If school was optional, would you still attend?
This poll is closed
If school was optional, would you still attend?
Yes - on all days 33%
Yes - on most days 56%
No 10%
Other (i.e I'm homeschooled/was homeschooled)2%
Total votes: 195
Helloooo students 
During gcses I asked some classmates if they would go to secondary school if it was optional and I was really surprised when they said they would. Some of the reasons they stated were they were fed up of homework and stressful teachers. Some others said they wished there was another way of achieving their dreams without having to do compulsory subjects. I suppose this applies to everyone (students, teachers, people who have left school, university students etc.) but I'm not sure how many people will respond to this.
I assume results will be a little biased because I'm on tsr lol but let's be real here. School is so stressful, draining and often we have to go home and self teach material. Personally I would still go because so many people don't have access to education and if that opportunity is available I'd still take it.
Although I probably wouldn't show up every single day so I've made that an option. Maybe it'd be easier if we could simply collect sheets and walk out or go through lesson plans at home since students work at different speeds. Not that school matters until year 9 (or year 10 but I started caring in year 9).
(I don't know how to do a poll I'm about to figure that out so bear with me)
(also how come there isn't a thread on this already I couldn't find anything or maybe I suck at research idek)
During gcses I asked some classmates if they would go to secondary school if it was optional and I was really surprised when they said they would. Some of the reasons they stated were they were fed up of homework and stressful teachers. Some others said they wished there was another way of achieving their dreams without having to do compulsory subjects. I suppose this applies to everyone (students, teachers, people who have left school, university students etc.) but I'm not sure how many people will respond to this.
I assume results will be a little biased because I'm on tsr lol but let's be real here. School is so stressful, draining and often we have to go home and self teach material. Personally I would still go because so many people don't have access to education and if that opportunity is available I'd still take it.
Although I probably wouldn't show up every single day so I've made that an option. Maybe it'd be easier if we could simply collect sheets and walk out or go through lesson plans at home since students work at different speeds. Not that school matters until year 9 (or year 10 but I started caring in year 9).
(I don't know how to do a poll I'm about to figure that out so bear with me)
(also how come there isn't a thread on this already I couldn't find anything or maybe I suck at research idek)
Scroll to see replies
Read: Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto - amazing!
I would NOT go to school if it was optional IF the method of teaching and basically the system we have today was still in operation
I don't agree with a lot of our education system
You could complete the GCSEs/A-Levels curriculum way before 18
You don't need 18 years of your life to be spent in an institution that doesn't enforce originality, individuality and critical thinking (Trust me, not a lot of us know how to think/question, we take what we're given and look for counter-arguments but fail to come up with our own)
I mean, is no one else concerned that we're not having huge breakthroughs and people like Einstein etc who changed the world?
And if so, why? Clearly down to our education system (If you look at history and the education system of those people whose theories we now study, it's vastly different to our system today)
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I'm personally upset that I could have done so much more with my life (but hey, if I never learned this lesson, then I wouldn't be able to prevent it from happening to my kids/next generation)
I would NOT go to school if it was optional IF the method of teaching and basically the system we have today was still in operation
I don't agree with a lot of our education system
You could complete the GCSEs/A-Levels curriculum way before 18
You don't need 18 years of your life to be spent in an institution that doesn't enforce originality, individuality and critical thinking (Trust me, not a lot of us know how to think/question, we take what we're given and look for counter-arguments but fail to come up with our own)
I mean, is no one else concerned that we're not having huge breakthroughs and people like Einstein etc who changed the world?
And if so, why? Clearly down to our education system (If you look at history and the education system of those people whose theories we now study, it's vastly different to our system today)
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I'm personally upset that I could have done so much more with my life (but hey, if I never learned this lesson, then I wouldn't be able to prevent it from happening to my kids/next generation)
(edited 5 years ago)
I think the most valuable thing in any class or group is discussion. You really do miss the opportunity of collaborative working if you work alone. Honestly, the people sitting by you are undergoing the same input of information and everyone is faster or slower at things, but communicating different solutions or concepts that make sense to you is much more important. It may be true that you could learn everything on your own, but your classes are technically a group, a team working to be successful.
Now that is a good question.
I would! Whilst I do believe there are things that are wrong with the system, it is clearly incredibly beneficial to have an education!
I do agree with @chanda01 about the fact that originality and critical thinking aren’t necessarily encouraged through the system... out of curiosity, what would you change to encourage originality etc in our current system?
I would! Whilst I do believe there are things that are wrong with the system, it is clearly incredibly beneficial to have an education!
I do agree with @chanda01 about the fact that originality and critical thinking aren’t necessarily encouraged through the system... out of curiosity, what would you change to encourage originality etc in our current system?
(edited 5 years ago)
I'd stay in school, but I'd prefer a reform of the system: eg more choice, reduce the amount of compulsory subjects (definitely not bitter bc of compulsory religious studies), make btecs and other practical-based courses more respected (since let's be honest there's way too little emphasis on applying skills in the current system)
i would, even if not compulsory most days though... probably not every day 
@RoyalSheepy is there a way to make the poll public?
most days though... probably not every day @RoyalSheepy is there a way to make the poll public?
I’d still attend, would feel to guilty if I didn’t ahah.
It should now be public
Original post by laurawatt
@RoyalSheepy is there a way to make the poll public?
It should now be public
Absolutely not. Apart from reading and writing there's nothing I learned at school that I've retained, and I could have learned that at home.
I attend school by second chance to catch the missing education up and I did not regret it. That was my way to cope with and it worked. Was not so stressful and hard to suffer, because I determined my own pace to learn.
I'd be able to do the gcse's I want at my own pace. I hate it at school for many reasons.
Original post by chanda01
Read: Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto - amazing!
I would NOT go to school if it was optional IF the method of teaching and basically the system we have today was still in operation
I don't agree with a lot of our education system
You could complete the GCSEs/A-Levels curriculum way before 18
You don't need 18 years of your life to be spent in an institution that doesn't enforce originality, individuality and critical thinking (Trust me, not a lot of us know how to think/question, we take what we're given and look for counter-arguments but fail to come up with our own)
I mean, is no one else concerned that we're not having huge breakthroughs and people like Einstein etc who changed the world?
And if so, why? Clearly down to our education system (If you look at history and the education system of those people whose theories we now study, it's vastly different to our system today)
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I'm personally upset that I could have done so much more with my life (but hey, if I never learned this lesson, then I wouldn't be able to prevent it from happening to my kids/next generation)
I would NOT go to school if it was optional IF the method of teaching and basically the system we have today was still in operation
I don't agree with a lot of our education system
You could complete the GCSEs/A-Levels curriculum way before 18
You don't need 18 years of your life to be spent in an institution that doesn't enforce originality, individuality and critical thinking (Trust me, not a lot of us know how to think/question, we take what we're given and look for counter-arguments but fail to come up with our own)
I mean, is no one else concerned that we're not having huge breakthroughs and people like Einstein etc who changed the world?
And if so, why? Clearly down to our education system (If you look at history and the education system of those people whose theories we now study, it's vastly different to our system today)
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I'm personally upset that I could have done so much more with my life (but hey, if I never learned this lesson, then I wouldn't be able to prevent it from happening to my kids/next generation)
You still can- take accountability. Don't blame it on school that you're not happy with what you're doing. I find it sort of ironic that you say above that "we take what we're given" and yet you're doing the same here!
I expect I would have missed days when feeling a bit poorly, snow on the ground, those kind of days.
Yeah, I would definitely have gone, but most likely spent less time there. There was a lot that was pointless about school and as soon as all units had been covered and we started revision lessons I don't think I would go in, as I always revised better at home than at school.
But I would have understood the importance of school. I would love to go back to my school days even now, and Im 28! But they were just so easy and uncomplicated.. the issue is they didn't feel that way at the time!
But I would have understood the importance of school. I would love to go back to my school days even now, and Im 28! But they were just so easy and uncomplicated.. the issue is they didn't feel that way at the time!
Not at all as never liked it rele.
It is super stressful and draining for sure. I think the way eduction is delivered is flawed itself. It shouldn't be about pressuring students to the point of a breakdown. Learning should be a fun, lifelong process.
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