Do you think that the schooling is the only route leading to success? I will tell you, NO! How ignorant if you think “YES”! Being educated in school is great, but it’s definitely not the only choice. It’s ridiculous that when I researched about the kids who don’t want to be in school, all the information I could get was “why kids don’t like school” or “how to make my kids interested in school.” Well, let me ask you: Do you really do anything when you have these questions? Do you ever find out the true answers from them? Can you really understand your kids or your students? Or are you just acting like you know? Do you really ask the kids about what they’re interested in? Or do you just decide their interests for them? Education has different meanings, too. In my opinion, the educational system should be changed so that the choice for schooling would be dependent on the student’s attitude towards schooling.

Let’s call the kids who want to be in school to study the “Willings”, because they are willing to learn. Then, let’s call the kids who don’t want to be in school to study the “Unwillings”. Does that mean these kids are not willing to study? NO! They’re just interested in other ways of learning. Remember, learning is not only about school. Some people do an excellent job in school, but they’re like a “real world idiot”. Oops, excuse me, but is that not true though? Think about it.

First of all, why don’t we all clear our minds for now, and think of the learning conditions in schools. I believe that if the “Unwillings” are not in school anymore, the learning conditions will be better. The “Unwillings” are not going to do anything anyway even if they are in school. They don’t pay attention, so what’s the point of wasting time? See? Waste their own time and waste the teachers’ time. Also, disrupt the learning of the “Willings”. When an “unwilling” is not listening to the teacher, and not doing anything he/she is supposed to do, the teacher might start talking to him/her, or they might even start an argument. That’s wasting time, wasting time for learning. Even if they finish the argument VERY quickly, would the talking make any difference? The “Unwillings” will still not do anything. The only thing that changes is the mood in the classroom. Why make the schools seem like battlefields? The smoke is flying, flying, everywhere, which really affects the learning efficiency. If the “Unwillings” are not in school anymore, the principals and teachers would not need to spend so much time to deal with conflicts and problems, but could spend more time for providing better study environment. School would be more peaceful and serious. School would be more like school.

Are you thinking that if the “Unwillings” don’t go to school, where should they go? Good question! Well, do you agree that everyone could be successful? I certainly think you do. We should do a survey first, make the students tell the truth, share their dreams. I think that some kids just think it is very hard to get help, and no one will help, so they just remain silent. Learning in school is just not the thing they want to do; Unwillings might want to discover more interesting things other than books and tests. That They don’t want to be in school and study doesn't mean that they are bad students or bad kids. They should go for other options that they’re interested in. Everyone needs to think outside of the box sometimes. Will you see any amazing surprises if you keep looking around in the same little box? Maybe some kids would want to go out to the real world to get some real experiences. Society can actually help people a lot. When they’re learning in the society, they might find out that the school is actually not a bad choice for them, and they need certain knowledge to do what they want to do. They would come back, and have a positive attitude. Some kids might find out that they’re really interested in something, then they could develop their interests. You might ask, if they go back to school, to what grade should they go? Well, it would be awkward for kids who have big age differences to be in the same grade. However, they still need to learn those things they didn’t learn of. So, we could do fundraising or use education funds to establish some “special schools” for the “Unwillings” who decide to come back to school. You know what? Actually, we don't really know what they're thinking about or what would be the best way to help them to achieve their dreams. In order to provide best opportunities for them, we need to really understand them. Also, for some students, after they graduated from middle school, they might already know if they’re interested in school or not. They might already find out what they’re interested in and good at. Therefore, I think the high school system should be changed. Students should be able to choose the subjects they’re interested in to focus on their future goals. For students who haven’t decided yet, they can still take all the subjects.

Now, parents might not agree with what I said, because most of them are thinking about “how to make my kids interested in school”. Wait a second, let’s put it this way “how can my kids be successful?”. Is that a better way to word it? Again, school is not the only way that leads to success.Bill Gates did not even finish his university life, and neither did the Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Let me tell you a true story about a girl named Shayan Jebraeili. She was interested in technology and computer, and she was doing a lot of network programs. In her article “The true path to Success”, she wrote: “When I left high school, I knew that I had to become a networking professional and I knew exactly how to get there. The problem was that this knowledge is not gained through a conventional education. No university course could teach me the practices involved in a purely technological field. Rather, the knowledge is obtained through specified industry training, much like other trades such as performance or carpentry. It was then that I encountered my biggest obstacle yet: my parents. I decided that there was no way for me to convince my parents that a university education was not for me, so I enrolled in the engineering program at U of T, while secretly looking for a way to enter the industry.” See? She knew exactly what she would be and how she could get there, but she was worrying about her parents’ thoughts. Afterward, she still found that it was not the university education that lead her to the success, “to this day I know that the reason I was able to be successful wasn’t because I studied in university and got a good job based on marks; but rather, it was because I understood what I wanted to do and did everything in my power to make it happen.......A university education and books don’t always lead to your dream; it is hard work and determination that are the keys to unlocking the true path to success.” Talk and listen to your children, and what I mean is “Real Talk”. If they’re interested in some area, let them go for it. If you want your children to be successful, get involved. Let them know you’re supporting them, and you believe in them. Encouraging them will give them the power to work hard and push themselves to success. Keep track of what they’re doing, also keep trusting them.

The educational system and parents’ thoughts should be changed. This would be hard at the beginning, especially when you first think about it and really start it, but everything takes time. The students need to speak up; think about your own future and this nation’s future. The parents need to get involved if they want their kids to be successful. The educational system needs to be changed in order to cultivate more successful people. They are the hope of the future!