This morning I jumped in my car, turned on the radio and there it was.  I was immediately injected into your typical morning radio show with two loud, laughing, radio personalities, talking over each other. You know, the kind that plays a tune and a commercial once in a while, but mainly features loud talking and giggling to encourage people to stay tuned. Ordinarily, I would immediately change the channel, but before I hit the appropriate button, I heard the phrases “back to school” and “what I learned in school.” So I turned the volume up a bit and listened to the repartee.

I had stumbled upon a call-in show that was encouraging listeners to call in and share things they learned in school, but have never used in their entire lives. Listeners named subjects like algebra, geometry and physical education among others as a “waste of time.” Other callers talked about the absurdity of learning the periodic table, reading Beowulf, and memorizing poetry. As each caller made their individual contribution to the discussion, the hosts laughed and continued to remind everyone how much of what we are taught in school is useless. The hosts joked about H20 and wondered aloud why we don’t just call it water. They made fun of history class as not relevant in today’s world. They kept score and led the cheering each time a caller named geometry or algebra as the most useless school subject. Geometry eventually won.

I wanted to call in and put an end to the silliness by telling the hosts and their listeners just why learning geometry and algebra is important. If they would give me sixty seconds I could inform them all, “Students are not learning algebra or geometry just so they will know a bunch of mathematical facts or theorems when they complete these courses. They are studying these subjects so they can feed their brains, so they can come to believe they can learn whatever they decide to learn in their lives. They study algebra and geometry so they can develop an ‘I can’ stance toward life, so they will see themselves as someone who can accomplish a difficult task. In the process they create a picture of themselves as capable and responsible. The outcome of completing these courses is not so much the mastery of algebra and geometry or whether or not you use it later in life, as it is self-mastery—learning you can accomplish anything you set your mind to: seeing yourself as someone who can persevere, complete a difficult task, and achieve a goal you weren’t sure was possible for you.”

“The subject matter of algebra and geometry is only the water these students are currently splashing around in. The real lessons come through the process of meeting the challenges the course content presents them with. Forget where these youngsters might use algebraic and geometric concepts in their lives. Focus instead on where they might use the life lessons they are learning.”

Yes, I could have said all that, but I decided against it when I figured out (I was a slow learner that morning) that this was not an educational format. The goal of the hosts was not to inform, or debate various sides of an important issue. Their goal was to entertain. They had to keep the audience titillated with a subject that people could get upset about, one they could be “right” about, one that would keep them listening. The hosts were concerned about ratings, about getting and holding listeners. They weren’t interested in educating their audience, enlightening them, or giving them real information about how schools work. That wasn’t their job.

I began to envision the hosts earlier that morning, sitting around with the executives, talking about the upcoming show.

“What shall we talk about this morning?”

“Well, school is starting. How about school safety?”

“Too boring.”

“How about how to help kids with homework?”

“Too educational. Give me some controversy.”

“OK, what about things we learned in school, but will never use in our entire lives?”

“YES! That’s it.”

“We can keep that going all hour. We’ll get a ton of calls and emails.”

And so the decision was made, I imagined. And a good decision it was, too. Hey, they retained me. I kept listening.

I know from experience that call-in radio shows can move beyond being simply entertaining. I have heard my business partner, Thomas Haller, on his radio show, offering useful, educational, as well as entertaining content. Check him out on WIOG, Thursdays from 7-8 a.m., FM 102.5 in Mid-Michigan. He has the number one rated show in Mid-Michigan in the morning, “Life Answers with Dr. Tom.” Tune in.

So I learned a valuable lesson this morning. I learned or maybe relearned that not everyone values education and that some people are willing to put it down to build their own ratings. And then it hit me. Do I do that? Do I publish newsletters, write books, do seminars, and use social media to educate? Or do I do it to build my own ratings? I have been thinking about that question all day. I don’t have a full answer to that question yet. But for now, I am pleased that I am asking it.

Chick Moorman