| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re Brillian article - | |
| Posted by: | Tina Pemberton | |
| Date/Time: | 11/11/10 17:44:00 |
| I am talking about people leaving school in the 50's and 60's. Those schools which did not have the 11+ exams were often schools where there were expected to be many failures and the only encouragement you got was to get a job as a typist or shop worker (girls!). This was despite pupils being in the top stream throughout school. Many working class parents did not support their children going to University because they didn't know the first thing about it and thought that it was for the rich. Working class kids were, on the whole, expected to pay their way at home once they finished school (on average at 15/16). Even if you could get a grant you had to be able to support yourself, which meant working and this was really difficult without parental support, particular for those that had to pay rent. As for producing less geniuses perhaps this is because when we have a genius in our midst we do not encourage them enough? It is not just about geniuses - many teachers for example, are not geniuses (although perhaps some would say they should be), but they still need to get a degree, so do social workers - the list goes on and on. Personally, I think character for anyone working with kids is just as important, along with strength of mind and a deep understanding of how to get along with, and dare I say it 'control' them (in a good way of course). If you don't have respect from a child you will get nothing out of them. Many high-rate tax payers in our country either go abroad to work or, in some cases, put their taxes in tax havens - and there are many of these. |