It is often a sad time for mature people to return to school, and they may drag their heels as if they were much younger. Some of them resent the time it will take out of their day, but others dread it due to fear of failure. No matter what reason they have for disliking the refresher course, they are often required to take it to keep their current job.
It can be a sad time for them, yet they may discover they know more than they did as a younger student. It helps if the course is one they enjoy, but many of them do not.
Yet more maths
It would seem to many that the widespread use of computers should keep them from ever having to take yet more math. This subject, dreaded by nearly all generations, continues to be added to refresher courses for adults. It may be a necessity for parts of the course that will be given at a later time, or it could simply be a form of revenge for educators unsatisfied with student performance in previous years.
There are still plenty of areas in life that require a working knowledge of mathematics, so the revenge scenario might be just in the imagination of many of the participants.
Tackling biology
There are many people able to do relatively well when it comes to earth sciences. They understand chemistry requires a balanced formula, and they can touch or see models of what they are studying in geology.
When it comes to many parts of science, they can be experienced in the everyday world. Then there is tackling biology as a necessary refresher. The addition of the carbon element seems to often play havoc with students of any age. It may appear their refresher course is going to be a waste, but it can be a happy surprise.
Maturity and experience of the world may help them better understand some facets of this complex subject.
Language arts
Educators have done their best to help students master reading, writing, and even comprehension. They may have often despaired that language would soon be lost to the world as their students mangled it for new expressions that made little or no sense.
This is one area where the educators may find a refresher course suits them as much as the students. Maturity often helps people refine their own language into a more formal mode, and that is what educators look for in the classroom. While they may not be completely happy with their students, it might be a good bet that they are not concerned about translating today’s slang.
Refresher courses are often taken by mature students returning to school so they can advance in their career. There can be a great deal of anxiety on the part of the returnee, yet they could find their world experience helpful as they navigate subjects that were nearly impossible as teenagers.
Getting back into the classroom might still not fill them with happiness, but being able to finish a class with a respectable grade can bring them a sense of pride.
