School forms the building blocks that begin to stack upon the foundation of our lives. What we’re taught in school is unbelievably important, and has the power to shape our future.
Despite that, there are many who believe today’s schools are filled with missed opportunities . When asked what lessons they believe should be taught in schools today, these were some of their answers.
Keeping it in check.
“How to balance a checkbook.”
Many pointed out that checkbooks are becoming obsolete in the modern age, so the goal shifted to financial literacy in general. Savings, investments, credit card etiquette, retirement funds, mortgages, the whole nine yards.
Home grown.
“How to grow your own food […].”
Growing your own food, even in small batches, would be a lovely skill for children to grow up learning! If it’s something they pursue, it could save them tons of money in the long run, and introduce them to the freshest produce available.
Simple mindfulness.
“Mental health awareness. The education system, especially in America, causes kids so much stress that it’s no wonder the rates of adolescent mental health issues are as high as they are. Even a unit in a health class that teaches kids proper relaxation and breathing techniques would help.”
Learning the ropes.
“Shop classes. The ability to understand and repair everyday issues is indispensable […].”
Many cited that they had shop classes, but weren’t taught anything of use in those classes, instead they just built random things with no real-world application.
Back to school.
“Driver’s ed.”
This answer had many supporters, people who believed that initial driving lessons should be taught in schools rather than through external programs. That would definitely aid in making driving more accessible to all young people!
Broad strokes.
“[…] what it takes to run a home.”
The replies to this covered everything from what it takes financially, to proper cleaning knowledge, and general repair handiwork, they want to make sure every base is covered. A vague subject with lots of important lessons within.
Health conscious.
“Personal Fitness.
“[…] I went to high school and actually was required to take a combination P.E./weightlifting class that helped me and my classmates a ton. You see very few people graduating from my high school in poor shape […] This is something that needs to be emphasized more at high school level to avoid the horrific [health] problems that we have in youth today.”
Learning to learn.
“Honestly, how to teach yourself, and how to study in college. You get thrown into it without any foresight.”
Broadening the idea, one person replied, “Or perhaps more generally, people need to learn how to learn. It’s a skill just like any other, except that if you only teach this one skill, they’ll be in pretty good shape.”
Basic upkeep.
“Car maintenance.”
Another entry that went on to cover a lot of bases as it was expanded upon. Some suggested basic work like how to change a tire, while others thought more detailed mechanic work should be taught. Nothing extreme, but enough to be able to identify issues.
A home-cooked meal.
“Nutrition and cooking.”
As one reply elaborated, “Most people don’t know how to cook for themselves after they leave their parent’s house. It’s just a lot of fast food and microwave meals. My sophomore year of college I ate like [expletive] because I didn’t know any better. Luckily I noticed that I felt like [expletive] and started taking better care of myself.”
The nitty gritty.
“How to run a small business. Not the fluff but how to set up the actual legal structure in your state, how to fill out the forms without an attorney, deciding which structure is best for you, then your responsibilities and obligations. How to get an employer ID number, how to do payroll, etc. [If 18-year-olds] weren’t intimidated by the practical side of running a business, I think there’d be a lot more businesses and it would possibly help the economy.”
Skills for the future.
“Programming! Boolean Algebra!
“With computers taking over virtually every aspect of human interaction it will become increasingly beneficial not only to get a job but to fundamentally understand what is happening in the world!”
National affairs.
“Economics.
“It’s disgusting that politicians can say anything they want about economics and people will believe them because they haven’t been taught how economics actually work.”
Useful every year.
“How to do your freakin taxes!! For real I’ve never used all that damn advanced math but you better believe knowing how to do a better job on my taxes would come in handy.”
Prim and proper.
“Cursive writing is definitely needed back in school.”
This one caused quite the debate. There were heavy believers of both sides, some saying it should be a fundamental part of curriculum while others say it’s far from important as most communication is done digitally now anyway.
Landing the job.
“How to write a resume.”
Funnily enough, I was taught how to write a resume in high school and in college, but apparently many schools have let this fall to the wayside. How are they meant to apply any skills learned in school in the workplace if they can’t apply for jobs to begin with!
In touch with yourself.
“Emotional intelligence: how to self reflect, how to take in other perspectives, how to cope with anger, how to advocate for yourself, what healthy and toxic relationships look like, how to work through differences and arguments in a productive and safe manner. Honestly, it would make the world a better place.”
Long-term effects.
“The lasting impacts of bullying – Teaching children and teens to be kind to their peers, and teaching the victims of bullying to stand up for themselves and healthy coping mechanisms/self worth. It’s been almost 20 years since I left school, and I still carry around the trauma and pain of what I endured.”
Rights and freedoms.
“Basic legal knowledge.”
There were lots of supporters for this one as well. They don’t think kids need to be taught the full legal system, but knowing ones basic rights in potential situations that might arise would at least teach them how to handle those moments better and not get taken advantage of.
Choosing your own path.
“The idea that going straight to college isn’t always the best choice for everyone.”
In the replies to this were tons of people who either took a gap year, an alternative program, or even a trade who supported this idea, saying it served them better than rushing straight to college.
