Why Go To School? (Page 1 of 2)	
Why Go To School?	
Students might ask:  "Why do I have to go to school?  Why do I need to pass English, history, and math?  
One reason is that employers think that success in school is related to 
success on the job.  Employers prefer 
to hire students who prove themselves by success in school.  In a survey
, employers were asked to list what 
things students should learn in school to help them succeed on 
the job.  Employers answered that students should learn the 
following in school:
IN SCHOOL — LEARN TO BE RESPONSIBLE
A responsible worker is 3 things — dependable, reliable, and 
trustworthy.  Workers prove they are  dependable by reporting 
to work on time every day scheduled to work, calling in as soon 
as possible when sick, and asking one or two weeks in advance 
when time off is needed.  Workers prove they are  reliable by doing each task correct and complete.  
Workers prove they are  trustworthy by handling the company’s products and equipment with care and not 
taking anything home that belongs to the company.
How can I learn to be responsible?  In your school’s classes, you learn to be  dependable by turning in 
each homework assignment when it is due, taking quizzes and tests on the
 correct days, and being in your 
seat when the tardy bell rings.  You learn to be  reliable by answering every question on homework 
assignments and bringing books and supplies to class each day.  You learn to be  trustworthy by doing your 
homework, writing your own term papers, and handling the textbook with c
are.
IN SCHOOL — LEARN COMMUNICATION SKILLS
What are communication skills?  Listening, reading, writing, and speaking are important communication 
skills for job success.
How do I learn these skills?  Communication skills are used in all classes.  English classes are espec
ially 
responsible for teaching and giving you practice in communication skills
.  You learn to listen (and 
remember what was said) by not talking, writing notes to friends, or da
ydreaming while the teacher is 
talking.  You learn to read (and remember what you have read) by taking notes to 
help you to understand 
the novel or essay.  You learn to write by reading books, studying grammar/punctuation, and do
ing the 
writing assignments that the teacher gives.  You learn speaking skills needed for the work world by learning 
and practicing rules for giving a good speech.
IN SCHOOL — LEARN MATH SKILLS
What math skills are needed?  Employers said that it is important for 
students learn to do math and solve problems.  One employer said it is 
important to learn how to solve a problem when "some pieces of the 
puzzles are missing."  This means students need to learn how to think to 
fill in information that may be missing to solve a problem.
Where do I learn to solve problems?  In all your math classes!  In fact, math classes also teach you the 
skill of thinking with logic so that you can succeed at solving different types of problems.  Logic is the 
ability to think in steps, using the correct way of thinking, to get a s
olution.

Permission to use with usworkworld.com subscription.  	Why Go To School? (page 2 of 2)	
QUICK CHECK:
1. Whom do employers prefer to hire?
2.  What 3 things make a responsible worker?
3.  a) How do workers prove they are dependable?
  b) Reliable?  c) Trustworthy?  
4.  a) In your school’s classes, what is one way to 
learn dependability?  b) Reliability?  
  c) Trustworthiness? 
5.  a) How do you learn to listen?  b) How do you 
learn to write?
6.  What does it mean to solve a problem when 
"some pieces of the puzzle are missing"?
7.  a) What do math classes also teach you?  
  b) What is logic?
8.  a) What are PR skills?  b) Employers want their 
business to be what 3 things? 9. 
Define the following:  a) Tact.  b) Empathy. 
  c) Respect.  d) Positive attitude.
10.  What 3 things learned in sports are needed for 
the success in the work world?
11.  In your opinion, what is meant by "you are part 
of a bigger picture"?
12.  Why must you learn to read the other team?
13.  Why must you have respect for the official or 
supervisor?
14. a) What is initiative?  b) What is pride? 
15.  a) Give one example of how you can build the 
initiative habit.  b) Give one example of how 
you can build the pride habit. 
16.  List the name of a class that is teaching you the 
following skills this year:  
  a) Responsibility.  b) PR skills.  c) Initiative
IN SCHOOL — LEARN PUBLIC RELATION SKILLS
What are public relation (or PR) skills?  The way you treat people and attitude you show 
to others are considered PR skills.  Employers want their business to be
 organized, cheerful, 
and helpful to the customers, so workers need PR skills to be organized, cheerful, and helpful.  
PR skills are:  a) Tact — saying or doing the right thing in difficult situations.  b) Empathy —
understanding how another person feels and thinks.  c) Respect — hav
ing concern for another.  
d) Positive attitude — thinking the best about a person or situation
.
How do I learn PR skills?  The  discipline, effort, and attitude learned in sports programs are 
exactly the same skills needed for success in the work world.  When playing sports, you are part of a bigger 
picture — that is, the team (or later, the company).  You and the team must present a united and positive 
"face" to the other team no matter how you really feel inside.  You must learn to "read" the other team — 
to understand how they are thinking so that you can win.  You must have respect for the official (or 
supervisor) — so that you don’t get too many fouls or thrown out of the game (or fired).  Team sports 
provide opportunities for learning the good PR skills that will make you
 valuable to employers.
IN SCHOOL — LEARN INITIATIVE  AND PRIDE
What are initiative and pride?   Initiative is an ability to start a job 
without being told, and to continue working until it is finished.  
Pride is the good feeling of self-respect a person gets when a job has b
een 
done well.  These traits often lead to raises and promotions.  
How do I learn initiative and pride?   Initiative and pride can be learned 
during all years in school in all classes.  Employers know that students
 who succeed in school have learned 
initiative and pride.  For example:  a) You build the  initiative habit by always seeing what needs to be 
done and doing it without being told — by having a study time each ni
ght so that you are ready for the test 
instead of cramming at the last minute.  b) You build the pride (self-respect) habit by trying to get the best 
grades you can instead of the minimum required for passing.  — and not even wanting to cheat.