Back to School

[scheherazade_79]

This afternoon I'm enrolling in a car mechanics course in the local college. I spent all my educational years concentrating on arty things like literature and music, and now I fancy doing something completely different.

If I enjoy car mechanics, I might have a go at something like plumbing afterwards.

So here's my question - if you lived close to a college that offered free courses in everything under the sun, what would you choose to learn and why?

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Hmmmm..

This afternoon I'm enrolling in a car mechanics course in the local college. I spent all my educational years concentrating on arty things like literature and music, and now I fancy doing something completely different.

If I enjoy car mechanics, I might have a go at something like plumbing afterwards.

So here's my question - if you lived close to a college that offered free courses in everything under the sun, what would you choose to learn and why?

I would learn glass blowing.. there is such a variety of ideas in my head for different designs and such that I would love to express them with glass. The way the colors can be added and the way it all flows is beautiful.. I would make lots of many different things...

 

[Guest]

Flying an airplane

 

[matriarch]

I did an introductory course on British Sign Language a couple of years ago. Loved it, unfortunately life got complicated and I never took up the option of a true vocational course with interpreter qualfications at the end of 2 years.

Right now, carpentry would be very useful, and interesting.

 

[Equinoxe]

There are so many different things that I would be interested in, but most certainly as many foreign languages as I could possibly force myself to learn.

 

[oggbashan]

I want to practise my French, German and Spanish. Unfortunately the courses on offer locally do not match my abilities. I am too advanced for some and not advanced enough for others.

Craft and physical education courses are useless to me because of disability.

40 years ago I attended a car mechanics course. I wanted to do heroic things like changing the engine and gearbox for something with more power. The course was more about the basics of checking the oil, tyres and battery. However I persevered and because of the high average intelligence and ability of the class we progressed to what I wanted to do.

The teacher was a Lotus trained mechanic who worked for the local Lotus dealer during the day. He brought a Lotus to the classes for us to pull apart, put together, and drive...

The class survived for the whole year with only one student dropping out. He was the only other man in the class. Then, apart from Og, the other students were women. Their main motivation was to learn enough to avoid being ripped off by their local garages. For some the secondary motivation was to meet men. That was a mistake. There were more men enrolled in the ballroom dancing classes. By the end of the year every student could change a wheel, replace brake shoes and pads, bleed the brake system, align wheels, decoke an engine, grind valve seats and tune the fuel system...

...and drive a Lotus at illegal speeds round the district.

Og

 

[scheherazade_79]

The teacher was a Lotus trained mechanic who worked for the local Lotus dealer during the day. He brought a Lotus to the classes for us to pull apart, put together, and drive...

Ooohhh! Scheherazade behind the wheel of a Lotus! There's a nice long stretch of road just by the college, too!

 

[oggbashan]

Ooohhh! Scheherazade behind the wheel of a Lotus! There's a nice long stretch of road just by the college, too!

It would be much more enjoyable on twisty mountain roads. The handling is unbelievable after a normal family car.

Og

 

[SeaCat]

Oh so many things I would willingly try to learn. You would find me enrolled in classes like advanced wood working, Ball Room Dancing, Jewelry desing and making, Photography, Videography, Writing, and if they ever had the futs to run a class on it, advanced sex. (I think I may have Tested out of Sex 101. )

Cat

 

[fifty5]

So here's my question - if you lived close to a college that offered free courses in everything under the sun, what would you choose to learn and why?

Politics - so I could learn how to make ALL education have an option that was free of charge. (I've no objection to anyone paying - my dad paid for me and I paid for one of mine), but everyone ought to be able to learn (and get the certificates) without paying anything. That's one of my definitions of a civilised society.

 

[McKenna]

Good for you for trying something new Scheherazade!

If it were me, and I had unlimited time, I'd learn Gaelic while co-enlisting in ground school to obtain my private pilot's license.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Thinking....

I would learn Spanish.. and actually remember it.. lol.. also I would like to enhance my painting..

 

[scheherazade_79]

One more question - what's stopping you all from doing these things?