issue 18// vol 45

Lessons to learn
from BC Young

Fishermen's Gathering

» BC’s trade and vocational industry should
find more ways to connect with youth

Naomi Ambrose
Staff Writer

 

[ens learned about an event for
young fishers in BC. The 2019 Young
Fishermen's Gathering was held from
January 23 to 24 in Victoria. The event
was meant as a way for young BC fishers
to connect with and learn from older and
established fishers.

I thought that this initiative was
worthy of commentary. For one thing, the
event underscored the need for industries
that aren't usually appealing to young
people to create events and opportunities
to awaken young people’s interest.

Take the plumbing industry as an
example. Statistics show that the majority

of youth don’t automatically gravitate
towards the plumbing table at career fairs.
Moreover, I’m also certain that most high
school and college students don’t tell career
counsellors that they want to be a plumber.

Let’s take a moment to highlight
the reasons for the low interest among
young people in plumbing and other
trades sectors. These reasons often
include society’s unfavourable perceptions
of careers in the trades or vocational
industries. Then there are parents who
push their children to choose more
prestigious careers in fields like law,
medicine, or accounting.

With these views in mind, I believe
that trades and vocational sectors should
doa lot more to hone the interests of
young people who might want to explore

Homeschooling is

nota good idea

>» Public education teaches
children valuable skills

 

Jessica Berget
Opinions Editor

 

A someone who intends to become

n educator and immensely values
learning, I think homeschooling is the
worst idea when it comes to raising your
kids. Sure, as a parent you get first-hand
experience on what you teach your child,
but it’s important for them at that young
age to be socialized and exposed to many
different experiences, opinions, and people.
Being homeschooled can rob them of that
opportunity.

Many years ago, before public schools
were nearly as widespread or accessible,
children were homeschooled for a variety
of reasons—they had to help their families
work, they could learn the life skills they
needed from their families without formal
education, or there simply were no public
schools available nearby. In this day and
age, when we have so many more resources,
modes of transportation, and knowledge
about the importance of socializing
young children, I don’t think there is any
legitimate reason to not put children in
public school.

I think being in public school gives
your child the experiences and social
intelligence needed to be a part of society.
It exposes them to a world that they
may not be familiar with if all of their
other learning is done in their home. It’s
important to expose your kid to different
social scenarios. Being in a class with more

a
people their age is a great way to let them
socialize, learn to become independent,
create new relationships, or challenge
themselves.

Homeschooling is a bad choice
for many people, especially those with
learning issues because they may not get
the resources or proper education that they
need. Just because a parent has some good
qualifications, that does not mean they will
bea good educator. Also, it takes a lot of
patience and dedication to be a teacher and
parent at the same time.

Furthermore, being homeschooled
does not expose children to different
viewpoints or perspectives like public
school does, so they may not develop
crucial critical thinking skills. Many
parents opt for homeschooling because
they do not agree with some of the things
that are taught in public schools or are
afraid of their kids being bullied. Let’s be
real, your kid has to be exposed to other
viewpoints somehow, so it’s important to
learn how to deal with that kind of stress
when they’re younger. Also, if you raise a
kid to have the same viewpoints and beliefs
as you, or if you shelter them, how will they
learn to think for themselves?

Yes, many people are homeschooled
and are fine. I’m not saying it’s a completely
unsuccessful avenue for learning. Frankly,
given some of the pro-homeschooling
arguments, I can understand why some
parents opt for it. However, given the many
reasons against it, I don’t think it’s a good
idea on the whole.

these professions. I say this as I search
the websites of two key organizations
connected to BC’s plumbing and trade
sectors. I didn’t see any upcoming
networking events, information sessions,
conferences, or seminars for young people.
Perhaps the organizations have
these types of programs and they don’t
publicize them? Or maybe the websites
aren't updated in time. A young person
who's interested in becoming a plumber
and visits the website to check out the
group's calendar of events may lose interest
in pursuing the career if there aren't any
educational or informative events. Sad it
will also be for these organizations who

  

opinions // no. 15

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Photo by the Alaska Seafood

Marketing Institute

may want to attract a new generation of
plumbers or heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC) technicians but can’t
hire because of their lack of events and
overall online presence.

Plumbers, HVAC technicians, welders,
and the countless other trade professionals
provide essential services. What will you
do if you can't find a trained plumber to
fix your leaky faucet or toilet? What will
we do if we don't have a new generation of
budding HVAC technicians who may be
needed to help maintain the heat and air
quality in our homes? Trade and vocational
sectors, please say you'll do more to help
answer these questions.

Please stop
saying ‘please’

» Manners don’t matter

Jessica Berget
Opinions Editor

 

What do you think when you hear
the word “please?” To some people,
it’s something you say when making a
request to show politeness, respect, and
manners. I think that it’s a tired term and
that manners overall are old-fashioned,
inauthentic, and something that should
not matter so much in this day and age.
There are other ways to show appreciation
and gratitude than just outright saying it.

In fact, manners may already be on
the decline. An American survey by the
Associated Press-NORC Center For Public
Affairs Research found that 74 percent of
people believe that the use of manners
has deteriorated in the past several years. I
celebrate this because it could potentially
mean that sometime soon, we can forget
about the practice of polite language.

Don’t get me wrong, politeness and
manners are good in some respects. I
think being aware of the people and space
around you is polite—for example, holding
open a door for the person behind you,
or saying “excuse me” when passing by
someone. I think manners are important,
but not in the sense of polite language.

In my opinion, people are ruder about
others not using “polite” words than people
who simply don’t say them. For instance,
when I ask someone nicely to pass me
something, they respond with, “What do
you say?” Or, “Where are your manners?”

I have none, especially if you are going to
force me to voice them. If you are offended
by me not saying “please” or “thank you,”
that’s your problem, not mine.

Isn't it ruder to say “please” when I
don't mean it than it is to say it for the sake
of saying it? I think so. To me it doesn’t
make a difference if someone says “please”

or not. If they ask nicely enough, what’s
the big deal? “Please” is frivolous and
unimportant.

On the other hand, I think “thank
you’ is still valuable. It shows gratitude
and appreciation for something a person
did for you, so I say it when I mean it, and
l appreciate when someone says it to me.
However, I am not going to go out of my
way to make someone say “thank you” to
me. I have better things to do.

It makes no sense to me to make a big
stink about one silly word. Frankly, I think
it’s childish and a bit of a power trip. There
may have once been a time where manners
were ingrained into our society and
politeness was heavily emphasized—but
times are changing. There's no longer the
need for such insistence on polite language.
Additionally, I don’t think teaching
manners necessarily teaches politeness
and respect. It teaches social norms and
conformity, so these trite words aren't really
important in the grand scheme of things.

One mother even wrote an essay on
why she doesn’t put emphasis on manners
when raising her child. She wrote, “You
cannot force the feelings of appreciation or
kindness. They have to feel it from within
by being given the space to feel it, not
by being told to repeat phrases because
someone is suggesting they do so.”

This blog-writer also shared the words
of her friend, who said, “I want... is the
most authentic thing anyone can say,” and
lagree.

Manners are a thing of the past,
and what constitutes as polite is always
changing over time. You can teach respect
and politeness without policing polite
language. So, when I ask, “Could you pass
me the mashed potatoes?”—don't pout
at me asking, “Where are your manners?”
Where are your manners? Pass me the
damn potatoes.