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There are a set of priorities with regards to high school curriculum that demonstrates an obvious set of misguided ideals. What I feel is sad is that the average high school student that look at a complex equation, tell you what X or Y is equalled to, and can even graph the equation of a graph, but have no idea how to count back change. This was me in school. When I went to college, I majored in psychology and didn't use half the stuff I learned in high school algebra and geometry. After college, I can safely say I haven't used ANY of those skills. However, when working my way through college, I could have definitely used the knoweldge of how to count back change, balance my checkbook, education about loans and interest and definitely credit cards, net worth, and overall financial basics. Thankfully, I was a gifted child and was able to pick up on these things in a hurry, but not everyone is like that and I know 30-somethings who still have a hard time with these things.
Why is this stuff not taught in high school? These are basics that everyone needs to know. These are not specialized skills that only some of us will need. We all need these skills. We all use these skills on a daily basis, yet these specific set of skills are not taught in high school? Why?
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colonial b...
Getting you credit score up is so much harder than bringing it down.
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1. How to sew basic things and make minor clothing repairs
2. How to change a tire, oil, and what to do in roadside emergencies
3. Basic cooking and meal prep skills
4. How to buy or rent a first home, car, etc.
5. Communication and social skills, especially in the business world.
6. Personal finance should be a required course for all seniors or juniors and include things like: budgeting, saving and investing, credit and more.
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I also think that a course on managing your time and setting priorities would have been helpful.
Neither of these classes need to be very long, and I don't think they'd need to be hard either. It's just basic things that would benefit almost everyone no matter where they are in life.
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Learning more practical information and having a greater understanding of all different types of people would have made life easier and I would have a greater understanding and appreciation of all people.
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Personally, I think learning how to write well is the most important thing that can be learned at school. That and critical thinking.
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But of course, when school budgets are cut, the arts are the first thing to go. It's very sad, as a healthy amount of art in a culture denotes a healthy culture.
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Or how to write a novel not just American Lit Authors. I would have loved to know the basics when it came to writing some substantial.
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Answered Question
M$1
July 06, 2009 10:12 PM
What do you wish you would have been taught in High School?
I wish I would have learned how to fill out a tax form; how loans and interest work; how to invest. Not just financials, but why is it a priority to teach Geometry and Algebra.
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| July 07, 2009 02:37 PM |
Why is this stuff not taught in high school? These are basics that everyone needs to know. These are not specialized skills that only some of us will need. We all need these skills. We all use these skills on a daily basis, yet these specific set of skills are not taught in high school? Why?
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Personal experience!
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• I agree with all the points you make.
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colonial b...
July 07, 2009 03:16 PM
I agree with all that. I think theres also another problem. My parents never talked to me about money. They never really explained to me the importance of financing. My high school had an accounting class, but I just slept through it. My parents convinced me it was important to study in algebra though. I don't really know how to balance check book, how credit card interest works, how loans work, but I know how to graph an equation. Does that make sense.
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July 07, 2009 03:23 AM
I agree with that. A software or web design class would have been awesome.
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July 07, 2009 01:31 AM
Credit Management. Getting you credit score up is so much harder than bringing it down.
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July 07, 2009 01:58 AM
Wish I could have taken more courses directly related to what I wanted to study in college. Those in the vo-tech programs got that opportunity but those in the college cirriculm really didn't. Yes I had my advanced math and science courses (Calculus and Physics II) but would have liked to have taken a statistics course and maybe a second year course in economics, but that wasn't possible.
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July 07, 2009 03:12 AM
I wish I would have learned how to make something and sell it. In other words I wish I have learned how to start my own business. I like what I do and I enjoy it. But if I had my own business and I was the boss, I think I would be in a better situation right now.
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July 07, 2009 08:45 AM
There are so many things that I wish I had learned in high school! (Notice I didn't say "taught" because, to be fair, some of things were taught at my school, and I didn't take the opportunity to learn them at the time.) 1. How to sew basic things and make minor clothing repairs
2. How to change a tire, oil, and what to do in roadside emergencies
3. Basic cooking and meal prep skills
4. How to buy or rent a first home, car, etc.
5. Communication and social skills, especially in the business world.
6. Personal finance should be a required course for all seniors or juniors and include things like: budgeting, saving and investing, credit and more.
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July 07, 2009 02:55 PM
I didnt even think about tires and oil and car maintence stuff, but definately. I love all your answers. I wish someone would have taught me about buying cars, and how leasing works.
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July 07, 2009 12:25 PM
I agree with you- they should have taught money management in high school. I remember being one of the only kids with a check book and a credit card- but now that I've started studying finances, I've noticed that a lot of financial advisers recommend a checking account the moment a teen gets a job. Interesting huh? Plus money management is something that is going to follow you all through out life. I also think that a course on managing your time and setting priorities would have been helpful.
Neither of these classes need to be very long, and I don't think they'd need to be hard either. It's just basic things that would benefit almost everyone no matter where they are in life.
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July 07, 2009 12:52 PM
I wish I would have learned how to balance my checkbook, how to cook, what to do in case of a medical emergency, and a greater focus on different countries and cultures. Learning more practical information and having a greater understanding of all different types of people would have made life easier and I would have a greater understanding and appreciation of all people.
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July 07, 2009 03:02 PM
Yeah general EMT skills would have been nice. CPR, heimlich maneuver, or maybe even poisonings. I dont know why we're not teaching general life saving skills
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July 07, 2009 03:07 PM
It's a priority to teach algebra and geometry because it's hard and requires abstract thinking. The more abstract thinking you develop at school, the better you're able to reason about things, and the better you'll be able to learn how to do things like fill out a tax form. Especially learn things like new technology or software/web design. Personally, I think learning how to write well is the most important thing that can be learned at school. That and critical thinking.
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July 07, 2009 03:25 PM
I agree that writing skills are very important, but how does geometry make you a more reasonable person. I'm not one who thinks every skill you learn has to have a direct, pragmatic purpose but shouldn't they just teach you how to fill out tax forms.
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July 07, 2009 03:40 PM
When you learn geometry, you're training your brain to work in a certain way - to use principles to make deductions and conclusions about an argument. The query can be, "What is the size of the angle x?", and then, by using the basic principles of mathematics, and reason and logic, you can determine the right answer. The beauty is that there is only one right answer, and so you have to use reason to find it out. Once you've developed that skill, you can apply it to other areas - "Is this a solid investment to make?", well using the facts available, and sound logic, I can make a right answer.
Also, it teaches one how to reason abstractly. For instance, once I've found what angle x is, I can find out what other angles are based on the truth that I've found. I can use all that information to come up with new principles, and then use those principles to solve completely unrelated problems. That helps you in life, because you can start to connect ideas that seem to be unrelated. The more you practice is the better you become.
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Also, it teaches one how to reason abstractly. For instance, once I've found what angle x is, I can find out what other angles are based on the truth that I've found. I can use all that information to come up with new principles, and then use those principles to solve completely unrelated problems. That helps you in life, because you can start to connect ideas that seem to be unrelated. The more you practice is the better you become.
July 07, 2009 04:01 PM
Yeah.....writing a resume, job interview conduct. Theres been a few people on this page to mention taxes. Its amazing that we all have to do taxes, but so few fully understand them.
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July 07, 2009 04:38 PM
I wish they had serious art classes in high school. That would have been a great time and place to learn to draw and paint. But of course, when school budgets are cut, the arts are the first thing to go. It's very sad, as a healthy amount of art in a culture denotes a healthy culture.
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July 07, 2009 04:59 PM
Yeah, I would have liked some art classes too. I also think theres a difference between public and private schools here. Do private schools cut those programs too?
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July 07, 2009 05:04 PM
Do you mean like a computer repairman type job? Thats anothr thing, a lot of people don't need to go to college, they should just be taught a techinal career in high school. Mechanic, repairman, plumber...etc. You could make some good money from careers like that right after high school.
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July 07, 2009 05:06 PM
Yeah... Italian, chinese,.......pourtagese would be great, Brazil has a booming economy
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July 07, 2009 07:47 PM
I concur with you colonial bear. I have been learning how to do those with the help of online users. It's really hard to complete tax forms and could get you into trouble if you do them wrong. Good thing I used turbotax last time. I wish I had learned or been taught how to manage finances and the best ways to get a decent car or something.
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July 07, 2009 08:38 PM
World Cultures. I want to travel all over but I don't want to go somewhere and disrespect the countries cultures and religions. Or how to write a novel not just American Lit Authors. I would have loved to know the basics when it came to writing some substantial.
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