EDUCATION & CAREERS
High School is a Taste of Life
By: James Murphy
Student always come into my office complaining that they have to deal with a teacher who hates
them, or how they see no point to doing homework. My favorite question asked is “Why should I
learn this? I am never going to use it in life”. I often give this speech on how “High school is a taste
of life” to my entering 9th graders so I thought I would share it with you today.
High school is a taste of life. If you can’t figure out
how to “work” high school you will not be prepared
for life. So I don’t care how many bad teachers or stupid assignments you feel you are dealing with, if you
can’t figure out a way to make it all work out in your
favor you will not be successful in life.
So let’s start with the analogies: if the idea is that high
school is life, then what is homework, teachers, tests,
grades, and the administration all about?
Homework assignments are deadlines that you will
have to meet. Homework, plain and simple, is not
meant to punish a student. It is meant to teach them
about the wonderful world of stupid things that no
one wants to do that have to be done in a certain
time. Adults have bills, taxes, work, projects, forms,
and other painstaking items always due. Students
need to see that homework is a way for them to pre-
pare for the mountains of things that are going to be
asked of them for the rest of their lives. If they can’t
turn in a handful of assignments by a specific time to
a particular person at a particular location, they will
not be able to function well in life. Homework is about
deadlines. It is about a student’s time management
and learning that needs to occur in order to understand what is needed from them. If it is submitted in
a sloppy, messy or disorganized state, I have a feeling that a good grade will not be obtained and that a
raise at work is not in their future. If the assignment
is never completed but an excuse is offered instead,
not a good sign for their adult life. Accountability is
everything. In short, you have to learn to just get it
done and do it right.
Teachers’ are bosses/ clients in your future. Whether
you are going to work at a small company or own a
huge company during your life, I guarantee you are
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