From: blockedofcourse@foo.invalid   
      
   On 11/26/2025 3:10 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:   
   > To a large extent it depends on the enthusiasm of the student and the   
   quality of the teacher.   
      
   I think the bigger problem is the ego and (type of) involvement of the   
   parent(s).  I've spoken with many teachers who claim they are afraid to   
   grade their students based on merit -- the parents raise holy hell   
   if THEIR kid isn't an "A" student.   
      
   [Not unexpected in light of the prevalence of helicopter parents -- did YOUR   
   parents ever attend a job interview with you??]   
      
   This instills a false sense of "competence" in the kid.  A neighbor's son is   
   upset that he hasn't been PROMOTED after 6 months on the job... what the hell   
   have you DONE in those 6 months that thinks you MERIT a promotion?   
      
   > There's also a difference between what is taught and what is needed in a   
   workplace.   
   > I could use a soldering iron when I got my degree, but most other graduates   
   couldn't.   
      
   I disagree.  Skills are easy to pick up -- how long do you think it would take   
   to teach someone how to make a reliable solder joint?   
      
   What is needed in the workplace is the ability to LEARN.  Because only   
   backwards looking businesses/industries worry about "today" as tomorrow will   
   be here momentarily.  If your new hires are only good with today's skillsets,   
   you'll be shit out of luck come tomorrow!   
      
   Interviews (hiring processes) that rely on the applicant regurgitating some   
   particular canned response are notoriously short sighted.   
      
   We teach kids how to design algorithms using a completely bogus "programming   
   language" that exists nowhere else.  A handful of "opcodes" (move l/r/f/b,   
   probe, rotate 90/180/270, etc.) that a 10 year old can easily understand   
   (no concerns about overflow, exceptions, cancellation, races, etc.).  And,   
   to which he can PHYSICALLY relate.   
      
   "Solve the maze"   
      
   The income level or socio-economic status of the student plays no role in how   
   well they can perform.  Rather, assembling sequences of actions and LEARNING   
   from their shortcomings is the route to success.   
      
   [It is highly unlikely that they will even use said language in a job -- or,   
   ever be called upon to solve a maze!  Yet, they have learned how to learn.]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)