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Business etiquette should be taught in school, e.g., replying to emails, returning phone calls, being polite to customers, etc. Let's put an end to the cycle of rude business tactics.
Schools should also teach students when it's acceptable to use iPods, Gameboys, cell phones, etc., and when it's unacceptable to use those electronic gadgets. Schools have rules banning electronic gadgets, but students need to understand other settings where electronic gadgets are banned.
Sunny, don't you think most of those should be taught at home. I know they aren't but boy, we learned most of those at home. I do know that a lot of schools do have business classes that do teach resume prep, etc. but manners and etiquette should be learned at home. Swimming-they still have that in the PE classes here. We have auto shop classes available to those interested but my dad taught me most of that--or, I have the phone number for AAA in my wallet .
Self esteem CANNOT be taught no matter what some parents think. Self esteem is something you learn when you do something well, plain and simple. If everyone gets an award for something it becomes meaningless. If kids work hard to become the best, they should be rewarded.
i wish they could be taight at home, but most parents dont know how to do many of those things themselves!
i love SunnyKayak's list and i would add to that:
basic sewing--as in buttons and hems and basic cooking. i wish they would teach these to boys and girls.
i know that schools offer electives, but that means not everyone takes the classes--and i think everyone needs to. i went to a school that did not have these classes at all.
Sounds like home economics and life skills classes that we took in high school and jr. high. We also had a P.E. class starting in Jr. High where you were required to shower afterwards and the coaches harped/taught on personal hygene.
Nowdays (at least here) all you see is a bunch of smelly kids who instead of showering after sweating like crazy in P.E. just slather on deoderant (if they have it) and go about their day, and this is in H.S..
I took home economics (required in Jr. High) and learned to sew and cook. At the time I thought it was pretty lame except we got to eat snickerdoodles and rolls but I'm glad now that I did it! I use the sewing I learned at least once a month to repair my son and wifes clothes.
i wish they could be taight at home, but most parents dont know how to do many of those things themselves!
i love SunnyKayak's list and i would add to that:
basic sewing--as in buttons and hems and basic cooking. i wish they would teach these to boys and girls.
i know that schools offer electives, but that means not everyone takes the classes--and i think everyone needs to. i went to a school that did not have these classes at all.
Our middle schools still require home ec-the politically correct name is Family and Consumer Science now though. They have cooking, laundry, sewing units. Next year they have more home management units, budgeting, using/balancing checkbooks, etc.
I wish they would go back to really teaching civics. I am apalled at the number of people who no longer seem to know the most basic things about our country, our government, or their rights and responsibilities as US citizens.
I wish they would go back to really teaching civics. I am apalled at the number of people who no longer seem to know the most basic things about our country, our government, or their rights and responsibilities as US citizens.
Again, they do teach civics--how well to the ones that don't know the basics pay attention??
But another very large part of me knows that schools already do a terrible job teaching what's in the current curriculum. Teaching more of this stuff for the purposes of social engineering will just screw the pooch even further.
That being said, I'll go down your list:
Finance (includes how to manage credit cards, checkbooks, saving) -- I'd TOTALLY agree with this, especially as part of the high school economics curriculum. It's amazing how few kids have a clue about money.
Swimming -- Not the school's job. That's the parents.
Basic Auto Repair -- Ditto the parents.
Manners -- Ditto the parents.
Self Esteem Self Value -- I have to say that Self-Esteem, in my opinion, is probably the most worthless and dangerous ideas ever foisted on us by the Self-Help industry. Basically, what it supposes is that feeling good about oneself is the highest good. But you don't deserve self-esteem for breathing. You deserve self-esteem for accomplishing things.
Etiquette -- Again, the parents. It's a shame so many have failed in this arena.
Resume preparation -- I think Survival of the Fittest works here. If you don't have enough basic motivation to walk into the library and look up a How To book on this subject, then you don't deserve a decent job in the first place.
Proper way to clean and what do you wash first -- Parents again
Appropriate attire for different situations -- Parents again
Organization -- Should be taught from Day One of First grade.
Really, for most of these, you could probably teach it all in a Life Skills class, maybe as an after-school program. But if the parents are halfway attentive, then they wouldn't be necessary and probably a waste of valuable class time for most.
To me, the absolute necessary class is effective communication through writing and public speaking. There's no question about it to me.
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