<Our Thinker's Blog>

Tuesday, February 06, 2007 ~ Ck's approach to school life

Having graduated from school, finally and also sadly, I am now part of the work force, contributing to the society. I can't say that I hate working now, but somehow, there is still a feeling of sadness whenever I wake up and start preparing to go to work.

Some have asked why I enjoy going to school so much, and my answer is simple, "Because going to school allows me to see my friends regularly." This reason might be totally wrong, but it is still my main reason why I like school life. There aren't many opportunities for us to meet up; and being an employee who works for 8hours a day, I am more convinced that school life is the only period which I can see my friends regularly. Therefore, I treasured school life, because I believe that it forms a very significant part of our memories, but still, changes need to occur; no matter how unwilling I am, I still "forced" out of the education system.

Besides that, school life also proves to be a more relaxed life, which also means more time for leisure. Amazingly, basketball, philosophy and writing are things that I could do more regularly during school life, which is supposed to be filled with school work. We also get to learn a lot of things such as friendship and also have to chance to catch a glimpse of the world outside, as we start to encounter the dark side of human relations.

School life is no doubt a miniature version of the adult life, but yet it shows innocence and naiveness, which is almost non-existent in the adult world. Also, it seems to be a better period of life, and I shall use my personal experience to explain this point.

(Quote from my blog) (I will highlight the main point)

The head of marketing division speaking to the people. And I can't help but got reminded of school life again. He reminded me of someone of autority (maybe the principal) while the people are the students. Somewhere in between, people started talking while he is still talking. And here is the difference. ( I think thinkers must read the following paragraph)

In schools, students are not supposed to talk, and when there are such cases of noise, you will hear "Shhhh" from the crowd or "Keep quiet" by the teachers or even from the speaker himself! This is what they taught us as RESPECT. But just now, no such sounds were heard. No "Shhh", nor any "Keep quiet" were heard. Hahahaha... And that sets me thinking again. Hmmmm... well, this is not a school.. This is adult world! So adults are supposed to know how to behave, right? But what I saw are a few rude adults. Maybe they don't like the speaker, that I don't know. So I cannot give any comments on that. But still, I think this is a point to take note. And to think further, more towards the extreme, what if such things happen at... a PM talk? I supposed that people who talked just now while the speaker was talking are people who don't like him. And being the Prime Minister for a country ( notice I didn't mention which country, so I doubt government can arrest me or anything like that... ) , in a country with opposition parties, there are bound to be people who don't respect the PM right? So what can they do if during a PM talk, these people who dun like and dun respect the PM talk at the same time? Will they "Shhhhh" these people?

And basically, I am trying to say that in schools, there is always someone of a higher autority to correct us when we are wrong, or when we are behaving in an inapporiate manner. But who has the autority in the adult world? "Police" might be the answer that popped into our mind when we start to think, but is that really the answer? As adults, we are supposed to be responsible, sensible and also respectful. But is that really the fact of our society?

I miss school life. Do you?

-Ck

Ck was thinking at 8:45 AM

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Everyone goes through the School of Life trying to figure out one best way to get the Diploma to Success/Happiness (some view this as a double major while some doesn't separate it and simply treat it as a single)

Today Teacher Thinker wants to ask some socratic questions to get this entry to make a smooth transition from memories and be a neat linkage to the topic of time and society.

What are you attending schooling for, honestly?

(You go to school to prepare yourself for the future)

But most of the times, you don't even know what you're looking for in the future when you set foot in your school.

(You go to learn about what futures exist out there, so you know how you can prepare yourself for your specific future)

So tell me what you've been learning from Day 1 till now.

(Languages, Maths, Advanced Maths, Sciences which gradually branch out in Physics Chemistry Biology, Humanities including geography history literature economics..)

Would you agree the curriculum is tailored more to the society's needs for strong threads in its own tapestry, than your own need for your future?

(General knowledge always has its own benefits, and well, the best thing happens when society's needs correspond to mine perfectly so I get to have a stable job where I maximise what I've learnt to get my success)

Who instilled this interest in you and shaped your thoughts to revolve around these "needs"?

(Um..maybe I was able to see the world from the societal binoculars my education afforded me, and decided therehence?)

Did you ever wonder about whether the lenses on your binocular are specially constructed to reflect images in certain ways? (of course, not targetting any country's educational system in specific, just talking about education of human society in general)

Did you ever wonder why an overwhelming no. of students out there want to be doctors, lawyers, economists, engineers, and a significantly less no. of people aspiring to be artists, musicians and poets?

(well, partly...those artistic careers, they bring you spiritual nourishment but not necessarily guarantee bacon home daily)

Is that your "needs"/"vision" speaking or the society's?

Hmm, how many periods of Art/Music lessons has the educational curriculum of society alloted to you since pri.school days, and how many periods of Sciences and Maths? By the way do you believe it's true that love gets cultivated more easily the longer you spend with a subject?

(Hey but I think your point is a subjective one..)

Perfectly fine with that, in philosophy we learn there are never absolute perspectives only relative ones. However, before you raise any further point, I'd prefer you clarify first which voice are you speaking in, the society's or your own?

If both voices happen to coincide, and your vision merges with the society's, does it mean your vision is at least partly shaped by the society's demands and desires?

Then, as for the future you want, is it maybe no more than a take of shaping your heart's wants to the Grand Market of Demand and Supply in our world?

Maybe, that's one possible way it works? I mean, life. Society teaches you in the way it wants and allows you some freedom in the choices you are left with. Hmm never mind, coming back, what else does Society's School teach you?

(Well, making friends, dealing with friendship and cliques and all...)

Hmm..so maybe you can even say school is like a microcosm of society out there, teaching you about interpersonal relationships as well as different classes and chasms among people as mirrored by cliques?

(That one, I don't learn in classrooms.)

(Excerpts of Q & A ends temporarily. Quick comment to officially brief about new topic of this period.)

Perhaps, at the end of it, I guess we all seek to fumble out sets of our own living code, and the school is a training place for people to fly or flex their muscles. Maybe you have memories of picking yourself up and falling down and somehow getting the way through taking bypaths. You make perhaps lifelong mates who will trek different roads with you. You don't notice as Time passes by until the day that training ground closes and shows you out hopefully. Then, it's time to walk into the Four Seasons of Life out there.

Discussion will ensue, coz Time doesn't end, so neither does education...

--pannie

(and pardon this for not being a v.successful writing coz I'm feeling sleepy..)

Pannie was thinking at 12:33 AM