Advice to the Not Bright and Not Young: College is... erm, not for everyone.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/200806/college

by zach • 18 years ago

4 13 18 years ago

cperciva• 18 years ago

I don't think anyone believes that college is for everyone. The problem is that everybody believes that college is for them. As usual, the people who are least able are the worst at recognizing their (dis)ability level.

Sometimes I think that the greatest value of competitive post-secondary entrance processes is not so much that it allows institutions to get the best possible students as it is that is is provides less able students with some gentle encouragement to find a less academic course for their lives -- saving students from their own stupidity, so to speak. It seems almost cruel -- but isn't it far crueler to confront students with the irrefutable evidence of their idiocy?

brentr6• 18 years ago

Stating my beliefs in educational opportunities usually results in someone wanting to punch me in the face. I'll risk upsetting a few people because I believe my opinion is valid.

I believe that the bottom ten percent of every class (I define class as the collective whole of a grade) should be kicked out of school and immediately placed into the workforce. There should be no second chances. In the end, only those with the drive and the ability for advanced study (I stress that both are needed) will be in a position to pursue a university education.

bigtoga• 18 years ago

Do you believe then that the bottom 10% of all employees on every job should be fired to make way for those people who have the drive and ambition to work?

brentr6• 18 years ago

Certainly. Jack Welch had a similar policy while running GE. Get rid of the dead weight and reward those who outperform.

EDIT: It's simply a matter of economics. When you realize that a project is performing poorly you sever it to prevent further waste.

hooande• 18 years ago

I will go out on a limb and agree that this isn't completely crazy.

I don't think you have to kick the bottom 10% of the class out...most of them probably won't have a problem leaving because they're not very good at school any way. I think it would be a good idea to give the bottom 10% an opportunity to leave school and enter the work force (I assume you're talking about high school kids only).

We could use some of the money we save on funding overcrowded schools to establish some kind of apprenticeship program for teenagers. I'm sure there are some problems with this, but it does seem to make some kind of sense.

brentr6• 18 years ago

I have never given thought as to what grade this could start with, but surely kicking someone out of the process at too early of an age is detrimental to society as a whole. I do, however, believe that there is a certain point at which this does become a great idea.

Are there any educational scholars on this board that could weigh in on this discussion.

ConradHex2• 18 years ago

One thing the article doesn't mention is that community colleges offer English and Math classes that are basically below 101 level, for people who aren't ready for the "entry-level" stuff yet. It sounds like a lot of people in his class would be candidates for that.

edw519• 18 years ago

Perhaps OP should spend a little less time writing about not teaching and a little more time teaching.

Imagine a hacker blaming his users for not understanding his web site. Why should we expect any less from a teacher?

Advice to the Not Bright and Not Young: College is... erm, not for everyone.

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