In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

[TJ Cornish]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

I laugh about some of the comments about me on rate my professor.

Apparently you've gotten worse in the last couple of years.

I find that if equal amounts of people love me and hate me, then I'm probably doing pretty well.

 

[Phil Graham]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

In my experience with grads you take away from Full Sail what you put into it. Those that use it to improve their technical knowledge on top of their already good work ethic (usually they were gigging at the same time anyway) do well, and perhaps didn't really need it in the first place although it may be a good way to get a lot of technical knowledge quickly. Those who thought they would get out of full sail and have a career, or be hireable in any way, on the basis of that diploma have to start from scratch anyway.

In either case, it is a very expensive way to get an audio education, especially when at the same time you could be getting a lot of the same experience working for a national in their shop... While getting paid, instead of paying them.

You might also look into the other program at... Damn, now I forget. Uh... Somewhere in AZ?

+1

Ben,

I grew up in Orlando, home of Full Sail. I know a number of graduates from the program, and most would advise against your attendance. As Bennett says, the good ones would have been good without going to school there. One of my sharpest audio friends is a Full Sail grad, but he has continued to feed himself, and practice the craft long after his time there.

Full Sail is very expensive, and I feel they are too inclusive about who they admit, and how easily they graduate. Both recording arts and live sound are very small fields. A program like the one at Full Sail simply produces a lot of graduates relative to the number of open full-time positions available in the industry.

I would stick with a normal college, and work towards something like your CTS-I and/or CTS-D in addition to your normal course load. I very much wish I had a CTS-D right now.

 

[Charlie Zureki]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

I agree with Bennett's response.

However, as far as formal academic production training goes, if you wanted to persue that, my guess is that the music production and engineering major offered nearby at Berklee, in Boston, would be far preferable than what's offered at Full Sail, especially as far as making contacts with music biz people.

Hello,

and a hearty +1 to Bennett's and John's responses... but, in your first post, you mentioned that you were interested in Sound Engineering and Designing Stage set-ups.

These may be considered differing occupations, totally unrelated to some, or, may be a natural occupational progression in other's eyes. Live Sound and Live traditional Theatre have differing views and traditions. Many of the best Stage Designers have come up through the ranks of live events (Concert Productions), where as in Theatre, they may have started in the Business or Art end of the business .

Starting their careers as Lighting Techs/LDs, Riggers, Back Line Techs, (even some Sound Techs) etc... working and learning other's positions, most often wearing multiple hats throughout different Live Music Concert Tours or Productions, may find themselves as Stage Managers, then on to Production Managers and Stage Designers and, is not uncommon.

I have been asked by possibly hundreds of younger people over the decades I've been involved in Live Events/Recorded Productions, as to how they could break into the business, or even the Sound business... Then, they seemed to become frustrated by MY slew of questions before I answer their seemingly simple question...

My questions have, and always will be:

Do you understand that these occupations often require working Holidays and weekends?
That you cannot count on working a standard 40 hour work-week? There may be many times where you don't work at all during a specific week?
That it's not uncommon to work 60,70 or even more, hours in one week?
That you may be required to work 20+ hours in one day?
That you need to decline many Birthday, Wedding, Anniversary, Family get-together invitations?
That missing your kid's special days, football games, dance recitals go with the job?
That this business can be feast or famine?

And...if they've specifically mentioned "Sound"... I ask, where do you see yourself involved in Sound?

Are you asking about:

a) Recording Studios... typically, you'll not make very much money unless you own the Studio. Expect to work any and all hours of the day and night, and possibly loooong days/nights.

b) Television Station Sound/board OP.... pretty much a slow paced, decent paycheck, job. Generally there's a schedule, but, the schedule can change at a moment's notice, you may have to cover a shift for an absent co-worker, or last minute gravy gig. (probably the most predictable Sound Occupation)

c) Live Concert Sound Freelance Occupation... Feast or Famine...(and that's if you're in demand ;o). Can make a really good income when you're working. Long hours, hectic schedule, missing all of those special days, very competitive. ( not very good occupation for the Family man)

d) Sound Tech with Touring Sound System Provider ...generally, more steady income than above, but, work condition requirements are pretty much the same. Travel and the opportunity to see the World in some cases.

e) A/V Sound tech... Ballroom Corpy gigs, good to excellent money, long hours of boring drivel. Generally no holiday work (maybe New Year's Eve) Lots of one day events, with some multiple day events mixed in. Travel may be required, no Tour buses, just buses, planes, trains or driving/riding in the Corpy truck. Anywhere from four inputs to dozens. Have to be dilligent as there's no room for mistakes (feedback/muted Mics/missed cues) because of Audio feed to Video & recording.

f) Movie Sound recordist/Editor... good to excellent money, long hours, no days off during production, typically slow paced. Dilligence required. Travel is required.

g) Acoustician... College Degree required, lots of Math, Licensing test for Consulting. Generally, regular work week and work hours. Good choice for the Family Man. Travel Required.

h) Electronic Design Engineer for Sound Equipment Manufacturer .... College Degree in Electronics or Electrical Engineering, Math and Electronic Concepts a must, little to no travel, Good to Excellent income, 40 hour work weeks and standard schedules.

i) Sound System Designer/ Installer ...College Degree required by most large scale companies, Licensing may be required, 40+hour work week, good to excellent money, usually with benefits package, some local travel, and long distance travel for larger scale Companies. Systems for Boardrooms, Theatres, Schools, Churches, Airports, Malls, Restaurants, etc..



Deciding what you want to do with your life at a young age is tough, but, whatever you decide, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

Good Luck,
Hammer

 

[Tim McCulloch]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Hi Ben-

My opinion of Empty Sheet... is negative, as is my opinion of most "trade schools." They are not educational institutions, they are businesses who contract with you to provide X number of hours of classroom and lab time. As long as their doors are open and there is some instructor present, you have no recourse when you find out they sold you a bill of goods (as grandpa would say).

Bennett and Phil are spot on in their comments about the Empty Sheet grads... the ones that do well (about 5%) came in with some knowledge and much motivation; almost all of those were working in the craft, too. They probably would have done as well, ultimately, had they not attended this trade school.

My favorite story regarding a grad who came from the remaining 95% (I'll skip the details, but he didn't pass the Uncle Tim exam of practical audio knowledge)... after failing to correctly answer most of my questions, the exasperated job applicant asked me "Well, WHAT do I need to know to get a job here?" My reply was "the brooms are over there (pointing) and I take 2 creams in my coffee."

Go to Berklee. You'll work with some incredible musicians, gifted technicians, and come out with a much more rounded education. There are other programs from traditional 4-year institutions (Tennessee @ Murfreesboro, IIRC) and University of Miami (Ken Pohlmann taught there, still a Professor Emeritus) that are vastly superior to any tech school.

Have fun, and good luck in all your future endeavors.

Tim Mc

ps. Hammer has good advice, too.

 

[Jay Barracato]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

One guy wrote that I was really strange... because I would be playing bluegrass during lab prep time and he thought music begins and ends with Slayer.

I really don't care because I understand the voluntary response bias (a little stats anyone). I usually look harder at the colleges internal evaluations especially the written comments but I also understand that many students don't understand why I do things the way I do.

 

[Charlie Zureki]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

One guy wrote that I was really strange... because I would be playing bluegrass during lab prep time and he thought music begins and ends with Slayer.

Your reply should have been... Yeah, but can Slayer play Bluegrass on a Banjo?

Bella Fleck can play Slayer on a Banjo! ;o)

Cheers,
Hammer

 

[Jay Barracato]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Lets see... Some good old bluegrass played at 220 bpm, pitiful songs about cheating, killing etc.crowds full of mostly deaf white guys...

I am not sure what death metal has that bluegrass doesn't

 

[Tim McCulloch]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Lets see... Some good old bluegrass played at 220 bpm, pitiful songs about cheating, killing etc.crowds full of mostly deaf white guys...

I am not sure what death metal has that bluegrass doesn't

Teeth?

What's got 38 legs and 5 teeth? The front row at a banjo picking workshop.

One more, courtesy of Beppe Gambetta... Why is a banjo like a homocide? The public is greatly relieved when the case is closed.

I'll be here all week folks, the chef says "try our frog's legs... he can't use 'em now!"

 

[Jake Scudder]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

In my experience with grads you take away from Full Sail what you put into it. Those that use it to improve their technical knowledge on top of their already good work ethic (usually they were gigging at the same time anyway) do well, and perhaps didn't really need it in the first place although it may be a good way to get a lot of technical knowledge quickly. Those who thought they would get out of full sail and have a career, or be hireable in any way, on the basis of that diploma have to start from scratch anyway.

In either case, it is a very expensive way to get an audio education, especially when at the same time you could be getting a lot of the same experience working for a national in their shop... While getting paid, instead of paying them.

You might also look into the other program at... Damn, now I forget. Uh... Somewhere in AZ?

Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe (and Gilbert).

I went there. I had a good class. I'd say half are working full time in the industry. Remember, that's a good class. Although much cheaper, it's mostly the same story as Full Sail: if you go in expecting that anyone will care that you spent all that money on an education you will be sorely disappointed. What I did gain was access to gear that I would never otherwise have the chance to learn on. Advanced signal flow, troubleshooting techniques, digital recording, basic time-alignment and system tuning for live sound, mic technique and even some music business classes gave me a basic skill set that allowed me to thrive when given an opportunity to do so.

I've never allowed them to use my story to advertise the school. I don't think it's fair. They got my money and I feel like I got a fair return on my investment. End of transaction. But the idea that going to a trade school put me where I am today is simply false. The easy marketing would say "come to our school and we'll prepare you to mix Broadway musicals" when that simply isn't true. Without a lot of hustling and good fortune in meeting some very influential players very early on I could very easily be out of the business.

I should also point out that I had already been to a traditional college for a business degree. Going to CRAS was me drawing a line in the sand and saying, "I'm going to do what I want with my life from now on." That's a great place to be to make it in this business. You have to really want it. But the reality is that if it had not panned out for me I had (and have) other options. None that would make me as happy but I wouldn't starve.

I think others have offered great advice in saying you have to decide what you want in order to make realistic goals toward that end. I would caution against narrowing your focus too far, though. I started out thinking I wanted to mix records. Hell, I'd still love to mix records. But that's not where the work was. I had no interest in musical theater before I worked in the industry. But I've learned to enjoy the art form and love that I get to work in an industry where I genuinely like going to work everyday. Pick a target and aim for it but don't let an opportunity pass by because it isn't exactly what you want to be doing.

P.S. Did you take note of how Tim takes his coffee? Because I did.

 

[Ivan Beaver]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

In my experience with grads you take away from Full Sail what you put into it. Those that use it to improve their technical knowledge on top of their already good work ethic (usually they were gigging at the same time anyway) do well, and perhaps didn't really need it in the first place although it may be a good way to get a lot of technical knowledge quickly. Those who thought they would get out of full sail and have a career, or be hireable in any way, on the basis of that diploma have to start from scratch anyway.

In either case, it is a very expensive way to get an audio education, especially when at the same time you could be getting a lot of the same experience working for a national in their shop... While getting paid, instead of paying them.

You might also look into the other program at... Damn, now I forget. Uh... Somewhere in AZ?

Over the years I have run into a good number of Full Sail "graduates". I can count on less than one hand the number that "had it going on". But most are pretty much worthless and like to brag on their "education", rather than on what they can actually do.

The ones that were good-would have been good anyway-as you say.

But like a lot of trade schools (and other higher education)-what you get out of it REALLY depends on what you put into it.

For what it is worth, I did apply for a job at Full Sail last century-but was turned down. Boy am I glad! I am SURE I am much better for it.

 

[W. Mark Hellinger]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Take at least one EE class. It's my only regret from my years in education.

Humm...

My first semester EE curriculum... to the best of my recollection was:

1) Intro to engineering: Which as I recall was a daily lecture by the dean of engineering on how most of us entering the profession will by-design flunk out to raise the standards of the university.

2) Slide-rule 101

3) Fortran

4) English 101

5) Chem 101

6) Swimming

7) Western literature (reading and discussing the Illiad and Oddesy... and some Plato... (sp?)... wasn't one of my better subjects.

so... which one did you wish you'd taken Bennett?

 

[Dave Stevens]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

The entertainment industry is one of the (very) few where the lack of a college degree does not make a huge difference. This dos not, however, mean that what you learn while getting a college degree won't be valuable in this industry. Personally, I don't think that a degree in theater is a wise investment, but a degree in a related field plus plenty of time working in the industry can be.

That's changing. We won't generally put someone new into the system without either a degree or experience. Most are either communications or theater. And most seem to want to do LX or stage management.

This is where I channel grandpa Simpson and tell the OP to get a solid four year degree. You're young and you might find in 10 years or that it's not for you. Or, like perhaps 98% of those that get into the biz that for whatever reason, you can't make a living at it. Then at last you still have some sort of formal education.

 

[Charlie Zureki]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Humm...

My first semester EE curriculum... to the best of my recollection was:

1) Intro to engineering: Which as I recall was a daily lecture by the dean of engineering on how most of us entering the profession will by-design flunk out to raise the standards of the university.

2) Slide-rule 101

3) Fortran

4) English 101

5) Chem 101

6) Swimming

7) Western literature (reading and discussing the Illiad and Oddesy... and some Plato... (sp?)... wasn't one of my better subjects.

so... which one did you wish you'd taken Bennett?

Hello Mark,

Sounds familiar..... though....didn't have the swimming class...looking back...the first semester was a waste of time. Streamline the Specialties....we need more Engineers and Scientists and Health Specialists.


Not to veer the thread, but, it's time to Overhaul the American Educational system. Take some of the Profit back from the system. Teach the Basics in Grade and High Schools....Math, Physics, Basic Literature, Spelling and Grammar, Chemistry, History....

Leaving the Advanced classes to Colleges and Universities.

They say 75% of American adults can't tell how many stripes are in the flag, or what they signify. 68% can't find 6 & 3/8 on a ruler. 47% don't know what a yellow signal at a stop light means. 98% think that Columbus "discovered" America. 76% of Adult Americans think that Polar Bears live at the South Pole, and 63% believe that Penguins live at the North Pole.

And, one of the worst bits of news, 34% of Americans are functionally Illiterate.

Hammer

ps....Mommas....Make your Kids Study and do their Homework.

 

[John Roberts]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Hello Mark,

Sounds familiar..... though....didn't have the swimming class...looking back...the first semester was a waste of time. Streamline the Specialties....we need more Engineers and Scientists and Health Specialists.

No swimming for me either, but I also recall calculus, and physics, while Fortran IV was part of the general graphics course. I don't recall it being a waste but I didn't matriculate past sophomore year, so I am not an expert on this subject.

Not to veer the thread, but, it's time to Overhaul the American Educational system. Take some of the Profit back from the system. Teach the Basics in Grade and High Schools....Math, Physics, Basic Literature, Spelling and Grammar, Chemistry, History....

Been trying for a while... Not so much to reduce cost, but trying to make it perform the function it is supposed to. I am extremely disappointed that "No child left behind", even giving them a number of years to get students performing up to their grade level has failed miserably. The reports of teachers cheating and altering test results is just adding insult to injury. Now since they can't hit the 2012 deadline, that program now needs to be adjusted (lower). This is just unacceptable. Before we change the course material, maybe they should actually succeed at teaching the old material.

I was at a local public event and cornered a politician running for superintendent of education or something like that, and he tried to blame NCLB as the problem... BS, if they were doing the J O B, there would be no need to test and measure and MANAGE... arghhh. I am not a fan of federal meddling into local issues, but damn this is a train wreck in need of some basic management, where results are reviewed and adjustments made based on those results. I don't see much improvement, and not sure what reported results can be trusted. There is huge push back against innovative educational programs that seem to work, by those entrenched in the old ways and old power structure.

Leaving the Advanced classes to Colleges and Universities.

They say 75% of American adults can't tell how many stripes are in the flag, or what they signify. 68% can't find 6 & 3/8 on a ruler. 47% don't know what a yellow signal at a stop light means. 98% think that Columbus "discovered" America. 76% of Adult Americans think that Polar Bears live at the South Pole, and 63% believe that Penguins live at the North Pole.

I can't say that I pay much attention, or care, where penguins and polar bears live. I am concerned about the public's ignorance of history, technology, and judging from current political arguments about tax policy, simple math.

And, one of the worst bits of news, 34% of Americans are functionally Illiterate.

Hammer

ps....Mommas....Make your Kids Study and do their Homework.

Perhaps the mom's need to study too... you have ignored the percentage obese, too (similar to 33%).

This dumbing down is a serious impediment to economic growth... camping out on wall street and demonizing successful elements of the economy will not fix any fundamental issues.. just like short term patches can not fix long term problems. Guess what? The short-term stimulus ran it's short-term course and then petered out. Should we really be surprised or expect it to work differently if we do it again? At some point we won't be able to borrow enough to tweak the marginal reported numbers, but until then we should just know better and act like responsible adults.

All this government stimulus is like putting a fan on the deck of a sailboat. it makes the sails billow out as if they are working, but it's a zero sum game, actually less than zero...

Of course I could be wrong...

JR

 

[Jay Barracato]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

The basic problem with NCLB was that it mandated results without providing methods. Minimum competency education produced minimum competency. For every low performing student that was lifted to the standard, a handful of possibly higher achieving students was dragged down to the standards.

Shit...I have been listening to the higher ups tell us for years if our students don't perform that they will restructure our schools.

If they really have an answer, just tell us.


New methods are usually just relabeled same old same old. Anything inventive is frowned upon because it is outside of the experience of those observing the process. Actually, while most teachers could perform well in their own field, many would have trouble performing to the standards we expect of the students in all fields. We have policy determined by those who have never been in a classroom, methods developed by those with no practical experience, and no budget to do any of it. And of course, we have never allowed any of the reforms to last long enough to see if they actually make a difference.

This morning, a biology teacher told me she was forced to teach a chemistry concept incorrectly because of the way the concept was addressed on our wonderful NCLB is written.

After 20 years in the classroom, I know that students that want to excel, will excel, just like in life. It is not the educational system that is broken, it is our society that doesn't value education, no matter what the latest slime spouted by either political party is.

 

[John Roberts]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

The basic problem with NCLB was that it mandated results without providing methods.

It seems we've been around this tree before...

The presumption surrounding NCLB is that that the educational professionals were the education experts, and simple management for results could be applied. If I go to a lawyer, or doctor, or a car mechanic, I don't tell him how to fix my car, I expect them to figure that out.

If the teachers want to admit that they can't do the JOB, they stop trying, there seems to be a catch 22 where they want to be left alone, to continue failing to educate the children.

I've never once had a job where I was allowed to continue failing to accomplish the task I was hired and paid to perform.

Minimum competency education produced minimum competency. For every low performing student that was lifted to the standard, a handful of possibly higher achieving students was dragged down to the standards.

I recall being bored in class.. and I received an adequate education. Superior students will always excel, sooner or later. Those who need the attention to reach baseline (grade level) performance, need to get priority. Educating the weak students will not hurt us as a society, if anything it will make us stronger as they are better equipped to deal with modern life and less of a burden on social support systems.

Shit...I have been listening to the higher ups tell us for years if our students don't perform that they will restructure our schools.

If they really have an answer, just tell us.

There are many school reformers who have been chewed up and spit out by entrenched power bases. The Wash DC school district is one visible recent example, but there are others repeated all around the country.

This shouldn't be an US-THEM conflict.. we all should have the common goal to educate all our children. Standardized testing seems the only practical way to measure results. This isn't rocket science, it is elementary education, which we have been doing for hundreds of years. We have used standardized tests for a long time too (i recall taking several as a young puke), just not closing the loop, to manage teaching performance.

New methods are usually just relabeled same old same old. Anything inventive is frowned upon because it is outside of the experience of those observing the process. Actually, while most teachers could perform well in their own field, many would have trouble performing to the standards we expect of the students in all fields. We have policy determined by those who have never been in a classroom, methods developed by those with no practical experience, and no budget to do any of it. And of course, we have never allowed any of the reforms to last long enough to see if they actually make a difference.

This morning, a biology teacher told me she was forced to teach a chemistry concept incorrectly because of the way the concept was addressed on our wonderful NCLB is written.

Forced to teach something wrong..?? If she is talking about a flawed test question this (AFAIK) is still negotiated at the state level., I think the nationwide standardized tests haven't kicked in yet. There seems to be a lot of incompetence at many levels. No doubt there are good people at multiple levels trying also, but the preponderance of evidence suggests to me that this is classic bureaucracy, resistant to change, and outside meddling, while incapable of performing it's nominal function for a high enough percentage of their students.

it would be appropriate to blame NCLB, if the program was a comprehensive soup to nuts take over of education, but as I understand it, it is measuring the results of the teaching that the regional school administrations perform. If these local school administrations respond by "teaching the test" at least the students should learn that information (unless the test questions are wrong).

After 20 years in the classroom, I know that students that want to excel, will excel, just like in life. It is not the educational system that is broken, it is our society that doesn't value education, no matter what the latest slime spouted by either political party is.

I guess this depends on what you mean by value. Employers value education by paying educated people who can perform more difficult tasks, more money. Society (parents?) don't seem to value numerous virtues, education is just one on that list.

The government is not the solution for anything, including local education, but like I told my local political education adminstrata wannabe... teach the kids so they pass the damn tests, and NCLB government pukes will have nothing to bother you about...

JR

 

[Charlie Zureki]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

This morning, a biology teacher told me she was forced to teach a chemistry concept incorrectly because of the way the concept was addressed on our wonderful NCLB is written.

After 20 years in the classroom, I know that students that want to excel, will excel, just like in life. It is not the educational system that is broken, it is our society that doesn't value education, no matter what the latest slime spouted by either political party is.

Hello,

In my previous post, I wrote that I felt my first semester was a waste of time. The classes that I was forced to take, I found irrelevant to my Major, and while any or all knowledge can be a useful in life, I was PAYING for a specific outcome, not to just take some classes..... especially classes like the Slide rule 101, I already knew how to use a sliderule, and though extremely expensive, electronic "slide rule calculators" were becoming available.

While I agree that students that want to excell, will excell... I believe that this idea is only correct to those students that are taught (both by their parents and teachers) to value education and value the ability to make their learned knowledge useful. In other words, they need to make the connection between the knowledge they learned and a practical use for this knowledge.

Learning, can be an addiction....just watch any 6yr old play a video game....they pick up all of the rules and playing tips very quickly. Reading and Studying feeds the addiction for kids that are supported.

I don't know anything about the NCLB, or really much about the No student left behind crap....but passing ignorant and illiterate kids does not help the child, does not help society and does not help our Country.

We Need a Better system, a simpler system that teaches the basic concepts by the 10th grade, and then preps them for college or a skill during their last two years of high school.

Recently, I've been in a situation where a few young people didn't know the difference between writing their name and printing their name... one young man didn't know how to write (sign) his own name.... wtf?


Yes, the population is becoming more obese, but, sometimes it's more than just the laziness or gluttony factor, in many cases it's economic. There have been numerous studies that show that cheaper food is more unhealthy than quality foods. With the rising prices, combined with a high unemployment rate, and a lessening of the dollar's value.....people are buying cheaper foods....what they can afford. 1 out of 6 American children are considered malnurished and the same amount are not fed three meals a day.

There have also been numerous studies that show that cheaper foods are more addictive, higher fat/caloric content means cravings of more of the same.

And, while some see the Wall Street Protesters as radicals and nuts, whether you agree with them or not, they have the right to assemble, the right to protest, and they have the right to NOT be beaten, pepper sprayed, thrown to the ground, stomped, kicked or have their arms broken while doing so. And I disagree with you JR, when you say that Wall Street is a sucessful element of the Economy.

Wall Street has been the PROBLEM with the Economy. .... but that's for another time.

Hammer




Hammer

 

[Steve Hurt]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Hello,


Recently, I've been in a situation where a few young people didn't know the difference between writing their name and printing their name... one young man didn't know how to write (sign) his own name.... wtf?

Cursive apparently is dead. (At least in Indiana, Illinois and Hawaii) Keyboarding is being taught instead.

From wikipedia:
In 2011, the American states of Indiana and Hawaii announced that their schools will no longer be required to teach cursive (but will still be permitted to), and instead will be required to teach "keyboard proficiency". As of 2011 the same was true of Illinois...........

 

[Steve Hurt]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Hello, And I disagree with you JR, when you say that Wall Street is a sucessful element of the Economy.

Wall Street has been the PROBLEM with the Economy. .... but that's for another time.

Hammer

Entitlement is the problem.
It exists in Wall Street.
It exists in the protesters.
Both need to shut up and go to work.



.....speaking of.... logging off and doing just that!

 

[Jake Scudder]

Re: In my 3rd year of High School... Now what?

Cursive apparently is dead. (At least in Indiana, Illinois and Hawaii) Keyboarding is being taught instead.

From wikipedia:
In 2011, the American states of Indiana and Hawaii announced that their schools will no longer be required to teach cursive (but will still be permitted to), and instead will be required to teach "keyboard proficiency". As of 2011 the same was true of Illinois...........

I, for one, have no problem with this. I know how to write in cursive but I can't think of a single instance where I am required to. Even quick notes are usually taken on my iPhone or computer. This way they are instantly synchronized between all devices and archived for later use.

I am not advocating that we should stop teaching kids how to write but I don't think cursive is particularly useful these days.