What You Really Learn in School

Well, secondary school that is. You don't learn much in primary school, it's all about having fun and making your teachers do all the work...

Anyways, I'm sure many of you have heard the line "But I don't need this when I'm working what" when it comes to certain subjects like chemistry, physics and etc, and that the only ones which are useful are your languages and E-Math.

Well, I beg to differ... Yes, I can't believe I'm saying this as well.

The subjects which seem like they have no use are structured such that they build up skills which you can use when you're older. I'm not talking about skills like painting a picture, playing an instrument or playing a sport (although you can learn those in school), I'm more on the lines of skills such as memorisation and quick thinking.

Your sciences, especially biology requires you to memorise many many facts and details. You need to know your physics formulas and have your chemical equations at your fingertips. These subjects are like half memorisation, half understanding, thus they also train your ability to link different topics under a large chapter. For instance, light, sound and EM waves are under a large chapter of Waves, while Qualitative Analysis, metals, ions are all closely linked under Acids, Bases and Salts.

Then, there's geography, which is probably maybe 80% memorisation, 20% understanding. You need to write the facts on your exam paper, then link them to their consequences (although it is possible to memorise these linking statements).

A-Math. I'm sure there are many people who are thinking why the heck would they need to know about sine and cosine if they were to grow up and work in the... I don't know, food industry or financial sector. Well, A-Math is really about your understanding again, and also about quick thinking. The one who uses the most efficient method gets the highest marks.

It also tests you on your ability to see patterns and think out of the box. How many times have you seen a trigo question where they make you "show that LHS = RHS" and you feel like you're running into a brick wall because you can't answer, and then finally when your teacher shows you the solution, you go "cheh" or "meh". And your mind gets blown away and you're pissed off that you couldn't see that and you.... *blah blah*

Then, there's social studies and history. Yes it is important to a certain extent (this sounds a lot like an SEQ!) because it gives you an idea of what governments around the world, and of now and before have done or are doing. At least your world view is broadened up a little.

However, the main challenge of these subjects is your ability to link factors. That's why if there are no linking statements, or your linking statement is not really good, you don't get the marks.

After all that's been said, there are actually subjects in school which teaches you some skills (like wow I totally did not know that!). Computer Studies - your ability to program computer softwares etc, POA - accounting, DnT - designing and creative thinking.

There are also your languages, which are always important.

Finally, there are those shoot-and-try-to-hit subjects like music and arts. They try to capture the interest of the students, and may or may not fail in doing so. If they fail, then it's not too bad, the student who rejects it just has one less thing to enjoy and appreciate, that's all.

Advice of the day: Oh yes the things you learn in school are important, but once you have all these, school's not important anymore.