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they enter high school.

If primary school allows students to retain even a small portion of their sense of purpose in the world, high school promptly tosses it right out the window. Where is the purpose in taking a budding young mathematician away from a problem she has spent the last half hour working on, just to sit her in a forty five minute geography class for which she has absolutely no inclination? Wouldn't it be more productive to allow her to work on her maths problem until she is satisfied with her progress and ready for a break, then offer her a copy of the biography of Albert Einstein, suggest she grab a drink and take in some fresh air, while discovering the ins and outs of one of the world's greatest minds? In doing so she would also exercise her reading and comprehension skills and acquire some small knowledge of European history and geography, all in relation to a subject she has a passion for; mathematics.

For education to have purpose, it needs to follow this type of logical progression, and to consider the needs and abilities of the student as an individual. Information learned in this way is easily retained as it has a point of reference which is central to the student's foremost interests. Self confidence is boosted as the student advances in his/her chosen direction, and a profound enthusiasm for learning blossoms.

We all need to feel that we have some purpose in our lives. Our school education should revolve around nurturing and developing the talents that will allow us to fully embrace that purpose.

Education without purpose is just a game of Trivial Pursuit, and everyone tires of that after a while

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