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

[ShawnD1]

Teaching how to understand underlying causes beyond simply saying "A happened, then B happened. A must have caused B!" I see it endlessly lacking in people around me, and I feel we would be far better off as a society if we taught that at an early age.

The biggest screw up on penn & teller bullshit was this type of mistake. In the sleep episode, they looked at how people try to get a good night sleep and try to sleep more. The implied message of the show is that this is silly and they throw out a statement that people who sleep more tend to die a lot sooner. That's absolutely true that people who sleep more die sooner, but the way the show presented it implies the wrong order of things. People who sleep more die sooner because sleep is one of the ways your body repairs itself; needing to sleep 12 hours a day is a sign that you might be really damn sick. The show implies that it's the other way around - that sleeping too much will make you less healthy.

 

[Anubis]

most HS econ classes dont teach you personal ECON, its generallty macro and very broad

anyone with basic math skills can do those first 3 without ever taking econ

crit thinking should be part of all sciences

we took Home Ec where we learned how to cook and clean and iron and sew. was a pretty sweet class TBH, hell i even know how to knit

 

[Schadenfreude]

So a quick counter-question; of all those things that you guys mentioned, are you guys saying that you felt you lacked those things going through your own public school system, or merely criticizing others' lack of knowledge in those areas?

If this thread is a serious discussion, I think that's a fairly significant point to cross.

 

[shortylickens]

All teenage girls should be taught how to work a camera.

 

[TheNinja]

Without a doubt - Personal Finance. This should be REQUIRED by all high schools with a more details course required in college.

How to save, invest, spend, borrow, etc. It was amazing to me that many people I know graduated from a 4 year COLLEGE and never had to take 1 personal finance course. But ya, that course on the history of Asia, or that extra art class really help you understand today's financial markets and responsibilities. Some of them have no idea about stock markets, compounding interest, 401k, retirement, social security, etc. It's horrible. I honestly weep for the people who are 20-30 right now b/c they are usually stupid with their money and lazy as well.

 

[eLiu]

Yup. Wayyyy too many college students are fucking terrible with their finances.

Wait what? Just b/c some people don't have common sense and are fucking retarded doesn't mean we need to punish all high school students.

Tons of my hs classes were already easy/waste of time. Don't need to pile on even more obvious, useless requirements.

And you don't need special extra classes on like compound interest or finances or economics or whatever. That's... super super basic math. If people don't want to pay attention/learn basic algebra, then forcing another class on econ down their throats won't do anything. And for the people who did learn basic algebra, they'll already know everything you have to say. B/c basic econ is just a trivial application of math.

Critical thinking is super important though. That's definitely missing from lots of hs classes, where you might just be shown some formulas and then for the next week, work involves plugging different numbers into them repeatedly. This issue is tough though, b/c not all hs teachers are capable of much critical thinking on their own...

edit: basically, don't waste my time. I hate going to school and wasting my time with stupid shit. Just about everything mentioned here could've been a decent idea to offer, but tacking them on as requirements follows the "no child left behind" mentality too much. Maybe some kids need extra help/classes/whatever to function normally in society; don't force it on everybody when not everyone needs it.

 

[KaOTiK]

All teenage girls should be taught how to work a camera.

I thought they all took myspace angles 101 already

 

[Anubis]

Without a doubt - Personal Finance. This should be REQUIRED by all high schools with a more details course required in college.

How to save, invest, spend, borrow, etc. It was amazing to me that many people I know graduated from a 4 year COLLEGE and never had to take 1 personal finance course. But ya, that course on the history of Asia, or that extra art class really help you understand today's financial markets and responsibilities. Some of them have no idea about stock markets, compounding interest, 401k, retirement, social security, etc. It's horrible. I honestly weep for the people who are 20-30 right now b/c they are usually stupid with their money and lazy as well.

i agree here, however these things have to be offered in order to be taken.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Wait what? Just b/c some people don't have common sense and are fucking retarded doesn't mean we need to punish all high school students.

Tons of my hs classes were already easy/waste of time. Don't need to pile on even more obvious, useless requirements.

And you don't need special extra classes on like compound interest or finances or economics or whatever. That's... super super basic math. If people don't want to pay attention/learn basic algebra, then forcing another class on econ down their throats won't do anything. And for the people who did learn basic algebra, they'll already know everything you have to say. B/c basic econ is just a trivial application of math.

Yeah. Learn Judo instead, like I said.

 

[crashtestdummy]

The biggest screw up on penn & teller bullshit was this type of mistake. In the sleep episode, they looked at how people try to get a good night sleep and try to sleep more. The implied message of the show is that this is silly and they throw out a statement that people who sleep more tend to die a lot sooner. That's absolutely true that people who sleep more die sooner, but the way the show presented it implies the wrong order of things. People who sleep more die sooner because sleep is one of the ways your body repairs itself; needing to sleep 12 hours a day is a sign that you might be really damn sick. The show implies that it's the other way around - that sleeping too much will make you less healthy.

There was a paper a while ago in a respected journal that tried to claim happiness was contagious, because people who are happy have friends who are happy. Another group shortly thereafter, to highlight the absurdity of the claim, posted a paper that claimed that cancer and height are also contagious by the same criteria.

So a quick counter-question; of all those things that you guys mentioned, are you guys saying that you felt you lacked those things going through your own public school system, or merely criticizing others' lack of knowledge in those areas?

If this thread is a serious discussion, I think that's a fairly significant point to cross.

In my case, it is something I've seen in others. My parents (both have graduate degrees) made sure I understood experimentation and controls at a young age, but not everyone is quite so lucky in that regard.


Edit: Here is the paper about happiness, and here is the retort. It was acne and headaches, not cancer.

 

[Soundmanred]

Common sense, because apparently it isn't so common.

OP callout.
Reported.

 

[yuchai]

Wait what? Just b/c some people don't have common sense and are fucking retarded doesn't mean we need to punish all high school students.

Tons of my hs classes were already easy/waste of time. Don't need to pile on even more obvious, useless requirements.

And you don't need special extra classes on like compound interest or finances or economics or whatever. That's... super super basic math. If people don't want to pay attention/learn basic algebra, then forcing another class on econ down their throats won't do anything. And for the people who did learn basic algebra, they'll already know everything you have to say. B/c basic econ is just a trivial application of math.

Critical thinking is super important though. That's definitely missing from lots of hs classes, where you might just be shown some formulas and then for the next week, work involves plugging different numbers into them repeatedly. This issue is tough though, b/c not all hs teachers are capable of much critical thinking on their own...

edit: basically, don't waste my time. I hate going to school and wasting my time with stupid shit. Just about everything mentioned here could've been a decent idea to offer, but tacking them on as requirements follows the "no child left behind" mentality too much. Maybe some kids need extra help/classes/whatever to function normally in society; don't force it on everybody when not everyone needs it.

That's quite a leap of faith thinking that knowledge of basic algebra would lead to someone knowing how to manage personal finances and understand financial security. I agree algebra is a pre-requisite, but there is a lot more to it than just knowing the math.

 

[Fayd]

He thought it was funny to drug me without telling me. It probably was funny from his perspective.

I do something similar to that with benadryl. Any time someone has a problem, I offer them a benadryl. It does fix a lot of things, but it will also impair you as bad as drinking 4 beers. My gf can't even walk in a straight line after taking one.

you people who get heavily affected by drugs are wierd.

benadryl doesn't have any "drowsy" effect on me at all. no medication i've had thus far has.

the only substance i've had that makes me tired is alcohol. :/

 

[xanis]

1) Personal finance
2) Professionalism
3) Common sense

 

[xanis]

Wait what? Just b/c some people don't have common sense and are fucking retarded doesn't mean we need to punish all high school students.

Tons of my hs classes were already easy/waste of time. Don't need to pile on even more obvious, useless requirements.

And you don't need special extra classes on like compound interest or finances or economics or whatever. That's... super super basic math. If people don't want to pay attention/learn basic algebra, then forcing another class on econ down their throats won't do anything. And for the people who did learn basic algebra, they'll already know everything you have to say. B/c basic econ is just a trivial application of math.

Critical thinking is super important though. That's definitely missing from lots of hs classes, where you might just be shown some formulas and then for the next week, work involves plugging different numbers into them repeatedly. This issue is tough though, b/c not all hs teachers are capable of much critical thinking on their own...

edit: basically, don't waste my time. I hate going to school and wasting my time with stupid shit. Just about everything mentioned here could've been a decent idea to offer, but tacking them on as requirements follows the "no child left behind" mentality too much. Maybe some kids need extra help/classes/whatever to function normally in society; don't force it on everybody when not everyone needs it.

Everything you're saying goes both ways. What constitutes a waste of time is a matter of opinion.

 

[RPD]

That stupid people exist and how to deal with them.

 

[shortylickens]

That stupid people exist and how to deal with them.

Could you tell me?
Please?

 

[bhanson]

Lifetime Fitness (health: diet + exercise)

Yes there are classes--even my tiny rural high school had them, but I'm talking about a stricter implementation.

It's child abuse to let your kid eat themselves into being 100 lbs overweight. Perhaps 4 years of required gym class?

 

[lehtv]

Could you tell me?
Please?

You become like them.

I believe schools teach this already, in fact.

EDIT: In all seriousness, schools don't teach how to study. They teach what to study. Study techniques, mental attitudes towards learning, independent thinking, rational thinking are all infinitely more important for learning than the teaching of any single subject.

 

[ShawnD1]

Lifetime Fitness (health: diet + exercise)

Yes there are classes--even my tiny rural high school had them, but I'm talking about a stricter implementation.

They don't need to teach this because it's basic common sense.

 

[shortylickens]

You become like them.

I believe schools teach this already, in fact.

EDIT: In all seriousness, schools don't teach how to study. They teach what to study. Study techniques, mental attitudes towards learning, independent thinking, rational thinking are all infinitely more important for learning than the teaching of any single subject.

I didnt learn a real study technique until after I left high school, joined the Navy, and went to nuke school.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

So a quick counter-question; of all those things that you guys mentioned, are you guys saying that you felt you lacked those things going through your own public school system, or merely criticizing others' lack of knowledge in those areas?

If this thread is a serious discussion, I think that's a fairly significant point to cross.

True. Another point of discussion is whether this is the gov't run public education system or private. I suppose we can assume it's about the gov't run public education system though but most of what's been posted here shouldn't be in the gov't education system IMO but that's for a different board.

 

[bhanson]

They don't need to teach this because it's basic common sense.

How does that require any more "common sense" than personal finance?

Both are evidenced by a huge population showing deficiencies in both areas.

 

[Bignate603]

no one is special.

Fixed. If everyone acted if the people around them were there equals the world would be a much nicer place to live in.

 

[ShawnD1]

How is does that require any more "common sense" than personal finance?

Both are evidenced by a huge population showing deficiencies in both areas.

Most people have a very good understanding of money. They just lack impulse control. i see something --> i must have it and i don't care what it takes