This leads us to ask the question of what the role of the teacher should be. Should we prepare you to perform well on national tests? Should we allow you freedom of expression and choice? Should we run the classroom in a military-like design forcing you to absorb facts about what we deem to be necessary?
Like you, I sat through classes wondering, "why do I need to know this?" And like you, I never really got a great answer. And here is the secret your teachers don't want you to know, the secret we are terrified that you may actually discover... you don't need to know this!
Obviously the average person does not need to know about the Edict of Nantes, how to solve a quadratic equation, quote Macbeth, or be able to accurately describe the anatomy of frog... so what's the point? I think the problem with our education system is that we don't know the point... and if we ever did, we have forgotten it.
Education should inspire you to something. Not every class will interest you... but something should. Your interests may in fact be piqued by the Edict of Nantes inspiring you to travel to France opening up roads you never new existed; you may be inspired to use your in depth knowledge of that quadratic equation to create an effective business model which is really where your passion lies; perhaps Macbeth will inspire you to find a home on the stage opening you up to fame and fortune; and that frog could just lead you to medical school...
The point is, our job should be to provide you with a chance at inspiration. Not tell you how to think, tell you your wrong (or right), give you answers, or make you feel inadequate in some way...
At least this is what I envision education to be....
Thoughts?