We need programs for the Jims of the world. He’s a big lad, big enough for his uncle to have taken him ground fishing. When we rowed past a dragger he came alive with information on how the deck was shaped and why, what all the gear was for, and his glorious plans for the future. Unfortunately he’s stuck in school. He can’t wait to get out and move on with his life.
Why isn’t there an apprentice program in place for the Jims of the world? I don’t think he should forsake all other learning and go to sea. I think that we should take his ambition seriously and tailor an education towards that real and genuine goal. His math should be directed towards how to run a small business, his boat for instance. His science should be centered on why what fish feed where and be peppered with original research gleaned on his uncle’s boat while he was learning the trade. This kid could blossom in school. Why does education have to be one size fits all?
We decry the lack of ambition in the younger generation. Shouldn’t the system be forced to make a place for students with genuine ambition to prepare them for the future that they have chosen?
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