Who's Going to Show Them?

"asdfjkl; return"

There are generations of Somerset High School graduates who know exactly who said that and why.  And I know to credit that phrase for much of my career success to the teacher who said it over, and over, and over.

Mrs. Vanhook taught keyboarding, and every freshman at Somerset High School was required to take it.  Because of that one class, I was able to finish tests and papers on deadline in college, write scripts for newscasts seconds before they needed to hit the air, and type press releases as fast as my brain could come up with the words. 

My co-workers laugh at how fast--and aggressively, they say--I type.  But just as thankful as I am that I can write and communicate clearly, I know that my ability to type efficiently has been a key factor in getting ahead.

And guess what? They don't teach that class at Somerset anymore.

Do they teach it anywhere?

Do kids even use real, fully-spelled out words anymore?

Who's going to teach them? Who's going to even tell them they need to know how? And will they listen?

Someone commented to me recently that school today is not so much about a child's ability to retain, absorb, and recall information; rather, it's an exercise in researching and finding sources successfully.  Between Google, academic search engines and practically everything available via cell phone, how can you make the case that memorizing facts, history, math and knowledge is even necessary anymore?

Who's going to teach them? Do they need to be taught?

I went to get my oil changed last Sunday, and Sean said to me "have them run your transmission fluids while you are there."  I asked why.  "Because," he said matter-of-factly, "you have 60,000 miles on your car."

How did he know that?  I knew how many miles were on my car, but had it been left to me I never would have known anything NEEDED to be done to my transmission.  No one ever told me.

People used to work harder to learn--by experience, by trial and error.  My mom spent years trying to make my mamaw's mashed potatoes until one day she noticed the secret: put the potatoes back on the stove after you drain the water to cook off the little bit of water that remains.  She watched, she learned, she was shown how.

My dad has built his entire career from the bottom up at his lab, learning along the way, getting certifications, and managing his business well.

Some days I barely feel like I know how to keep my house clean! And at least I recognize that there are so many things you just can't learn without experience--or at least someone showing you the way, and why it is important to know.

So... years from now... who's going to show them? Is there going to be anything left to show? Will anyone even bother making homemade mashed potatoes anymore?  And does it matter?