You should decide whether the classes you’re taking are worth your time

by James Harbin

I used to do whatever I was told because I didn’t know any better than to follow instructions.

One day I decided that I wasn’t going to sit around and do what I’m told just because they told me do so. I’m a human being. My life has value. No one has control over anyone.

Has anyone ever noticed that what we learn is not useful to everyone?

Teachers say that they can prove that what they teach will be used in our everyday lives.

Considering the fact that it’s their job to teach us, I would expect them to know. We should be introduced to the four core subjects but we should get a say in whether or not we pursue that subject for our future. I understand that they teach high skilled math just in case a student is considering being a construction worker or something that involves that skill as a future career but yet they don’t teach first aid for someone who wants to be a paramedic. They should have the students who need that skill for their future take the class, not everyone.

I hate the fact that some people say that this generation of kids is getting dumber and think that making school more difficult will result in smarter kids.

Maybe children are getting dumber because the work is getting too difficult? Why make Biology or Algebra mandatory to graduate high school when a small percentage of the students will have a future career that involves the knowledge obtained from those classes? It’s the student that should prioritize their needs for the future.

Instead of teaching us the things that the DOE thinks we need to learn, teach us the things we need to survive. I wasn’t taught how to get a job, but I know how to dissect a frog. I wasn’t taught how to pay taxes, but I know loads about Shakespeare’s classics. I wasn’t taught how to vote; they devoted that time to defining isotopes. I was shown the wavelengths of different cues of light, but I was never taught my human rights.

What’s the point of learning all of this information if some of us won’t put it to any use.? What we really need to learn is the essentials. We don’t know how to raise a child, buy a car or a house. I don’t even know what I’m voting on or what I’m voting for.

What’s the point of having all of this knowledge on record with our stats. Albert Einstein failed his math classes back in high school. Steve Jobs dropped out of college. Yes these are remarkable people, but they started out just like you and I. It’s up to us to decide whether or not we’ll be a standout human like them. So why does everyone say that you need to go to school in order to be successful when there is proof of their arrogance?

It’s a complete waste of potential when we learn so much about the four core just to forget most of what we have learned after we graduate because some of us won’t need all that knowledge in our career path. Why must we have P.E. credit? I don’t see why you have to be somewhat fit to be successful. No one but us should decide what our priorities are.. Only we know what’s best for us since everyone is different. It seems like the DOE is trying to making duplicate beings of the past so nothing will change.

People need to stop trying to make a perfect, intelligent world where everyone is an absolute genius. Some people were just destined for different purposes and people need to start realizing that. Otherwise, it is just a wasted life on a road that wasn’t meant to be travelled on.

Choose challenging but enjoyable classes

by Valerin Choniong

I think most students choose the classes that they expect would be good for them. I chose my classes because I thought they would be suitable for me. My teachers  wanted me to choose classes that challenge me. They also wanted me to choose classes that I would want to take.

I thought high school classes would be hard. At first, they were easier than I expected. However, as the years went by, the classes became slightly hard and more challenging. It made me feel like I cannot pass any of my classes. The teachers were more challenging; the work became more hard. Regardless, I believe the classes benefit me because they pressure me to do the work. I might as well try my best.

MHS class choices are enough to provide a new way of thinking.

Throughout my time in school, I never had any true concerns about the classes I take. I took classes that I was required to and have an interest in. There were many times when I questioned the importance of my classes but I never really acted on it because I felt that there was no real reason to actually quit. Most of the time, it was just because of a sense of boredom or a time of laziness. However, this does not mean that I enjoyed every class I have ever taken because that is not true. I take classes with the mindset of passing and moving on. This way of thinking helped me get through the classes I dreaded. If you do not like the classes you’re taking now, whether core or elective, you should still do your best to pass and move on.

I am aware of the variety of classes available in McKinley but I am also aware of the diverseness of students on our campus. Some interests cannot be fulfilled because of the lack of class choices so these students with these certain interests are forced to settle for a class that is related to what they do not like to do or take classes that they see as easy rather than enjoyable. This may seem like a negative way of choosing classes but it could also lead to a student learning new things about themselves. The class they might have thought they would hate might become the one that they love.

The class choice in McKinley will never be enough to fulfill everyone’s wants but it is enough to give students a good idea of what they might want to do. If you cannot find the classes you want, choose something that might seem interesting because it could turn out being something that you love. Do not have the thought of disliking something before you actually try it out.

Do not be affected by the “Easy A” or by peer pressure.

Are the classes we take truly worth the one year we dedicate ourselves to them? What if you use your freedom of choice to pick the classes that you may need, not jut the ones that you want?

Why do we need to go to school in the first place? Why can’t we hang at the beach, go to the mall, or play video games and sleep at home? Not only is it the law, but we go to school to learn. That’s what our parents say.

Have you ever enrolled in a class because it’s easy to get a good grade,or because your friends are in it? Even if it’s a class you think will be boring, or if you just aren’t interested in it, you signed up anyway.

Sometimes, the classes we attend just don’t prepare us for our academic future; we put easy grades in front of our wants and needs.

Grades and friends are important, but learning new things is what school is truly about. You shouldn’t take a class because it’s easy to get an A or because your friends tell you to. You should take a class that relates to your potential career. You have the freedom to choose which classes you want to take.

Ultimately, the choice is yours, but remember to separate what you want from what you think you need.

Interview with registrar Osa Tui

Q: How are you going  to treat students who want to drop out of a class? Are they still limited to the list of classes you have? What if they drop out of a core class (AP, Honors, etc.)?

A: If a student wants to drop a class, the list of electives that they can choose from is  limited. Their core classes are handled by the counselor.

Q: Is it different from last year?

A: This shouldn’t be much different than last year.

We would love to hear your comments about classes you have taken that were or were not worth your time.