June Challenge: Day 23: Things I've learned that school won't teach me

Day 23, Sunday: Things I've learned that school won't teach me

School never really taught me that much, but then I never was that keen on the place to be fair. I much preferred doing my own thing in my own time and generally speaking things have worked out better for me that way. However there are a few specific things I feel school forgot to teach me. 

Firstly how to manage money. I'm pretty good with money in that I've been saving since the dawn of time but there was no real financial education available. By the time I was 18 I was working full time and being offered all kinds of loans and credit cards. Thankfully I was sensible. 

Secondly a sense of direction. I can find anywhere, I navigate public transport and car journeys without hesitation and if I am walking around I will always find my way to the right place. I've put this to the test in foreign countries and unfamiliar places too. I've got an inbuilt navigation system that I was not taught. 

Thirdly how to survive the world of work. A couple of weeks work experience does not teach you how to self manage and self motivate yourself for five whole days a week, nor chair meetings, take minutes or do all the basic administration functions that come with most people's first jobs. 

Fourthly how to use your common sense. School actually seems to drum this out of people by teaching them to the curriculum and not around it, by discouraging opportunities for independent projects. Sometime the right answer isn't always the one written down on the paperwork but schools cannot always see that. 

Lastly school definitely did not teach me to challenge people. In fact the few times I challenged teachers I was removed from class for being disruptive and I frequently got detentions. I'm big on respect don't get me wrong but I think respect is given where you know you can question things. Schools have a tendency to take that as trouble making behaviour and deal with it accordingly. 

Primarily though schools don't teach you to find yourself. You have to really want to look once you've left to start doing that. I hated the person I was back then but these days I've grown used to tolerating her. Schools don't teach you self respect or self confidence. You have to learn those skills for yourself.