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I think we also fail to teach kids "how" to learn- we tell them they need to study, to "work harder", but never really tell them how to use their brain most efficiently. For example, we don't teach kids about how short term and long term memory work, and how to best use that hardware we carry around in our heads. And this is a travesty, because it leads to so much wasted time- for everyone.
And as Sarakastic indicated, with all these good programs being cut, just what are we actually spending our school money on these days? I'm curious to know... and perhaps see a nice pie chart :P.
Ben, these are excellent thoughts and I think your list is spot on. However, I would change two things: rename the post to "10 Things Parents Need to Teach Their Children" and urge/advocate a re-focusing of public/mainstream education on the basics: reading, writing, arithmetic, and the sciences.
At least in the U.S., the education system is modeled to churn out workers to plug into the corporate enterprise ("knowledge workers"). It has been this way for decades...probably since WWII when the economy shifted from an agrarian to an industrial society.
In the information age, this education system is ineffective. Our children need to learn how to think critically and creatively, how to innovate, and how to survive without a corporate entity as a 3rd (or 2nd) parent/crutch (i.e. entrepreneurialism).
However, public schools (at least in the U.S.) by their very charter, cater to the masses. They can't specialize due to the sheer number of students. They cannot provide the level of attention our children need in these very abstract areas of learning.
As a result, I believe schools should stop trying to field everything and focus on doing 3-4 things with greatness: reading, writing, arithmetic, and the sciences.
Outside of the classroom, I feel it's the parent's responsibility to teach their children life's lessons: cooperation, teamwork, morals, faith, critical/creative thinking, emotional intelligence, giving, technology, personal finance, the arts, physical fitness and nutrition, etc.
Would you, as a parent, leave this important job to an underpaid and under-appreciated instructor whose attention is torn across 30+ other children? I wouldn't.
This type of life-skill should be taught to everyone not just the non-academic children ... and not every parent will have the skills themselves to teach their child, so at least some of these should be taught in school.
This is a kick ass post!
Education is close to my heart and our education system is a joke. We need entrepreneurial schools run by entrepreneurs! Not schools run by government bureaucrats and staffed by union members.
People, businesses, and schools today need to be agile. They need to quickly change - adapting to new environments and new ideas and technology. Our current education system will never do that, because the scale of it forces change to be slow and lethargic.
Slow lethargic government is fine with me, but slow letharic education is a disaster. That is why we need to seperate government and education.
Thanks for giving me something to rant about....
Thank you for everyone's comments so far, I think the discussion has proven very interesting.
....but there they are happy if a kid even graduates.
Basic respect -- They need to constantly hammer into the kids to treat one another with respect. Whether they like or dislike someone, that person is still a human with feelings. Be respectful.
End cut-n-paste projects -- I know it's not on your list but I need to get this one off my chest. Once kids enter High School, they shouldn't be doing anymore projects that involve what I call "cut-n-paste." I'm not talking about computers I'm talking about projects where they put junk on poster board etc. They'll never do that stuff in college or in the business world. I've spent hundreds of dollars for these ridiculous "craft" projects only to watch them get thrown in the trash when it's all done.
Okay, rant all done. :)
I dugg it, check it out:
http://digg.com/business_finance/10_Things_They...
At least get the kids doing it with PowerPoint or something else where they're learning a technology skill...we all love PowerPoint presentations after all!
I agree with you. Our children do need exposure to a diversity of educational resources, business opportunities, and life experiences to prepare them for the emerging global economy.
Excellent post.
One thing I would add that I don't think I see in your list is "relationships". Certainly high school age kids could benefit from something more than just sex ed.
Ben, what about "thinking"? Don't you think that students know how to "think"? It is funny you post this article on the same day I wrote about thinking and if they should teach this in school. :)
thankx for such a great post. I had lots of fun to pick up your question and post about it myself.
Much power to you!
Steli Efti
One I'd like to see added would be arts education. That could include the fine arts or music -- skills and/or appreciation.
In addition to careers etc., many people do aspire to eventually get married, have kids, and then hopefully stay married. It's an important part of life, but people really don't seem to know how to do it anymore. Why not try to teach high school kids a bit about it before they head off to real life?
I hope this hasn't already been mentioned, but negtiating a raise and writing letters of resignation should also be touched upon in school.
Two valuable lessons.
Jeff - There's no question that parents need to step up. My son isn't in school yet but I've already thought a great deal about what it will be like and what I'll do to educate him. Certainly I don't think reams of homework is the answer.
David - I like the idea of more arts education in schools. I know in Montreal there's a highschool called F.A.C.E that's dedicated to the arts. Pretty interesting concept to have specialized highschools although I have no way of knowing if it works or doesn't (since I haven't looked into it at length.)
Thank you for everyone's continued comments!
Bret, picking up on what you said about respect, I would like to see attention given in schools toward consciously working together and cooperating. This touches on respect for others and for yourself. Our relationships with others are so key.
I would also like to see time given toward students being able to explore their sense of meaning in life and the value of giving and sharing. This could be reflected in self-designed projects.
Thanks,
Stuart Baker
www.consciouscooperation.com
Fortunately, my folks got me into sports in grade school and now I just naturally work out a few times a week. Sports and athletic participation has also helped me make friends over the years and find a group to fit in with.
Philosophy is an interesting subject but it often lacks a lot of practical usefulness, which I think can be problematic for highschool-aged people. Ethics is much more practical, along with politics and conflict resolution.
I'm all for the arts and humanities as well. I don't think some of the things I've mentioned have to be utterly focused on economics though. Entrepreneurship is a great example. What if it helped raise more Green Entrepreneurs?
@Trevor - Then kudos to your school, sounds like a great place.
Some of the other ideas on my list - be it conflict resolution or ethics, however - might help at a 20,000 foot view.
When it comes to parenting though, people very often need the basics. How to feed a child, discipline, what to look out for medically, etc.
Thank you for commenting!
In recent tragedies of the Virginia Tech shootings or the High school shootings I think young people can surely learn better about one another's differences.
27 Skills Your Child Needs to Know That She’s Not Getting In School
Jeff...
1. Negotiating.
2. Drama & Speech.
3. Psychology.
4. Cultural Anthropology & Ethics.
5. History.
6. Politics.
7. Health.
8. Economics & International Business.
9. Marketing & Sales.
10. Technology.
12. Grammar, Vocabulary and Writing.
13. Personal Finances.
14. Entrepreneurship & Investing.
I know people getting into college that can't even do basic algebra.
Remember the Basic Skills Test that took all week to do where you filled in the green/black circles with a #2 pencil? Now, the schools prepare the kids to take that test to ensure that they pass! Why are they "studying" for this test? Shouldn't they have already learned well enough to pass?
My heart goes out to all the high school seniors that graduate because they don't know what they want to do after they graduate. I commend the ones that do but most have been told what to do all their life and taught to obey everyone, they don't know how to think for themselves. It's THEIR CHOICES that need to count towards their future, if their choices are made by someone else, then they'll ead an unfulfilled life.
Jeff and "M" - great points!! :-)