Teachers saying "you would amount to nothing"
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Soldato
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Not all degrees are useful and not everyone who has one has any real skills
I disagree with that. The educational process involved in getting a degree is very useful. I've worked with people who have been through higher education and those who haven't. Often the latter are more driven, but I think that's a separate subject. The ones that have been to university have a structured way of working and have learnt basic methods of doing certain things that make them more valuable than someone who hasn't been through higher education. For example, the ability to write a report in the correct manner. I've read loads of reports from "site engineers" that are written in the first person and include details like, "I got my tools from my van."
Soldato
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I remember as kid one of two of the teachers at my primary and secondary school would say things like "you will never amount to anything" and "you will be a bin man when you're older"
Now i'm not sure if teachers still say the same sort of things to kids these days but looking back now I am around their age (36) I can safely say they were wrong and am probably on at least 2 or 3 times the average teachers salary. I highly expect some of them will still be working now, maybe as elderly substitute teachers having to top up their pension in their 60s
Did your teachers ever say your would amount to nothing and would like to shove it in their face that they were wrong?
Great post, one that rings very true to me unfortunately (or maybe fortunately).
I had an absolutely awful time at both primary and secondary school. I'm a child of the 80s and subjected to some terrible forms of teaching. I had the same as you "nothing but a tractor driver", "wont do well", "prepare to fail"
I've carried that all through life, but now have done very well for myself (I won't brag), but basically whilst I'm doing well........my secondary school was closed down and demolished by the council for failing! Beautiful
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That's not been my experience. I don't think being driven is linked to wanting to go into HE. I think there's driven and non driven people on both sides.
I disagree with much of what you've said, I've found driven people on both sides.
As for the worth of a degree, lets just say I wouldn't hire someone with something like a gender studies degree to wipe my backside.
Yet many would love to do that job as it pays well due to the unsociable hours
But I was never a trouble maker in school, so I was never told anything like this.
Nor would I. It's like a big sign saying "I'm going to be a problem".
Soldato
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OK, I don't disagree with either of you with regards to being driven.
Child of the 80s / 90s too (born 84) Most of my teachers were nice but there were a few that were not.
I know one of my primary school teachers had a mental breakdown some years ago, she was local (to my parents) and remember my mum telling me. Bad things happen to bad people eventually
Yep, when I was 15 I had a discussion with a Careers Advisor and they basically said I could look forward to a menial job, problem is to certain extent I believe what they said! I left school with a handful of "O" Levels but no expectations.
Worked in various dead end jobs until I was about 20 then decided I needed to do something with myself so I went back to college:
Nation Diploma in Computer Science
which got me into University as a mature student and left with:
2:1 Information Systems (BSc Hons)
which lead to my first job working for an ISP, I've worked for Verizon, Microsoft, ARM, NOKIA along the way in various roles so I've done OK from humble beginnings
Worked in various dead end jobs until I was about 20 then decided I needed to do something with myself so I went back to college:
Nation Diploma in Computer Science
which got me into University as a mature student and left with:
2:1 Information Systems (BSc Hons)
which lead to my first job working for an ISP, I've worked for Verizon, Microsoft, ARM, NOKIA along the way in various roles so I've done OK from humble beginnings
I very much went the other way, was the brightest kid in my school, tipped for greatness by all my teachers, they all loved me.
The problem was, that school was easy and I never developed a work ethic. I'd never do homework but rock up and smash tests out of the park without breaking a sweat. I went to a very rough East London school, so being the brightest kid in that school is probably the equivalent to being a middling student at a good school, but I digress.
First year of college, also a breeze, second year... I discovered women and alcohol while at the same time the work became harder to the point I couldn't just wing it. Unsurprisingly I crashed and burned and basically completely screwed up college, spent 10 years learning humility working dead end jobs before I finally got a break into something that had a future.
The problem was, that school was easy and I never developed a work ethic. I'd never do homework but rock up and smash tests out of the park without breaking a sweat. I went to a very rough East London school, so being the brightest kid in that school is probably the equivalent to being a middling student at a good school, but I digress.
First year of college, also a breeze, second year... I discovered women and alcohol while at the same time the work became harder to the point I couldn't just wing it. Unsurprisingly I crashed and burned and basically completely screwed up college, spent 10 years learning humility working dead end jobs before I finally got a break into something that had a future.
All my teachers were pretty sound apart from my GCSE Maths teacher who was a bit of a nutter. He was very unpredictable which didn't suit me as I worked better with routine. I always found that with Maths I was very sharp with the basics but struggled with the more complex bits. I remember the class being very divided on his teaching style - he was a love him or hate him type. Told me I'd fail my Maths GCSE - I got a D (all teachers said you needed A-C). I was pretty happy with that though!
I did a vocational course thing later in life where I had to do the funtional skills level 2 tests as well. Was a little worried with regards to the Maths stuff, but it was mainly things that I was sharp on which so it was fine.
I did a vocational course thing later in life where I had to do the funtional skills level 2 tests as well. Was a little worried with regards to the Maths stuff, but it was mainly things that I was sharp on which so it was fine.
Post pic of your Gucci belt or GTFO.
To answer the question, no teachers ever said to me that I wouldn't amount to anything. The negative comments in my school reports were along the lines "distracts those less able than himself" so it seems that nothing much has changed
I like to see how far a Gender Studies Degree would get someone in life
But we do have the term "Mickey Mouse Degrees" for a reason.
That was a phrase one of the senior lecturer's on my course would love to cite very often.
Which seems ironic in the sense that it's quite insulting to anyone who's in the teaching profession.
He did come from 30 years or so in industry before doing a spurt of teaching prior to retiring.
Don't forget the full version:
Those who can't do, teach. And those who can't teach, teach P.E.