This might come across as a very strange question but is it uncommon to find engineers who did not enjoy school or think highly of the schools that they attended? I have encountered numerous computing and IT types over the years who did not enjoy school or had bad experiences at school but very few electrical or mechanical engineers.
I found school a mixed experience. Primary was fairly good mainly due to the teachers that I had. I was able to pass the 11+ high enough to get to grammer school which was an interesting experience. By this stage I had already started to show quite an interest in science and engineering and I believed that secondary school was going to be a great opportunity for me to persue these subjects. What I didn't realise was that at grammer school the bulk of my time would be spent studying humanities subjects, this was my worst nightmare! I had to spend time and effort learning about history, english literature and worst of all, latin!!! Yes, there was maths, science and design technology, but this didn't compensate for the 'others'.
I struggled with this situation until the 6th form when the burden of being forced to spend time studying subjects that I had less than no interest in, all changed. That was a turning point for me and my time in the 6th form was excellent and I made full use of the opportunity.
Engineers are problem solvers by nature and so that is probably why many enjoyed school as they found methods of making the best of their situation. School can be a difficult environment, particularly if you are not very sporty. If you are good at sport, both your peers and your teachers seem to overlook your academic failings. That said, being a competent young engineer can also win you friends when they realise that you can fix their bike or their computer or just help with their maths homework!
I found school a mixed experience. Primary was fairly good mainly due to the teachers that I had. I was able to pass the 11+ high enough to get to grammer school which was an interesting experience. By this stage I had already started to show quite an interest in science and engineering and I believed that secondary school was going to be a great opportunity for me to persue these subjects. What I didn't realise was that at grammer school the bulk of my time would be spent studying humanities subjects, this was my worst nightmare! I had to spend time and effort learning about history, english literature and worst of all, latin!!! Yes, there was maths, science and design technology, but this didn't compensate for the 'others'.
I struggled with this situation until the 6th form when the burden of being forced to spend time studying subjects that I had less than no interest in, all changed. That was a turning point for me and my time in the 6th form was excellent and I made full use of the opportunity.
Engineers are problem solvers by nature and so that is probably why many enjoyed school as they found methods of making the best of their situation. School can be a difficult environment, particularly if you are not very sporty. If you are good at sport, both your peers and your teachers seem to overlook your academic failings. That said, being a competent young engineer can also win you friends when they realise that you can fix their bike or their computer or just help with their maths homework!
