Why Did I Have To Learn So Many Useless Things In School?

[playtime]

As far as balancing a checking account and using a checkbook?

oh ya i do it by hand. i enjoy it. brain connections i guess.

 

[ClaireH]

i hate algebra. i simply cannot understand why numbers AND letters need to go together. at all in math. letters are for spelling & numbers are for math. i'm really good at arithmetic & enjoy do that kinda math - i'm good with fractions & figuring out percentages, too but that's it. & never needed algrebra in my life at all.

It’s interesting that you like other parts of math but that you don’t like algebra, because at least the people I’ve talked with it seems like those good in math like math, and if you’re good at geometry you’re typically good at algebra etc. but not always of course. You’ve got the most important items covered with percentages and fractions; that’s what people need in real life situations….all the other advanced courses are for the “math people” and there many, math brainiacs out there.

 

[Road Runner]

Although, I have to say this is rather sad.

 

[Unkotare]

That I never even use in my lifetime anyways? Like I remember some of the US presidents, but how is that going to help me get a job or anything? That's just one example. It's just as well I only paid attention enough to get by school and deleted all of the brain clutter out of my mind later on.

 

[playtime]

It’s interesting that you like other parts of math but that you don’t like algebra, because at least the people I’ve talked with it seems like those good in math like math, and if you’re good at geometry you’re typically good at algebra etc. but not always of course. You’ve got the most important items covered with percentages and fractions; that’s what people need in real life situations….all the other advanced courses are for the “math people” and there many, math brainiacs out there.

i didn't suck at geometry as much as algebra. but not by much. at least geometry didn't make my brain hurt.

 

[boedicca]

That I never even use in my lifetime anyways? Like I remember some of the US presidents, but how is that going to help me get a job or anything? That's just one example. It's just as well I only paid attention enough to get by school and deleted all of the brain clutter out of my mind later on.

Heads that are empty are easier to fill with propaganda.

Having knowledge of science, literature, history, etc. enriches one's life and enhances one's wisdom - and makes one less susceptible to agenda driven codswallop.

 

[Auld Phart]

I can tell you one skill a lot of high school kids are coming up short about: percentages, what is 30% off of say $60.00, how to give change when the bill is $17.35 and the customer gave you a $20.00. There are seriously so many young adults who cannot figure that out without using a calculator. As far as balancing a checking account and using a checkbook? Well let’s just say it’s a good thing it’s all done online now at the banks so individuals don’t have to track it personally. I’ll be honest here, I hate those old checkbooks and I’m glad everything’s online now! Lol

in/after high school, I worked as a cashier at a local grocery.

Back then, (WAY back then), the register rang up the total, and the cashier had to figure up the change.


Now, you enter the amount received, and the register tells you what the change is.

(tho I've ran into a few cashiers that have no idea how to count it out)

 

[Devils_Advocate]

I flunked Biology 55 years ago, because I couldn't cut open a frog.


and in those 55 years, I have yet to find a need to cut open a frog.

Mmmm, Frog Legs!!!

( There is your reason )

 

[ClaireH]

Although, I have to say this is rather sad.

Wow: free range children. At first I thought that was just a provocative headline to gain attention but watching the video it was absolutely an appropriate description. No bedtimes and that little one is up until one in the morning because he wants to be his little body needs to grow and that happens during sleep. Since there are no alarm clocks I guess he sleeps in. At first I looked around the room and saw the chalkboard, the computer in the corner, and the kid musical instruments and I thought well they look like an active family …making their food together, a garage maybe for projects/tools and not an inactive family but doing some good things. But what kind of world are these four siblings going to live in when they’re adults and on their own? Maybe they’re producing all of their own food, own their property and land, and will live off the land? Otherwise, it might be hard to find a good fit to thrive.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

in/after high school, I worked as a cashier at a local grocery.

Back then, (WAY back then), the register rang up the total, and the cashier had to figure up the change.


Now, you enter the amount received, and the register tells you what the change is.

(tho I've ran into a few cashiers that have no idea how to count it out)

Oh, let one of them do a refund and at times it is more hilarious than you can believe!

This one young lady said I owed her money and kept on arguing until her manager came over and told her the negative sign meant she owed me money…

Next time I went back she was gone, and she was training for a management position when she flunked that test of knowing what a negative sign meant!!!

 

[ClaireH]

i didn't suck at geometry as much as algebra. but not by much. at least geometry didn't make my brain hurt.

I never liked algebra much either. I actually had math phobia during high school because I did horribly in 8th grade math…had a friend in my class and didn’t listen, passed notes… a bad student but quiet about it… and the teacher wrote on the back of my report card that I could not grasp upper level concepts lol Perhaps his assessment was true or perhaps it was due to the fact I didn’t pay attention. After I read that teacher’s comment, I took it to heart and stayed away from as much math as possible by taking the bare minimum to get into college. Once in college, I was successful in statistical analysis, psychological methods, clinical psychological, and finite math (I actually enjoyed).

Sometimes negative comments can inspire people to do better

 

[Unkotare]

I flunked Biology 55 years ago, because I couldn't cut open a frog.


.....

"Couldn't"? Was the frog wearing armor?

 

[Road Runner]

Wow: free range children. At first I thought that was just a provocative headline to gain attention but watching the video it was absolutely an appropriate description. No bedtimes and that little one is up until one in the morning because he wants to be his little body needs to grow and that happens during sleep. Since there are no alarm clocks I guess he sleeps in. At first I looked around the room and saw the chalkboard, the computer in the corner, and the kid musical instruments and I thought well they look like an active family …making their food together, a garage maybe for projects/tools and not an inactive family but doing some good things. But what kind of world are these four siblings going to live in when they’re adults and on their own? Maybe they’re producing all of their own food, own their property and land, and will live off the land? Otherwise, it might be hard to find a good fit to thrive.

Yeah, I know. I was actually surprised that the police weren't called. In fact as much as it sucks, one of my worst fears is having a child that refuses to go to school and then I'll wind up being the one in trouble for it.

"Couldn't"? Was the frog wearing armor?

Lol I think he means that he was too afraid to.

 

[odanny]

High School should teach about income and expenses.

Yea, and how you won't have much of either if you don't actually learn something beyond High School.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

According to studies, some of that useless information still helped train our brains in the way that it built deeper connections. Similar to doing algebra. A lot of people will never use any type of algebra during their lifetimes, but still have some brain benefit from practicing developing new brain connections, electrons firing and all of that. Kind of like a gymnastics exercise that exercises our brain, even though we might not ever again use that specific skill it’s still enhances our thought patterns.

Electrons firing?

 

[ClaireH]

Electrons firing?

Of course, as they do in a brain, although I suspect mine misfire quite frequently which is another possibility when making connections and deepening a grove or so in the process.

Deep grooves indicate the brain has chosen to revisit particular memories over and over. Our emotionally laced memories, the good and the bad, are reinforced every time we revisit that memory. We humans will frequently “defeat ourselves” with the goal of moving on to get past thinking about a past, negative incident; when we play it out over and over in our minds that physical groove becomes much easier to access and a much more frequent flyer when entertaining memories.

 

[dblack]

That I never even use in my lifetime anyways? Like I remember some of the US presidents, but how is that going to help me get a job or anything? That's just one example. It's just as well I only paid attention enough to get by school and deleted all of the brain clutter out of my mind later on.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Of course, as they do in a brain, although I suspect mine misfire quite frequently which is another possibility when making connections and deepening a grove or so in the process.

Deep grooves indicate the brain has chosen to revisit particular memories over and over. Our emotionally laced memories, the good and the bad, are reinforced every time we revisit that memory. We humans will frequently “defeat ourselves” with the goal of moving on to get past thinking about a past, negative incident; when we play it out over and over in our minds that physical groove becomes much easier to access and a much more frequent flyer when entertaining memories.

They definitely misfired this time, which is proof positive of why you learn so-called useless information.

The term is "neurons", not "electrons".

 

[ClaireH]

They definitely misfired this time, which is proof positive of why you learn so-called useless information.

The term is "neurons", not "electrons".

Lol neurons definitely involve electrons and btw…I’m not the OP as your post implied, but feel free to confuse me with other posters who express an inquisitive mind.

I had a previous round with you where you told me what I thought instead of allowing me the liberty of self-expression. lol As I recall, you consider yourself to be the only teacher who knows how to do things properly. Yes? Do I have the right poster in mind?

 

[ClaireH]

Lol neurons definitely involve electrons and btw…I’m not the OP as your post implied, but feel free to confuse me with other posters who express an inquisitive mind.

I had a previous round with you where you told me what I thought instead of allowing me the liberty of self-expression. lol As I recall, you consider yourself to be the only teacher who knows how to do things properly. Yes? Do I have the right poster in mind?

I came back to edit that you are in fact correct I should’ve use the word neuron to better specify brain activity. This still stands in my favor which I feel compelled to mention “rules of quantum mechanics — the theory that determines how tiny particles like electrons move around. This, they argue, could explain the mysterious complexity of human consciousness.”