html
Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
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Hunter: I get what you're saying. Been there myself.
This is very simple: Leave school and you're sentencing yourself to 40 years of hard labor.
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Hunter- get that HS diploma, without it you will eventually regret not having it. The military and all city and state jobs that I know of want at least that much education from an applicant. I had the opportunity to get a free college education many years ago because my mom worked for the college. I made it two years and got my associates degree but there is not a day that goes by when I see friends who went the full 4 years and are much better off than I ever will be. Now is the time to put in the hard work so you won't have to want or need for anything in the future.
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Ha hunterandscraper, wake up, do not think that you can do scraping instead of getting a education, you are at the most important time in your life, it might seem a little boring at times, and so can picking up scrap, I do not mean to be harsh but I want you to understand get your education and then if you want to be a scrap man go ahead and be the most educated scrap man out there. When I was young I had no choice I had to work, and scraping has been good to me, but I can tell you that in these times if you do not get a education you are hurting your self and limiting the directions in which your life can go, there is nothing wrong with doing a little scraping on the side, it will give you a sense of value of a dollar, One thought I want to leave you with, while my most experienced longest with me crew chief makes a good living the young guy watching my books and running the office does a lot better and does not go home with any cuts or burns on his arms or legs. Scraping is a way that some people have to make a living,me included but not the way you have to make a living if you get your education.
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finish school...it is a MUST for ANYTHING these days...and really some sort of secondary education is almost a must as well...without it when and if you need to go to work you won't be able to...simple as that. If you can't get through High School, then you WON'T get through anything else...it just isn't that difficult and compared to the rest of life, it is a cakewalk.
Sorry to be harsh, but not finishing school is perhaps the single stupidest thing you could do in your life...well besides getting a felony...
PROFIT is made when you BUY/ACQUIRE NOT when you sell
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