Failure "All the cool kids are doing it."

[Mercurio128]

Also, hands up everyone who thinks that grading on a curve is utterly retarded?

getting an A should be something that happens as a result of a high mark, not the fact that the class is borderline retarded and you are the 'best of the worst'.

 

[jakeEHTlovless]

Also, hands up everyone who thinks that grading on a curve is utterly retarded?

getting an A should be something that happens as a result of a high mark, not the fact that the class is borderline retarded and you are the 'best of the worst'.

hand is being ripped off to extend even higher!

 

[Irridium]

I know what you mean.

In my old school, I can't tell you how many people just didn't give a shit. It really made me angry.

In most of my classes, the teachers said I was either the only kid, or one of the very few, who actually cared about learning.

I ended up staying after school with teachers, not because I needed help, but because I wanted to learn more, and wanted to do so without 25 other assholes around me.

I didn't have much friends, but since most of the kids in the school were basically "cool kids", I didn't want them as my friends. The few I had were good friends though, and actually gave a shit about eucation.

 

[lacktheknack]

...or that there was even a First World War.

WHAT?! I feel the desperate urge to call shenanigans on this one. Come on, even a three year old could figure that one out.

 

[lacktheknack]

This thread sickens me.

I hate the passivism in todays youth. Being young is the age when you are free, make friends, meet girls, take drugs, drink, experiment.

Nnnnnnnnnnno.

Just no. That's incredibly bad advice.

 

[TheSentinel]

I think it all depends on on the level of "do I give a fuck?" in the class.

For example, I am currently taking an elective class which is technically an honors Literature course (even though it doesn't have much to do with literature). It is a small class (about 15 or so, and that is all of the students taking the course). And all of the students in the class actually genuinely care about the subject at hand. Even the kids who were "forced" into the class due to scheduling like it. Plus, it is a more discussion driven course than a lecture driven one, so there is that too.

Compare my normal English Lit. class, which is huge (32 students, if I am not mistaken). The work is easier and the teacher is the same as the course mentioned above (along with two additional teachers). However, we hardly get anything done because the people in the class NEVER shut up. Not surprisingly, a lot of students are not doing well, and one from the elective course I mentioned above is doing the best in the class.

So, I guess the moral to my little diatribe is that smaller classes with a more discussion-oriented style are better, especially if the students in the class actually CHOSE to be there.

 

[Timotei]

...or that there was even a First World War.

WHAT?! I feel the desperate urge to call shenanigans on this one. Come on, even a three year old could figure that one out.

Teacher: (to another student) "You're wrong. The tank was a concept thought up in the Renaissance but wasn't made until the British built them in World War One."

Anonymous student: "Oh my god there was a World War One!?"

Teacher: "Yes. There was a First World War."

Anonymous student: " Like, OMG! Woooow! So that's why it's called World War Two."

 

[lacktheknack]

...or that there was even a First World War.

WHAT?! I feel the desperate urge to call shenanigans on this one. Come on, even a three year old could figure that one out.

Teacher: (to another student) "You're wrong. The tank was a concept thought up in the Renaissance but wasn't made until the British built them in World War One."

Anonymous student: "Oh my god there was a World War One!?"

Teacher: "Yes. There was a First World War."

Anonymous student: "Woooow! So that's why it's called World War Two."

I... I don't... I... ... Ow...

 

[Kuchinawa212]

EDIT: And anyone who thinks you cant have a social life to be successful. I want you to know that who you know is just as if not more important than what you know. Its sad really, there has to be a line somewhere between work and play. Otherwise you'll be working through school, working through college, working through your work, and then working to dig your grave. Whatever, happiness is different for everyone i guess.

Agreed, who would you rather be a boring lonely successful man, or someone who has fun

While indeed, all work and no play makes jake a dull boy. I do feel what they want me to do is to much. It's not like I have programmed to do only work and NOTHING else. I just have a lot of free time, and I don't spend it doing the stupid shit I hear my classmates talk about in the back of class.

 

[Booze Zombie]

So what happened? i am very interested now, how is your life doing now? What did social workers decide to do? How many years or months has it been? Also I knew people like that all throughout High School, they were in all of my classes, sad really

I don't really know, it seems like nothing really happened.

The social workers made threats to my parents, implied they were bad parents and in general, kept playing the blame game until adult education had to "deal with me".

I got some tuition, a diagnosis of Aspherger's Syndrome and a few weeks in a private school out of the whole thing, but no solid education.
I just kinda sat around for ten years, a lot of people might say that was "a waste", but I look at it like "I got all my resting done now, I can spend the rest of my life working".

I'm trying to find some education now and there seem to be lots of places where I can get it, all I've gotta do is figure out the direction I wanna go.

All in all, it could've gone a lot worse.
I could've been taken away, become suicidal, any number of horrible things.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Actually a lot of the people you mention will probably join and gang and end up dead, live off the well fair system (In America), live off family, turn to crime, or die on the streets. In the workforce, a sense of defiance gets you fired and replaced by a cheaper more willing worker. They are only screwing themselves and will someday learn just how idiotic they are or will die an early death due to suffocation from "head-up-ass" syndrome. It's unfortunate that such individuals exist and a negative reflect on our own society but it happens. It may very well have always been a problem or perhaps it is an effect of more modern social pressures.

 

[Kryzantine]

Hate to say it, but it IS less competition in the job market. It's their rational decision to fail their classes and they should suffer the consequences of that decision.

I have never personally experienced this. My high school is 73% Asian kids whose parents wanted them to be doctors, and my experience was lack of interest from the other extreme, stress. Every single day, I see people studying in the hallways for their latest exam, cramming it all in, but ultimately not caring about the material anymore. I know one person whose desire to learn architecture has been stunted because she's physically stressed out all the time. I know far too many more cynics than I should. Most people now fall into two groups: those that still believe they could do even more than they already have to get into a good college, and further boost everything at the expense of their health, and those who simply gave up on grades, maintain 85s and hope they can get into someplace like Georgetown. Unfortunately for America, the latter group is becoming a more attractive option.

I was originally a member of this latter group as well, until I eventually found my niche in game theory; started privately studying the subject during whatever free time I had, started using it a lot in my mental processes. Changed my life in a lot of ways, started doing a lot of things I hadn't done before, even completely unrelated to game theory; the price I paid for my burst of knowledge was cluster headaches. Getting one now... I don't want to talk about it.

The reason kids choose to not care and to fail classes is because they're lazy and they don't want to do any work. It's a result of a system that's work-centric; the reason we don't see this in other countries is because their education systems are simply knowledge-centric.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

I understand where you're coming from but education is a two person thing on the most basic level.
If the teacher is incompetent it does not matter how dedicated the student is.
I have had a teacher who spent hours talking a lot but not saying anything.

 

[benoitowns]

My motto is, everyone is an idiot. I have always considered myself smart, yet I know I am an idiot too. You are an idiot, and we are all idiots. We may not necessarily realize it, but it is shocking how absolutely stupid we can all be. I am not being a troll, but think of times where you did something stupid. Think of times you regret doing something. Think about that class a few years ago you could have done way better in if you just tried a little bit harder. Understand that people who did better would have seen you as an idiot then. Here I am trying to "preach" my ideas, yet I am an idiot. I accept that there are concepts that I just can't comprehend, and that though I am smarter than a lot of people around me, I will still be an idiot compared to a lot of others. And "cool kids" are even bigger idiots who should barely even be considered the same species as the majority of the users of this website.

 

[Quiet Stranger]

So what happened? i am very interested now, how is your life doing now? What did social workers decide to do? How many years or months has it been? Also I knew people like that all throughout High School, they were in all of my classes, sad really

I don't really know, it seems like nothing really happened.

The social workers made threats to my parents, implied they were bad parents and in general, kept playing the blame game until adult education had to "deal with me".

I got some tuition, a diagnosis of Aspherger's Syndrome and a few weeks in a private school out of the whole thing, but no solid education.
I just kinda sat around for ten years, a lot of people might say that was "a waste", but I look at it like "I got all my resting done now, I can spend the rest of my life working".

I'm trying to find some education now and there seem to be lots of places where I can get it, all I've gotta do is figure out the direction I wanna go.

All in all, it could've gone a lot worse.
I could've been taken away, become suicidal, any number of horrible things.

Well i'm glad you didn't become suicidal or I never would have heard your story

 

[clipse15]

I don't know why failing and being an asshole is popular now. Talking back to the teacher and make the class laugh? at what cost? failing the class and making it that much harder to get a job. If they don't have the papers that say they at least got out of highschool, then they are going to have a hard time getting and holding a job

I have no patients for them, I do my work so I can get a good job and live a happy life. I have .a self declared no social life. I don't go to party or dances, or very rarely hang out with my friend on weekends. Why? Because I want to get through highschool, then collage, and if I'm lucky, medschool. And I'm not going to be able to do that if I goof off and fail all my classes.

You sacrifice your social life? Thats a little extreme. I personally have never been to great at school, but I don't fail on purpose. It kinda sucks, but I scrape by. I have not understood a single lesson a math teacher has taught me in the past two years and manage to pull off a C.

Indeed. To an extent. I have friends. I can't deny that, but like I said, I don't go out and do much. Boring, yes. But I don't get in trouble

How is going out to parties and having a social life equal to getting into trouble? I must have been from some bizzaro world where I was smart in high school and *gasp* had time for friends, parties and a social life. High school isn't hard by any stretch of the imagination saying that you need to cut of your social life to be succesful seems like an excuse to cover the fact that maybe with or without school your social life wouldn't be that great since you obviously think our better than people who don't have the drive to acquire a post-secondary education

 

[Kryzantine]

I don't know why failing and being an asshole is popular now. Talking back to the teacher and make the class laugh? at what cost? failing the class and making it that much harder to get a job. If they don't have the papers that say they at least got out of highschool, then they are going to have a hard time getting and holding a job

I have no patients for them, I do my work so I can get a good job and live a happy life. I have .a self declared no social life. I don't go to party or dances, or very rarely hang out with my friend on weekends. Why? Because I want to get through highschool, then collage, and if I'm lucky, medschool. And I'm not going to be able to do that if I goof off and fail all my classes.

You sacrifice your social life? Thats a little extreme. I personally have never been to great at school, but I don't fail on purpose. It kinda sucks, but I scrape by. I have not understood a single lesson a math teacher has taught me in the past two years and manage to pull off a C.

Indeed. To an extent. I have friends. I can't deny that, but like I said, I don't go out and do much. Boring, yes. But I don't get in trouble

How is going out to parties and having a social life equal to getting into trouble? I must have been from some bizzaro world where I was smart in high school and *gasp* had time for friends, parties and a social life. High school isn't hard by any stretch of the imagination saying that you need to cut of your social life to be succesful seems like an excuse to cover the fact that maybe with or without school your social life wouldn't be that great since you obviously think our better than people who don't have the drive to acquire a post-secondary education

Depends on your school. Some high schools teach college or university courses, and when these are mandated and take up a good part of your schedule, combined with the standard workload that high schools pull off on you... well, there's a difference between that and an average high school. I know far too many people who could walk into any other school and get 97s in every single class without breaking a sweat, but walk into my downtown Manhattan school and either start having to think or start having to write a ton of useless shit. Then, a good portion of these people are overachievers and simply think they don't have the time to even make friends. It really goes hand in hand.

 

[Outamyhead]

I hated school, not because of the lessons, just the majority of fellow pupils for putting up with their BS, I loved art and history, maths not so much, PE, if it wasn't for a dick of a teacher and being pushed into crap I didn't like on sports day (I was good at running, I was the third best for 800 meters in my year, and I got stuck with fecking high jump, and screwed up my back in the process) I would have liked that more.

I think it may be the lack of enthusiasm being put into teaching the kids, or the kids that fail are being abused in some form, maybe bullying (that was a major cause for me, not to enjoy school) is playing into the drop outs.

I still passed all my exams, but I was glad I finished that chapter of my life.

 

[clipse15]

I don't know why failing and being an asshole is popular now. Talking back to the teacher and make the class laugh? at what cost? failing the class and making it that much harder to get a job. If they don't have the papers that say they at least got out of highschool, then they are going to have a hard time getting and holding a job

I have no patients for them, I do my work so I can get a good job and live a happy life. I have .a self declared no social life. I don't go to party or dances, or very rarely hang out with my friend on weekends. Why? Because I want to get through highschool, then collage, and if I'm lucky, medschool. And I'm not going to be able to do that if I goof off and fail all my classes.

You sacrifice your social life? Thats a little extreme. I personally have never been to great at school, but I don't fail on purpose. It kinda sucks, but I scrape by. I have not understood a single lesson a math teacher has taught me in the past two years and manage to pull off a C.

Indeed. To an extent. I have friends. I can't deny that, but like I said, I don't go out and do much. Boring, yes. But I don't get in trouble

How is going out to parties and having a social life equal to getting into trouble? I must have been from some bizzaro world where I was smart in high school and *gasp* had time for friends, parties and a social life. High school isn't hard by any stretch of the imagination saying that you need to cut of your social life to be succesful seems like an excuse to cover the fact that maybe with or without school your social life wouldn't be that great since you obviously think our better than people who don't have the drive to acquire a post-secondary education

Depends on your school. Some high schools teach college or university courses, and when these are mandated and take up a good part of your schedule, combined with the standard workload that high schools pull off on you... well, there's a difference between that and an average high school. I know far too many people who could walk into any other school and get 97s in every single class without breaking a sweat, but walk into my downtown Manhattan school and either start having to think or start having to write a ton of useless shit. Then, a good portion of these people are overachievers and simply think they don't have the time to even make friends. It really goes hand in hand.

I live in Ontario the way our school system works is that from grade 9 (first year of high school) The student chooses based on his prior grades if they want to take a course in academic or applied. So for example you can take academic science or applied science. If you take applied science in grade 9 you cant take academic science in 10th grade. In grade 11 the courses become College or University level courses. So if you take the academic route you are in the University stream and if you take the applied route you are in the college stream. This goes for every high school in Ontario.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Eh, it doesn't matter. When you see those "students" in the middle of the street in tattered rags, holding up a tin can asking people for money, be sure walk up to them, and spit on them to remind them that they brought this to themselves.

Funny how far the education system is going down, that students are willingly failing just because it's cool, and how many parents still believe that it's [high pitched mocking tone] "good for them"[/high pitched mocking tone].

Utter fucking bullshit.