Things that should be taught in school, but are not.

[nonameo]

Another vote for personal finance.

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

How about shit that shouldn't be taught in school? My 14 year old niece had a health class where one of her assignments was an art project to draw an MDMA pill. WTF does that have to do with the effects of drugs, etc?

My vote is for them to teach English as if it were a foreign language so our children know how to write a fucking sentence.

 

[Ninjahedge]

Finance
Handwriting
Touch Typing
Basic carpentry, mechanics, and other trades (yeah, we get cooking but what else?)
Sponsored internship programs

LESS focus on sports... but that is where most parents pay attention (and money) to.

 

[her209]

Negotiating skills

 

[olds]

How to use a library.

They still have those?

I just threw all my maps away. I always use google maps or a GPS.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

They still have those?

I just threw all my maps away. I always use google maps or a GPS.

You make me weep for humanity.

 

[IronWing]

interpretive dance

 

[ussfletcher]

Seriously, what are they going to teach about a library? Libraries are utterly useless and a waste of money, now. They would be much better off teaching how to spot untrue data on wikipedia.

I agree with personal finances, though that was a class offered in my highschool.

They should definitely be teaching skilled trades to students that just don't cut it academically.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Academic skills, not job/life/personal skills. School is for ACADEMIC learning. Everything else needs to come from other sources, preferably the family. I have no problem with establishing a 'career track' system of apprenticeships and job training in lieu of academic pursuits for those so inclined, but keep all such things SEPARATE from academic eduction.

 

[jhansman]

Critical thinking
You are responsible for your self esteem (not your parents/teachers/skanky girlfriend)
How to live within your means
Healthy skepticism

 

[her209]

interpretive dance

Is that a nice way of saying pole dancing skills?

 

[hanoverphist]

They still have those?

I just threw all my maps away. I always use google maps or a GPS.

i still keep maps in my truck. its nice to be able to hand it to a kid and tell them to find us. sure, i have a smartphone with gps, but kids gotta learn how to do it old school somehow. i doubt my kids will ever get really lost.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Seriously, what are they going to teach about a library? Libraries are utterly useless and a waste of money, now. They would be much better off teaching how to spot untrue data on wikipedia.

I agree with personal finances, though that was a class offered in my highschool.

They should definitely be teaching skilled trades to students that just don't cut it academically.

tap, tap...
Can't tell if the damn thing's working.

 

[ShawnD1]

How to use a library.

How to use google. I'm sick of people who ask people to help them when it's obvious that they didn't even attempt to fix the problem or find the answer themselves.

 

[FoBoT]

monetary system, macro economics (for dummies), Keynesian vs. Austrian economics

 

[AMDZen]

Gay history

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Handwriting

Like cursive? Why does that really need to be taught? I was taught cursive when I was a kid and the only time I ever use it is in the extremely rare case where I have to sign a check. It is almost painful for me to write that way now.

Indiana recently removed the requirement to teach cursive handwriting to kids. I think they should replace it with touch typing as a requirement.

 

[hanoverphist]

How about shit that shouldn't be taught in school? My 14 year old niece had a health class where one of her assignments was an art project to draw an MDMA pill. WTF does that have to do with the effects of drugs, etc?

now when that creepy kid at the party says "heres an aspirin", she will know what shes being dosed with...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

How to use google. I'm sick of people who ask people to help them when it's obvious that they didn't even attempt to fix the problem or find the answer themselves.

I'll say it again for the 'youts' and the lazy, you do know that the majority of human knowledge can not be found online nor, is even mentioned/referenced?

 

[kranky]

Seriously, what are they going to teach about a library? Libraries are utterly useless and a waste of money, now. They would be much better off teaching how to spot untrue data on wikipedia.

I was going to say "You can't be serious" but you started out with "Seriously,"...

But I have to believe you can't be serious.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Religion.

Not any specific religion, just a class that covers the origins, beliefs, and ideologies of many world religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

The world history class I took in 7th grade covered most religions (granted briefly on each).

 

[ussfletcher]

I'll say it again for the 'youts' and the lazy, you do know that the majority of human knowledge can not be found online nor, is even mentioned/referenced?

There is no doubt that this is true, however current efforts are leading towards a digitization of virtually everything. Also, the vast majority of people will never need any information that is not available on the internet.

I do possess a library card for the library of congress (and I have used it), and I have done research at other libraries as well.

 

[Kadarin]

Critical thinking
How to properly research (and not cite Wikipedia or Urbandictionary)
How to handle personal relationships
How to handle finances
How to negotiate
Basic job skills
Basic reading/writing skills (you'd think this was a no brainer, but apparently people don't know how to construct sentences/paragraphs anymore)

 

[Udgnim]

that expectations and desired skillsets in an academic environment versus a work environment tend to be very different things

 

[Ninjahedge]

Like cursive? Why does that really need to be taught? I was taught cursive when I was a kid and the only time I ever use it is in the extremely rare case where I have to sign a check. It is almost painful for me to write that way now.

Indiana recently removed the requirement to teach cursive handwriting to kids. I think they should replace it with touch typing as a requirement.

Even decent printing (AKA Drafting) would be very handy.

People do not realize how many professions still rely on being able to READ the notes you leave for them.

As for separating academic with vocational, I don't think that is a good idea. Like I see with Architecture and Engineering, and Engineering with Construction, without a proper appreciation of the basics, you do not appreciate them and you end up making problems down the line. (Architects making physically impossible designs, engineers making physically UNCONSTRUCTABLE designs, and construction professionals denying any knowledge beyond tying their own shoes.