A commentary on the north-american education system and likely other similar curriculums around the world.
School has an amazing ability suck the passion out of any study. It doesn't matter what aptitude or interest you have for a subject because more often than not; formal education has a way of making you hate it. That applies for almost everything, including programming and computer science; but perhaps the most common instance of this is mathematics. Bellow are some comments that seem to be echoed by many.
link to screenshot of mind=blown comments
Don't bother trying to understand the commutative, associative, or identity laws of multiplication, or learn how to prove them. Just memorize the multiplication table for hours on end and pass a test! GOLD STARS FOR EVERYONE!!!
—elementary curriculums
We're often focused on outcomes when teaching. The goal is to make the student capable of performing a task; whether it be implementing a software design pattern or getting the correct answer. People have become accustom to learning how to do something without knowing the fundamental why. The goal of proficiency without comprehension aluring for its short-term benefits but is ultimately flawed.
Memorization, repetition, incident guidelines and problem-solving flowcharts. The fast-food "instant gratification" equivalent of education. McEducation, double cheese, hold the useful knowledge. Also no fun because the teacher is allergic. Memorize
We become capable of much more than the base task when we acquire a deeper understanding. It opens a world of opportunities and will naturally result in that knowledge being retained, expanded, and built upon. This promotes curiosity and exploration. The topics of study are kept alive, engaging, and interesting. Figuring out how to find the solution for a type of problem becomes more important than robotically using the solution to find the answer for a specific instance of a problem.
How to think, not what to think. Learning how to learn.
We need to remember when both teaching and learning; that the effort and time put into a proper comprehension will always be more beneficial than the alternatives. There is something to be said for deadlines, compromise, and accomplishing the goal at all costs -- but that's work, not education. And it's worth noting that the work will become easier the more truly educated and capable you become as a person.
Learning is a on-going cycle, not a prerequisite stage. You will never stop learning and you should never want to. If you start to feel your passion for a subject being snuffed out, you owe it to yourself to pursue it in a fashion you find worth while. Don't let 'education' kill what you enjoy.
