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In perusing the internet, talking to colleagues, and sharing information from within the teaching and coaching profession, I come across interesting bits and pieces of information that force reflection.
One such piece was recently emailed to me by a colleague, and it is one I have seen circulate on the Internet from several different sources.
It is claimed by some to be a piece from a speech Bill Gates gave to a group of high school students.
However, it actually comes from the teachings of Charles J. Sykes, author of “Dumbing Down our Kids” and “50 Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School.”
Most discussions using this information list 11 things that kids won’t learn in school and are directed toward high school and college-age students.
Actually, the original list contains 14, with the last 3 usually omitted. I will provide the complete list of 14 in this blog.
There are probably many who have seen this list before; those that have might wonder why I am taking the time to post a blog regarding them on a youth sports blog/website.
However, as I take time to read through the list of items, I could not help but reflect on whether the underlying message most of these concepts convey had relevance to the youth sports environment I am trying to impact, something I will raise questions about at the end of this blog.
As you read through the list below, keep in mind that the information was targeted to high school and college-age students, albeit based on what they learned up to and through that age bracket.
And that the emphasis in Mr. Sykes’ books come from a position of the “system” (school system) creating a generation of young adults who have no concept of reality and/or the real world, possibly setting them up for failure. Here is the list:
Rule 1: Life is not fair; get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called any chance to work an opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents’ generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
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