Sat 11 Jun, 2016 12:34 pm
My girlfriends' 13-yr-old nephew, a welsh national, living under UK law, has received career counselling via the states' education system (He's autistic, and excels in his interests).
He told the careers' advisors - His interests were in science.
They told him 'The 'curriculum' (State) demands, of pupils/students, a '2nd-language choice (Compulsory).
He asked if he could take extra math, physics, biology, etc.
Long story short...
He HAS to take the foreign-language class - He has informed them his interests lie elsewhere, and he will not even attempt to commit ANY of his time to their demands.
Any opinions on this?
@mark noble,
Why not suggest that a good deal of scientific literature is published in languages other than English and he would be light years ahead of his peers if he did not have to wait for some
geek with less talent to translate. Highlighting the geek phrase might help him feel elevated.
As an aside, a scientist proficient in language will have more success when communicating his/her findings.
@neologist,
He has to learn a 2nd language, regardless of his career-choice.
That's my point.
And furnishing a quantifiable platform (brain) with 'other' than useful information is, in effect, preventing storage of applicable data - Is it not?
@mark noble,
In a very real sense, science and math are languages.
Also, I recall a few US schools at one time did not require language for admission. They did, however, require it for graduation.
@neologist,
Yeah - If thus perceived so.
But, back to the question - Would YOU accept having a bollux subject (relative) drummed into you, unnecessarily?
@mark noble,
If my career-choice was music - Would I require teachings on archaeology, journalism, orthopaedics?
@mark noble,
Not sure. Other than making you more well rounded.
But I'll bet math and language would help.
BTW, I'm not saying language is a necessity. I'm just helping you sell it.
Mark Noble wrote:And furnishing a quantifiable platform (brain) with 'other' than useful information is, in effect, preventing storage of applicable data - Is it not?
No, it's not.
Actually, it's the contrary, the more you have data available on your "platform" the better you make inferences and thus learn a lot more in any other discipline.
Everyday, I witness people who excel in their preferred fields and are totally inept in other subjects.
That limits a lot their social interaction.
If that is the goal, then go ahead and accept he doesn't learn anything except his "hobby"..
@neologist,
I'm not saying that 'other' subjects aren't of value - But who has the right to impose and through 'rinse & repeat' process/es - indoctrinate 'anyone' with 'their' ideal/s?
Let's, for example, examine this scenario - Your child is 12, and barring serious injury, is likely to be the next world champion golf pro (In the next 5-10 yrs...
Would Mandarin-chinese, floristry and gothic architecture courses aid his career?
@timur,
What 'is not'?
This is about his 'life-choices' - Not a failing civilizations' aquired academic wisdom and applications thereof.
Don' tell me that you agree that anything just can arise from injustice or understanding from ignorance?
@mark noble,
It seems that you have poor reading abilities.
What you see as injustice, to me it's just a requirement to be a more fitting social actor.
Precisely, you cannot get understanding from ignorance, the latter being willful.
@mark noble,
Quote:But who has the right to impose and through 'rinse & repeat' process/es - indoctrinate 'anyone' with 'their' ideal/s?
Er, the government, I'd have thought?
@timur,
My reading-abilities are poor?
Because your written skills are lacking in imperfection, no doubt.
Wouldn't - 'I think you misunderstand my point, Mark (optional)', either through my lack of understanding of how you perceive or my own inadequate transference of communicable dynamics' be better?
@timur,
Quote:Everyday, I witness people who excel in their preferred fields and are totally inept in other subjects.
At the time of Watergate I was in a temporary office job and so was the guy on the next desk. He had just finished a chemistry degree, and had got a very good grade. I mentioned that Nixon had said bla bla bla and he said "Who is Nixon?".
@Tes yeux noirs,
So, you're ok with 'the govt' having exclusive right to arrange every childs' mental-structure as they see fit?
@Tes yeux noirs,
I bet you dropped the conversation, wondering where this people came from ..
@timur,
Only if he is a bigot, like yourself (Naively, maybe)?
@mark noble,
In this case, better be a bigot than batshit crazy..
Is this acceptable...
It is what it is, and they won't change it for him. He will have to decide whether it's acceptable. He can either accept it or opt out of society.
I recommend Spanish.
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