What should schools teach?

[Jtalk4456]

I'm not talking about required curriculum here, rather I want to hear what kind of classes people would have liked to see as an elective in grade school. 

Something I would like to see more of in schools is not so much an "economics" class, but a finances class that goes over different types of bank accounts, savings, retirements, investing, etc. Not an in depth dive but just something to give a better idea of money and value before they get to college and screw it all up. I also like seeing schools with trade skills classes like carpentry and masonry. My school had this and I took masonry, but I know a lot of schools that don't have this. 

Also in this day and age, I'd like to see high schoolers, even middle schoolers have more than just a basic computer/typing class. I'd like to see programming classes, hardware repair classes, and for those ambitious schools, I'd love to see a motherboard and electronics repair class doing soldering and stuff like louis rossman does. They could even have the students in that class repairing school equipment and being able to put that on a kids resume. Also, as a bit of a tangent, I'd like to see it REQUIRED in high school english to devote a day or two to resume writing!

@TopHatProductions115

[TopHatProductions115]

<insert_home_country_name> History?

<insert_home_country_name> Government?

World History?

Home Finances and Basic Economics?

 

[captain_to_fire]

I think as early as high school, students should be taught how to do taxes properly. 

[Jtalk4456]

2 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

I think as early as high school, students should be taught how to do taxes properly. 

I would include that in the basic finance class I mentioned along with some budgeting

[Jtalk4456]

4 minutes ago, TopHatProductions115 said:

1. <insert_home_country_name> History?

2. <insert_home_country_name> Government?

3. World History?

Are these three not taught where you are? basic world and country history along with civics (government) are required curriculum pretty much everywhere in america that I'm aware of. social studies is even taught far earlier than high school

[wANKER]

Wizardry 

[Jtalk4456]

24 minutes ago, wANKER said:

Wizardry 

I want to be mad at you for not being serious, but I can't. I want a wizardry class too

[Volbet]

I've always advocated for an introductory course on philosophy. Not that high schoolers should be required to know the Republic by heart, but having a 6-12 months course that teaches critical thinking, economic theory, political - and governmental theory, scientific theory and epistemology would benefit in pretty much all classes anyone have to take during their tenure in education.

[DimasRMDO]

53 minutes ago, TopHatProductions115 said:

Home Finances and Basic Economics?

Also risk calculation and decision making strategies (basically basic business skills), I think Business and Economics should be combined.... They're closely related to each other in my opinion.

[Jtalk4456]

10 minutes ago, PacketMan said:

1. Economy and politics of my country: how the economy and politics have been through the centuries, the benefits of a republic over a monarchy in the 21st century, the corruption, how to learn basic economy and politics to vote using the brain, how politics parties scam citizens and how to know when they are talking 30 minutes saying nothing to avoid a question...

2. Literature: the main genres, the evolution over centuries, avoiding the 9-months long "Oh, Shakespeare was such a lovely writer..." and learning how the current literature works, knowing the new writers (seriously, I've never hear any teacher talking about Stephen King, only the stupid Cervantes for yeeeeears)

3. Sports and health: the importance of sports in your life, how to keep on diet (learning what Coke is made of and how it damages our bodies), how to know if some product is better or worse depending on fats and sugars, etc

1. i like the approach of looking at history with a focus on economics, very interesting!

2. I like the idea, though I think stephen king is sometimes not the most appropriate thing for a young reader. 

3. Isn't this health and PE class? 

[wANKER]

16 minutes ago, Jtalk4456 said:

I want to be mad at you for not being serious, but I can't. I want a wizardry class too

Who said I wasn't serious?

[Jtalk4456]

6 minutes ago, DimasRMDO said:

Also risk calculation and decision making strategies (basically basic business skills), I think Business and Economics should be combined.... They're closely related to each other in my opinion.

I would prefer them separate as not everyone goes into business, but everyone has bills to pay and needs to learn basic budgeting and retirement info.

[GoldenLag]

at least a chapter of how different Voting systems work, who uses them, what the advantages and dissadvantages are.

 

- it really hurts looking at the UK`s voting system............. at least in my opinion and i shure other would agree once they start taking a look at them and other voting systems. at least in my country you get a very basic introduction into what the politic structure is in your country or other countries. while not majorly important i think more people should know a little more than the basics. 

 

59 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

I think as early as high school, students should be taught how to do taxes properly. 

also be taught that return free taxes is a thing. because it is............. and its really hilarious why it not a thing in some countries. and yes, be taught what taxes are, but also yearly price increase of items and why that is (its inflation. 

 

Just now, wANKER said:

Who said I wasn't serious?

yes, being taught the basic of "magic" and the main principles behind it and how it is used in many different scenarios for good and bad. 

[captain_to_fire]

16 minutes ago, Volbet said:

I've always advocated for an introductory course on philosophy. Not that high schoolers should be required to know the Republican by heart, but having a 6-12 months course that teaches critical thinking, economic theory, political - and governmental theory, scientific theory and epistemology would benefit in pretty much all classes any have to take during their tenure in education.

I wonder if high school students would appreciate something as syllogisms and logical fallacies but then they're the ones who are suckers to "all things natural" so they probably should learn about it.

[DimasRMDO]

1 minute ago, Jtalk4456 said:

I would prefer them separate as not everyone goes into business, but everyone has bills to pay and needs to learn basic budgeting and retirement info.

Hmm.... Here, budgeting and bills related stuff are taught in business class while economics mostly talks about markets and how it affects others (welfare/equality, etc.).

How I think of it is how students should also be prepared to be in the business environment later on.

[voiha]

Basic economy, basic programming, rights and responsibilities, brief history of the world with a bit info for the country they are living at, basic Math with advanced parts and  the rest it is being studied now, the reward system should be updated too. 

That's what the common person should know in order for us to have healthier life IMO.

[Jtalk4456]

14 minutes ago, PacketMan said:

I mean, any nowadays writer, someone who is still alive at least, we can't focus on the 17th century literature only, and talking a bit about the late 19th

And PE class... I haven't learn anything in my life there, just run, jump, learn how to play basketball and badminton, and so; anything about health or nutrition, and it's a pity because obesity is a real issue that most can't face because they don't know how to

Weird our health class was pretty much nothing but nutrition and sex ed. 

[Jtalk4456]

6 minutes ago, voiha said:

brief history of the world with a bit info for the country they are living at, basic Math with advanced parts

ok several people have mentioned social studies and history, are these not common everywhere? It's one of the main curriculums in America. Also is basic math not part of your curriculum

[AngryBeaver]

1 hour ago, Jtalk4456 said:

I'm not talking about required curriculum here, rather I want to hear what kind of classes people would have liked to see as an elective in grade school. 

Something I would like to see more of in schools is not so much an "economics" class, but a finances class that goes over different types of bank accounts, savings, retirements, investing, etc. Not an in depth dive but just something to give a better idea of money and value before they get to college and screw it all up. I also like seeing schools with trade skills classes like carpentry and masonry. My school had this and I took masonry, but I know a lot of schools that don't have this. 

Also in this day and age, I'd like to see high schoolers, even middle schoolers have more than just a basic computer/typing class. I'd like to see programming classes, hardware repair classes, and for those ambitious schools, I'd love to see a motherboard and electronics repair class doing soldering and stuff like louis rossman does. They could even have the students in that class repairing school equipment and being able to put that on a kids resume. Also, as a bit of a tangent, I'd like to see it REQUIRED in high school english to devote a day or two to resume writing!

@TopHatProductions115

I went to a "economic" elementary school. They had their own money system, had auctions for different things and items you could buy, you had a bank with an interest system and could buy these fake stocks or put your money into a CD that matured at each quarter. It really helped most of us understand how to be responsible with money... Oh and your pay rate was dependent on your grades and behavior in class weekly.

 

My Jr High offered a lot of lab and shop electives. We had the normal typing and such, but also had a basic programming class (didn't learn much here sadly) and an electronics class that did teach us how to solder and wire different things together for our projects.

 

My High school was a magnet school and offered windows, apple, and word/excel/etc courses to teach you how to use them better. So we had a fair amount of classes to those areas, but they weren't as in depth as what you get in college, but I think that is intended.

[voiha]

1 minute ago, Jtalk4456 said:

ok several people have mentioned social studies and history, are these not common everywhere? It's one of the main curriculums in America. Also is basic math not part of your curriculum

I said that this is what the common man should know, not that it is not in schools right now. The other question is even if it's taught do kids actually remember that after 5 years.

[captain_to_fire]

2 minutes ago, Jtalk4456 said:

Weird our health class was pretty much nothing but nutrition and sex ed. 

I think this is what sex ed in most schools

and no, no one gets chlamydia just by touching someone

[GoldenLag]

1 minute ago, AngryBeaver said:

electronics class that did teach us how to solder and wire different things together for our projects.

we got to learn basic soldering in Arts and Craft because our class was relativly responible. 

 

we didnt solder wire or electronics, but it was interesting nonethanless

[GoldenLag]

1 minute ago, captain_to_fire said:

I think this is what sex ed in most schools

that and a week long curriculum or just an hour of awkwardness where noone really wants to say anything.

[Supportsneedlove]

1 hour ago, TopHatProductions115 said:

<insert_home_country_name> History?

<insert_home_country_name> Government?

You don't have that? 

[TechyBen]

Facts. The truth?

 

I did too much "stamp collecting" in school. I learnt lists that were correct as lists, but had no relation to reality. I learnt models that were learnt as facts, instead of models ("it is like this" instead of "it can be thought of like this").

 

Less magical thinking... no, not in the way you think. I was taught too much "imagine a new invention" or "design a new car", so the class all "designed" flying cars. We never did, we dreamt up impossible flying machines... we never learnt "how do you design a car" or "what is needed for a flying car".

 

If you think I'm over exaggerating, then just look at all the Kickstarter "projects" which start with an impossible or already proven false premise/invention and still get millions in funding. Why? Because the schools (and media) taught everyone "if you just dream big anything is possible" instead of "work hard and make improvements". There is a different in making improvements, and jumping off a cliff hoping you'll sprout wings.

 

[edit]

Whoops, which is not the answer you want... but therein lies my problem. It's not what was taught, but how it was that was the problem... so more practical lessons over parrot fashion repeating what the teacher says lessons? At the very least, those who work practically (even if maths, IT, history etc), will see for themselves if what the textbook says matches reality!

 

The most well rounded and clear headed teachers I had were in music (use of a practical instrument), engineering/woodworking (use of hands) and dare I say sport!