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Once students enter grade nine, they are expected to follow an academic route in preparation for university, and they only see high school as a stepping stone to a more theoretical and knowledge based style of learning.
In Ivory Tower Blues: A University System in Crisis by Anton Allahar, it is mentioned that many people believe a university degree ranks higher than any other form of post secondary learning, which Is an Ignorant view on the current ducation system and It’s diverse students. This Is an Inaccurate and arrogant statement that has been brought into modern society for a bevy of reasons, but mainly due to the fact that high schools teach students that a university education triumphs above all learning, parents believe that white collar Jobs are the most respected, and the fact that no one is believing that blue collar Jobs are the most in demand.
By viewing only one side of the spectrum, the academic side, people are bewitched Into thinking people can only be successful if they have a few capital etters preceding and following their name on a fancy sheet of paper in a nice frame. From an early age, students are pressured into maintaining high grades so that they can attend prestigious universities, which results in many students falling between the cracks, because they feel the cannot keep up with the academic standard.
University is not meant for everyone, but unfortunately high schools fail to realize and understand that. High school teachers often commit the crime of “psychological boosting”, In which the student Is rewarded for completing tasks, not by the quality of it. Anton Allahar sees a problem in this, as he says, “students with high self-esteem based on false feedback are much more difficult to teach because many cannot take criticism and feedback without assuming it’s personal. (Allahar, par. 23) Without having the ability to deal with failures as well as successes, the teachers are preparing the students for a rude awakening In university, which results in many students dropping out, and feeling worthless. High schools also create false hope for their students by enforcing their message that going to university and getting a degree will create a rich and happy future for you.
This “dream” has changed a ridiculous amount of students’ minds according to Allahar, as “90 percent of grade 9 students assume they will go to university en route to such promising careers. ” (Allahar, par. 16) The high schools effectively change the students mind to thinking of only university as an option, as opposed to a very promising Job in the trades Industry. Teachers arent the only ones who are to blame, as the parents, who are investing in their children, also play a part in boosting the universities.
The cost of university has peaked at an all time high, and unless a student is xceptional, “free ride” scholarships are out of the question. The parents, also known as the Investors, play a huge role In where a student attends a post secondary Institution, because they are the ones funding It. According to Allahar, In most children and don’t let them make any decisions on their own, which can result in the students inability to, “explore their own interests and aptitudes and develop their own capacities… (Allahar, par. 30) Without the students realizing their full potentials and finding their own passions, they are pressured into attending university when hey might not be able to handle it. Micro-managing their kids lives is not the best option, as Allahar explains, “the good side is that parents are very close emotionally to their children, but the bad side is that they may be creating an over dependence or even a co-dependence with their children. ” (Allahar, par. 2) By focusing on creating the emotional attachment to their children, they sometimes misinterpret the messages high schools and the media are sending out about university. The trades are starting to become more and more in demand, which is resulting in a higher alary, because of how many students believe that university is the only route to success. Supply and demand play a factor in the war between universities and the trades, because with ninety percent of students choosing university, the ten percent go into the workforce, the trades market has boomed.
Students are forced into believing that a university degree will hold some sort of seniority over any other post secondary institution or workplace, which makes them question the trades. As Allahar explains, “These policies and practices simply encourage large numbers of students to look at some obscure future horizon without appreciating the pportunities at hand… ” (Allahar, par. 37) The opportunities that the students are failing to acknowledge are the trades, and with the Job market for these skills increasing, the high schools should be embracing it more.
The fact that university is not for everyone should be more apparent to students in their learning, because the students who don’t see learning material they are using in everyday scenarios, should realize the trades are for them, but they do not, because of the false premise high schools are pumping into their minds. Allahar explains this by saying, “Because hey do not see a direct link between their course materials, assignments, tests and potential Jobs, they… obsess more about the outcome of courses (grades) than about learning. (Allahar, par. 8) By entering the trades industry, these students can value their education more as they see it in everyday situations, instead of being pushed into an education system they will not enjoy. This sole reason has caused many universities to make a pretty penny, and crushing the hopes and dreams of their students. It is said that high school is supposed to be the best four years of a person’s life, ut how could it be with all the stress and false information a school is providing?
The fact that a white-collar Job means so much to the general public is a disgrace, because it is belittling a student for not wanting to take an academic route to success. The theories and the knowledge based material that universities offer is not for everyone, and while the high schools, parents and teachers pump it up to be have to be Einstein to achieve success, it simply takes hard work and dedication to a passion to be successful, not a piece of paper that determines how much a person is worth.