School

[nailit]

Looking back, just how useful has schooling been in your life?
Apart from the 3 R's did you really learn anything pertinent to your life?
I learnt about algebra, chemistry, art, woodwork, metalwork, French, technical drawing etc, and absolutely non of it had any relevance to the way my life panned out. When was the last time that you used algebra or needed to use a piece of litmus paper? When did you last draw a masterpiece or make yourself a mortise and tenon joint? When did you last design a house?

I think schooling ought to prepare kids for lifes inevitable challenges, not filling them full of ''facts'' that they will never use.

Anyway, what about you?

[murraymints]

I enjoyed school..like Eddie was reading The Scotsman before I started and do arithmetic etc.. first month was boring but was put forward a year...Have found languages and English useful...a love of reading, poetry and music because of the teachers... found the sciences interesting... captained hockey, netball teams so learned early how to organise people in a team, which has been another useful skill...ran and played badminton at county level so learned ambition, drive and disciplined application....all in all...yes School did prepare me for life.

[emmie]

i couldn't agree more, filled me with history which i do like now, but didn't care for back then, science was and is a mystery, algebra the same, maths i could cope with and some has stood me in good stead. But overall, the subjects taken didn't sustain me in later life, i wish i could have taken shorthand as a subject then my wish of becoming a journalist might have materialised.

[Garaman]

If you are buying a property think; location, location, location. If you are having a child think; education, education, education. You'll rarely go wrong if you get those right.

[HansUrbancka]

I was privileged in as much as I was educated in a private school; only because my parents were going through a divorce and put me in a boarding school during WW2. Unfortunately, some folk might say how sad, because it was a very religious establishment (Evangelistic) and, whilst I became a House Captain, I left school and 'saw the light' to end up as a confirmed Atheist and a member of AB.

Yes school did teach me to think a lot and question what other folk say. In fact, I hold the opinion that Universities are a complete waste of time and money, because lecturers often teach people the mistakes which they were taught and a lot of Degrees are Not worth the paper upon which they are written.

Hans.

[ABSpareEditor]

At Gnome Primary and Secondary School we learnt how to straighten out our beards, stand perfectly still around humans, and spell correctly. All of which has been very helpful in adult life.

[anneasquith]

Did you attend gnome university ?

[gness]

So refereeing, suspending and banning came later on then, SpareEd?... ;-)

[Jackdaw33]

//...a lot of Degrees are Not worth the paper upon which they are written. \\

At college, in one of the toilets, just above the toilet roll holder, was the inscription,'Sociology degrees, please take one'.

[hereIam]

I hated school and couldn't wait to leave, but of course what I learned was invaluable and looking back now I am grateful for the education I had.

[ABSpareEditor]

Anne, indeed I did. That's where we learnt about the back site of AB, all about categorising posts... helping Abers out with lost passwords etc.

Gness, that was college... ;-)

[gness]

I see....and one last question, SpEd.....do all gnomes have beards requiring attention, or just the males?
Only if it's all gnomes Mamya and I are quite knowledgeable if Ed ever needs advice....x

[anneasquith]

" the back side of AB " oh.......... I'm sorry I asked now !!!

[ABSpareEditor]

Seen as myself and the Ed are both women, but appear to both have beards, I must say that all gnomes have beards.

Anne - poor phrasing on my behalf!

[albaqwerty]

sorry to ask, but do lady gnomes have beards dangling from their nether regions?

[gness]

Ahhhh......I didn't know that, SpEd.......well, if you ever need your beards beaded let me know......Gx

[gness]

But I don't bead nether regions! Alba, really!!!! ;-)

[sunny-dave]

After 92 posts (which I admit to having only skimmed), is it too late to say that :

1. My Latin 'O'Level is surprisingly useful in everyday life (and crosswords too)

2. I'm damn glad I had arithmetic drummed into me (and I do mean arithmetic, not maths) - I reckon that has saved me many hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds over the years

3. I wish I had been allowed to do Home Economics at school - although doing a Continental Cookery Course at 'night school' pretty much filled that gap a few years down the road

4. The rudimentary French/German from 'O' Level is still useful - at least I can order a beer in plenty of countries without being a monoglot Brit

5. My life would be much more culturally sterile without the huge kick up the bum which I was given by an incredible English teacher when I was a 6th Form Scientist - literature suddenly went from 'difficult' to 'fascinating' and has stayed so ever since

Much of the rest can be filed under 'not really that useful' - but the school learning process was life-forming.

As opposed to University - which was sterile, patronising, elitist, badly taught and ultimately a complete waste of time and money.

[HansUrbancka]

Be careful Spare Ed...It could be a case of Hair today and Goon tomorrow.

Meanwhile have a read of the following :-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/beauty/article-1331866/Revealed-Six-techniques-zapping-facial-hair.html

Hans.