I feared I might not post today. No more.
After completing school, a student must be allowed to explore different possible fields in order to get a fair idea of what lies beyond hearsay. The entire society in which she lives must help her see the different facets to an occupation. From the glamorous version that visual media portrays to the mundane side the man who truly occupies his day with work. After that 1 mandatory year of free flowing travel (it really is a travel), the student must be able to convince herself and a panel of educators (comprising teachers who are familiar with the student) about the line of study she wishes to pursue. If the reason is banausic, fine. No harm. At least she should be clear about it. Idealism kills more men than reality ever conceived of doing away with. Once things are clear, then the student should pursue the field of study. After completing the course, another year must be spent in working at different places as an apprentice before being fully employed. This helps establish things on a more solid ground. Oh! my god, she lost 2 years of income!! 2 years in a career's life time of around 40 years. That is 2/40*100 % or 5% (I like 5%. Its the same key without and with the shift key depressed). That's fine. You will be 95% happy. Do I hear a solution which can give me better results than that?
But does society really care about giving the young an interesting life? Does it really care about making their life a true joy so that people around can also be happy?
Money & status decide a lot. Is this inevitable? Is this how it should be? Hmmm. Need to think about it.
And I never planned on writing more than the 1st line... Hence, the title.
Speaking idealistically, IF only we can break the conditionings of "practicality" in our society - wont it do wonders to the educational system? Or would it merely produce dreamers? :)
ReplyDeleteThat said, don't you think education is not only about having choices but also about nurturing the "courage" to pursue the chosen?
Money and status are sweet! Why condemn them? It is lack of these commodities that forces people resort to adopt the wrong professions and jobs in order to obtain money and status! If these were already there, all your beloved students can pursue non-money making professions without a second thought. Money doesnt create any problems; it is the lack of money that creates each and every problem in life...And as Swaminathann Ankalesaria Iyer the Economist says - Give me problems that come to me because of too much money any day any time; not the ones that are the result of having too little money...
ReplyDeleteStatus is more intangible, but very satisfying because it solidifies your confidence in being a part of this society. You not only belong, but do so with a certainty which is unassailable...
Your idea has these loopholes - the student might make all the wrong decisions even with all this care taken to give her the best data to take decisions regarding her future.
But the intent is kind. But at the young age, their likes and dislikes might keep vacillating and they might not have the maturity to get the right perceptions / absorb the right data from their varied apprenticeships and may take decisions which they might regret tomorrow, immediately - and if adults are anyway going to overlook their ultimate decisions or determine them or influence them, your idea just becomes a slight way of giving the student too the idea of participating in the decision making.
2 years for this? 5% of my professional life for this? Hmmm.
NOthing much to the idea methinks..It wouldn't revolutionaize the child's happiness much I think...