Top Ten Things Public School Doesn't Prepare You For
I can't exactly speak against the U.S. public school system, being Canadian, but I can't imagine things being too different over there when it comes to the way they prioritize what kids and teens need to learn to move towards the more complicated stages of life.Children born into less-than-functional family environments can miss out on critical knowledge about how to make it on their own once they receive their independence. And since elementary, middle, and high schools don't (frequently) teach these things, they're likely going to have a very difficult time adjusting to adulthood.
This list compiles the ten life skills that should be part of public schools' (primarily high schools') curriculums that aren't (ever, usually, or usually mandatory).
My main thought is taxes. But of course, budgeting, bill-paying, and whatever else-paying are all extremely important things to know. I feel handling one's credit should be a big part of what is taught to our youth about money.
I'm an adult in the US. Most of the money handling and credit knowledge I have is through making mistakes and getting into debt. I remember in high school we had a "life skills" class, but it never taught us anything besides health-related topics.
Do I know how to pay my taxes? No.
Do I know the difference between igneous and metamorphic rocks? Yes. That was considered "necessary" information.
The youth of today need guidance. If they didn't, you wouldn't see dirty-looking 17-year-old high school students smoking outside the school gymnasium during lunch hour. There are a million other things that kids and teens need help with when it comes to making the right choices in life, but I think you can fill in the blanks yourselves.
As an aspiring scientist, being able to infer logically is something I hold dear. A number of people in my high school physics class, even in the last year, were always coming to me for answers, and it kept me from the work itself. Thus, it would be best for both worlds if this was taught from year one.
I wish they taught this. I wouldn't call myself antisocial, but I don't have friends at school. At home and around family, I can be really confident because they have been around my whole life, but I was never taught how to befriend new people. I had friends from kindergarten to second grade, but by third grade, we drifted apart.
I was never really bullied much (though a lot of kids annoyed me about doing my work when they should have been doing their own). Now, in sixth grade, I have no friends at school. All the people who are close to me are close because I've known them my whole life, but what if they're away?
Why this isn't taught concurrently with every class that ever existed in any elementary or high school, I will never know. It's usually a quick thirty-second mention at the beginning of a class when it should be something teachers focus on for the duration of the school year.
We all need to be taught this. Everybody freaks out or worries during test and exam times. Why? Because we aren't born with time management skills engraved in our heads.
Ask any 20-something person living in Canada how the Canadian government system works, and 99.99% of the people you ask won't even know how our voting system works. I am one of them. I wish I knew more, but a crash course in government functions isn't in my foreseeable future (because... life happened).
I don't know how ignorant Americans are about their government, but I'm sure it's not a very promising number either.
I know basic stuff, like you shouldn't steal or murder, but I still don't know much. How does the American voting system work, exactly?
Yes, it is available in school systems, but don't you think it should be a mandatory class? Isn't it something that everyone needs to know to live on their own?
Again, I know it is a class offered in high schools. But, since most people do become parents or guardians in some form once they reach adulthood, it should be a required course to take. I included first aid with childcare since knowing how to give CPR or properly pressurize a wound is... well, do I really need to stress the importance of having this knowledge?
My health class only focused on this for a week! I still don't think I'll be ready to take care of someone who has a heart attack with just a quick lesson on it, right?
This one is a bit tricky since it's hard to imagine a structured class on how to hit on someone. Nonetheless, I think it would benefit society if a practical course in dating was offered in school systems. It just needs some figuring out and perhaps some trial runs.
Again, I know it is offered in schools (Home Economics - or whatever your school calls it), but it is not nearly taken seriously enough. I know my high school never had classes with more than ten students at a time per class (or with 50% or more males in any respective class).
I, for one, deeply regret not taking it in high school since I can barely pour cereal properly or make Kraft Dinner (Mac & Cheese to you Americans) without burning it or drowning it in too much milk.
I'm an awful cook. I don't know how I'll fare in the future with no Home Ec class in high school. Maybe that's why America is so... robust, relying on ready-made food and restaurants. Haha!
Just like home repair, auto repair is an essential thing to learn about. I understand that the cars of today are much more complex than the cars of the '70s and earlier, but even a minor understanding of how your car functions can be the difference between being stranded on the side of a freeway and being able to make it to the nearest garage (and not have to wait for and pay for a tow truck).
Some of us can't seem to grow vegetables without them dying, so we need herbology classes...