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'm a Chartered Engineer and I hated every moment of being at school (one boy's grammar school, and one public school). The teachers and children colluded to be unremittingly cruel every day. I just wanted to learn in peace, but the school wouldn't teach me any of the things I wanted to learn about.
My only sources of interesting knowledge were my father who was an electronics teacher, and the free Open University programs that they used to broadcast on BBC2 early in the morning in the late 1970's.
The school's official policy on computers was that "computers are a passing fad", and it was only reluctantly that they allowed me to take time out to start studying A-level computer science (a year early), for which I had to walk across town to the Technical college to listen to an actual computer science teacher.
When I eventually got to University I almost wept for joy to discover that the students and lecturers were actually nice, with actual human empathy and everything, and that learning fun things and making cool stuff was actually encouraged. I devoured the knowledge being offered, obtained a 1st class hons degree in "Cybernetics & Control Engineering, with Mathematics as a subsidiary subject", and I have been happy ever since.
I am electrical systems engineer. I did not enjoy school until I was about 11. This is when algebra, physics and chemistry subjects had been introduced and I really enjoyed them especially lab experiments in physics and chemistry. My performance in languages and geometry was poor, I didn't enjoy them really. I had a good break between college and university in my search for a profession. In the meantime becoming fluent in 2 more languages (note: I thought I was no good at languages). I realise now that I didn't like what I have been taught at school, but I like to learn what I choose.
Then I chosen to study electrical engineering, did Bachelors then discovered half way through my Masters that I have a mild dyspraxia. And it makes sense what Stephen Goldthorpe said about the way brain wired differently. Neurodiversity as they call it, I see it as ability to think and visualise differently to a standard linear thinking.
I applaud to teachers who can adapt the teaching style to diverse pupil abilities.
I did not enjoy school, there were bullies-didn’t bother me. I spent most of my second term at Secondary school on the same page of my maths textbook because the substitute Math teacher did not understand his subject and fobbed me off when I asked for help.
In fourth year the head of Maths fobbed me off when I asked for help telling me I had the same brain as the most advanced student and to go away and learn.
It’s a good job my subsequent employer had an excellent training program.
Well an interesting idea and to be honest school primary and secondary was probably the worst experience I’ve ever had. Bulling was not considered a issue and the struggle to learn, meant more bullying even by teachers. Best thing was leaving at 15 and I saying good bye to education.
A opertunity once I had left School to do a practical job as an electricians mate, with a great site formal seeing my eagerness to learn and then giving me the chance. Getting me to go to college and be treated as an adult, kick started my long learning journey.
Schools may have changed and you don’t need to like school to be a great engineer, you just need to have a passion to be practical, creative, questioning and want to understand.
I hated school. Bulled by the teachers and others at school. All my school reports were bad, quite and shows no interest. But I was suddenly interested in been told about a magnet and compass. I made with a few bits of wire and a battery a magnet and able to reverse a compass and took it into school. I showed it to the teacher and he was astonished. Soon after I left school as I was now 14 years old. We then moved to a new area and I then worked in a shop for a while and then got the sack for not doing enough. Got a job as a electricians mate on a large site with about 6 electricians on it, all with their mates. Got bulled again but this time that I should go to college and lean to become a electrician. I gave in and it gave me a day off. Also had problems with a few others on site that kept putting me down and unpleasant. The first teacher at collage came in and started putting up math questions. First few were quadratic questions and then simultaneous and then basic. I simple asked was there a preference of any of the way I can solve the simultaneous questions, no he said. So just got on and did them all, and correct. But the rest of the class just looked and had never seen a quadratic question before and only about half had ever seen a simultaneous one. Apparently he was trying to find out what we knew and level. I was astonished and found I had more knowledge than I had ever been given credit for. This gave me a boost and I carried on and qualified to be an electrician. But then a new manager asked me to work with him on a few jobs, with the result I re-qualified to be a mechanical engineer and then. Moved on in to electronics and computer systems and research, working with scientists. Final moved on into management. When my children started school, all was good at primary school and I became a school governor. They did well and when the boys moved on to secondary all was still good. Then my daughter moved on to the same secondary school as her brothers. After one term she asked her teacher why they (the girls) were not doing football as was the boys, as she had in last school. The teacher said Football is for boys not for girls and complained to us that she should have even asked. That was the end of it for her, as she now questioned all and was always in troubled, we try to change schools but with no real success. She left school as soon as she could with no qualifications. Started work in local horse stables yard. Her two girls she now has, are home schooled as she has no trust in the schools. At one of the many meeting we had at her school, I noticed a few doing/learning catering and realised that my sons had not had any lessons in catering and I love cooking. When I asked, we were told, no not for them. Catering lessons are for the intellectual impaired. My conclusion it is the view/attitude of the teaches and those running the schools that can make or break the person and if and how you fit in to the system you find yourself. I have also found that in my working life. My sons fitted in at school and went on to university and now have good jobs in the IT systems. We all have potential and it is helping in a way to make it happen as you may wish. J Bidmead FIET
I'll say again, liking school is a question of social compatibility and an aptitude for academic study. Neither directly relates to engineering skills and passion. I think the same applies to university, you may be good at taking notes, studying the right books, doing all the assignments, whilst others are distracted by their practical pastimes and passion for the subject itself. If you have both academic skills and applied skills, you are fortunate indeed.
Even though my experience was not great, there were good teachers at my school who did inspire. Being all boys we never had the issues your daughter did.
i do wish schools had the resources to identify the type of learning a child needs, put a plan in place and then implement it even if it meant the child moving school.
Another issue today is that of mixed ability classes, anecdotal evidence has convinced me that these cause distractions for both, pupils and teachers, leading to reduced teaching time.
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!
