Life Lessons Learned In School
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By Justin A. Price
High school student
Fitchburg
It is true that school is preparation for the future. However, you
may be surprised when I say that you learn many lifelong lessons without
even realizing it. Through all of the 11-plus years of going to school,
I have come to the realization that most all valuable things learned
in school do not come from books, but from people around you and your
interactions with them.
Several different factors contribute to this. For example, the diversity
of the school or certain school rules can teach something valuable to
you. I know this is true because it happened to me.
Although I go to a predominately white school, it is diverse enough
that I have been able to interact with people of all backgrounds. Most
kids, like myself, attain friends based on who their parents know or
who they live by. When you go to a public school, you start to meet
kids from different backgrounds. For instance, most 1st and 2nd graders
don't really care who their friends are. They don't care what their
race, nationality or economic status is. As long as they interact with
them, they can learn something about that person. You learn very important
social skills, which become important in finding a job later on in life.
Companies like having employees who have interacted with all kinds of
people. You may also learn what it is like to live like them. In some
cases, you will find that they are a lot like you, but other times you
may find that they live in a completely "different" world,
and home may not be as happy a place as it is for you. This is important
to learn at a young age. Understanding society is very important.
Every school and teacher has their own set of rules. You may think
that these rules are set just to be mean. I don't think that's what
they are there for. The rules that are set up help prepare you for life.
One of the first things taught in elementary school is sharing. This
is important for kids to learn because some day they might meet someone
who needs something.
Another rule is getting to school and class on time. You may think
that getting a tardy slip in school isn't a big deal. Hopefully, it
will teach you to not be tardy when you get a job because you will definitely
think it is a big deal when you lose your job. Deadlines for homework
are also important. Teachers usually just take off some points. Hopefully
you learn not to turn assignments in late because at work it probably
won't be accepted and it may cost you your job. It is safe to say that
school is a good analogy to work. It teaches kids that mistakes lead
to consequences.
A true example of everything I have said was proved to me when I was
in 5th grade. Fifth-grade is an important year for development of students.
With each year, students are given more responsibilities. Their opinions
are starting to change and their work ethic is forming. I had a very
diverse 5th-grade class. I had a few kids with learning disabilities,
a new student from a different country, a friend with behavioral issues,
and a student who came from a poorer neighborhood than others in the
class. We studied the typical math, science, language, and history that
all of the other classes studied. However, each day, we sat around a
sofa chair and listened to our teacher give what we called, "a
lecture."
Looking back on it, those "lectures" taught me more important
things than I could have learned in any textbook. He talked about different
situations that we could face in the future, responsibility, respect,
and having a strong work ethic. He was always looking out for us and
trying to motivate us for the future. Looking back on it, I wonder what
I would be like if I hadn't had the experience I had in 5th grade.
While you may find it useful and interesting to know who Ben Franklin
is or how to multiply large numbers, nothing in school can help prepare
you for the future like interacting with others. Working with a diverse
group of people to solve a problem will help you in the future when
you may have to do something similar at the workplace. If you are able
to follow the rules in school, it may turn you into a more responsible
person than if you don't follow them.
Lastly, if you listen to your teachers and make a point to follow through
on what they say, you will realize how much an impact it has on the
type of person you become. It happened to me, and I am grateful for
the many life lessons I have learned in school.
From Our Readers main page
Posted December 5, 2003