Inspiration Mondays on a Tuesday: Same Song, Different Note

I posted this video on some of my social networks yesterday, and while some of you may have already seen it, I felt the need to write about it today. I'm not going to say too much on it, because it's a recurring theme for me: book learning is not the only kind of learning, and it is certainly not the only learning that should be valued. I said it when I talked about a student of mine called Ken.

The only difference here is that this is not just the wistful musings of a teacher who left the classroom. This is actually a problem, not in one country but it many countries. I keep hearing how we are making sure all children make it to college or university, but you know what? They all don't have to be there. We need some of them to learn how to do the very trades that make our day-to-day lives possible, not because some people "aren't meant for college" but because we NEED them to do these things. I mean, maybe we don't need them... but then we should get used to not having indoor plumbing, furnaces that work, or houses that keep us warm.

Think on it, and let's start talking sense. Respect the trades, and promote them to your children. We'll all be better off for it.