Why Schools are Not For Everyone

“Do you still want to go to school?” I asked. “It’s perfectly fine with me if you don’t want to.”

“….yeah... I think I should…”, my son who has been trying to transfer to the four years University to no avail for more than 12 months, responded.

“ Do you know what you want to do after you finished ?" I asked, not expecting any answers from him.

This conversation seems a bit strange to some. Especially, for between a mother, a former high school teacher who believes that Education made it possible for her to have what she has and who she became. Who would not want her child to go to school and be educated?

Me. Well, that's not true. Not really. I just don't think that schools today provide what we need in today's fast-changing world. In fact, they have not been doing so for quite some time now.

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, my homework was all handwritten and submitted physically. No online submission. I had to either purchase books, or go to the library to find what I need to write my paper.

In my college years, I learned to use a personal computer mostly at school. PC wasn't as affordable as now for the average college student to own. Often family members shared one desktop computer at home. As the internet and its network system become solidified and spread worldwide along with the computer technologies making a rather quick advancement in their hardware and its functionality, affordability of the PC and laptops increased tremendously.

That was when I was trying to achieve my goals and find my place in society. The situation has drastically changed since. I have seen and experienced it with my own eyes as a teacher and a parent of a school-aged child. His assignments are submitted digitally and classes are conducted via Zoom.

So, why are we doing or insisting on doing things the same ways? For many kids, schools are places to tolerate and obey the rules of teachers these days.

What teachers are saying and teaching can be found at the tips of their fingers without leaving the comfort of their room. So, why do they want to go to the school?

If the school is the only place you can obtain the knowledge and information that helps and supports their growth and personal development, it makes sense for them to attend. Unfortunately, that’s not the most cases these days.

How to access to the information you seek, or the knowledge and skills you desires to obtain today is diversified due to the technological advance. People are sharing information and knowledge with each other more than ever.

Education is not about getting degrees or attending schools. Education starts from the day we are born. We learn from our environments: people around us.

Although we tend to use the word school as synonym to education , schooling doesn’t substitute education. Schools are the part of your education, but it isn’t necessary for your life.

It’s a choice you make although it doesn’t feel like it for majority of people because the general public has accepted as the measurement of your intellectual ability and skills, we have long believed that pursuing higher education and degrees are beneficial to our future. That is no longer true for many of us anymore.

Having say that, I am not against getting higher education. In fact, I am still considering to go back to school to explore more in the field of epigenetics , psychonueroimmunoligy and counseling.

As for my son, he has found his first job in the industry he loves. He’s working for one of well known game companies. He’s happy working remotely, content with his situation at this time. Yet, he feels that he needs to get a degree to make a decent living. Although he has no idea what he wanted to study in a university, he feels compelled to go.

I can also see that he cannot help feeling somewhat failure not being able to finish what he started as well as feeling like he is letting down his father.

You can be educated by going school. However, going to schools and earning a degree doesn’t necessarily guarantee you becoming an educated individual.

If your intention is to become an educated and intelligent individual to live your life fully, know that schooling is an option and never requirement for success in one’s life.

April 19, 2023 update on my son's college situation;

I am happy to report that he has found what he wants to learn in college starting online classes for working toward Digital Arts and Design in BA from May, 2023.