Thread: What should children be taught?

In addition to the basics - Math, Reading, Science, etc. - I see several things that seem to be lacking from our childrens' educations. These things are the skills that many middle-class and upper-class parents teach their children, but lower-class parents don't tend to teach.

I'm not sure that public school is an appropriate place to teach these skills, but if not taught there, many children will never learn these things.

Things like:

-Basic money management - budgeting, proper use of credit, etc.
-The value of hard work - keeping a job no matter how much it sucks, doing what needs to be done, no matter how you feel, etc.
-Persistence - not quitting when things get hard or when you have a setback or failure.
-Working smartly - how to decide what work will be valuable and beneficial and what work will be wasted effort.
-How money works - principles of compound interest, time-value of money and calculating the trade-offs between purchases and investments.

I'm sure there are more things that children need to learn - what do you think should be added to the list? Also, what avenues should be used to teach these things?

Many times these things are taught by their absence. A child will learn from the hardships their parent and family go through and will strive to not make the same mistakes. Experience is another teacher; every time someone succeeds by using these values they learn a lesson.

The problem is that everyone has different goals in life, so while it might seem apparent that some do not understand these things they may actually be using them in a different manner towards goals the observer does not understand or empathize with. I have seen workers avoid obeying orders when simple obedience would have been the easier course just for the sake of fighting authority.

People are strange. I think it would be a wasted effort to try to teach these things in a educational setting. I think these are things only learned through experience.

Originally Posted by hiimjered

In addition to the basics - Math, Reading, Science, etc. - I see several things that seem to be lacking from our childrens' educations. These things are the skills that many middle-class and upper-class parents teach their children, but lower-class parents don't tend to teach.

I'm not sure that public school is an appropriate place to teach these skills, but if not taught there, many children will never learn these things.

Things like:

-Basic money management - budgeting, proper use of credit, etc.
-The value of hard work - keeping a job no matter how much it sucks, doing what needs to be done, no matter how you feel, etc.
-Persistence - not quitting when things get hard or when you have a setback or failure.
-Working smartly - how to decide what work will be valuable and beneficial and what work will be wasted effort.
-How money works - principles of compound interest, time-value of money and calculating the trade-offs between purchases and investments.

I'm sure there are more things that children need to learn - what do you think should be added to the list? Also, what avenues should be used to teach these things?

Teachers try to teach all of those. It's probably in the curriculum.

Originally Posted by perdidochas

Teachers try to teach all of those. It's probably in the curriculum.

Perhaps in a few schools, but I didn't and don't see it. With the huge number of people whining about the haves, the 1%, etc, with the massive amount of debt most Americans live under, with the number of people just waiting around for a job instead of seeking other means of income, with people thinking that they should be able to raise a family working fast-food, and many other examples, I just can't see that these concepts are actually getting taught.

Originally Posted by hiimjered

In addition to the basics - Math, Reading, Science, etc. - I see several things that seem to be lacking from our childrens' educations. These things are the skills that many middle-class and upper-class parents teach their children, but lower-class parents don't tend to teach.

I'm not sure that public school is an appropriate place to teach these skills, but if not taught there, many children will never learn these things.

Things like:

-Basic money management - budgeting, proper use of credit, etc.
-The value of hard work - keeping a job no matter how much it sucks, doing what needs to be done, no matter how you feel, etc.
-Persistence - not quitting when things get hard or when you have a setback or failure.
-Working smartly - how to decide what work will be valuable and beneficial and what work will be wasted effort.
-How money works - principles of compound interest, time-value of money and calculating the trade-offs between purchases and investments.

I'm sure there are more things that children need to learn - what do you think should be added to the list? Also, what avenues should be used to teach these things?

You cannot determine what needs to be taught without knowing the goals of public education. When you can clearly and concisely define the goals of public education, then you can determine what needs to be done. Until then, this is just subjective banter...

Originally Posted by perdidochas

Teachers try to teach all of those. It's probably in the curriculum.

That would be hilarious if the results weren't so pitiful. The value of hard work? How about the value of extortion in setting wages and benefits? That would be something teachers actually know about.

The critical teaching has to take place at home. When I started talking to me son about sex we strted with honor and responsiblity and not oral ex and anal blocking.

Left to the schools, enither of my children would read. Oh, they might know how to struggle along and say the words but they wouldn't be reading.

My children got all the liberal progoganda the schools generate. That what schools are for. Human-caused global warming was presented as a fact. Diversity was a lesson in who to hate. My personal favorite were the lessons on why the U.S. should be hated. The goal was to turn out Michelle Obama's who are proud only when a member of the family is nominated for president.

If you have children, you have to home school even, or especially, if your children attend public schools.

Good parents never go on strike.

Children in the USA should be taught and made to perform as leaders and in team environments. But that will never happen.

No elite people want the masses wise to their manipulation, and have the ability to retalitate.

So, as the status quo, keep them stupid, dumb, fearfull, and obedient. Break their will, and make them feel like crap. Because you got tenure, and there is nothing the world can do to a public school teacher in the USA.

Critical thinking.

Oh wait, the religious right won't like that one.

Originally Posted by hiimjered

In addition to the basics - Math, Reading, Science, etc. - I see several things that seem to be lacking from our childrens' educations. These things are the skills that many middle-class and upper-class parents teach their children, but lower-class parents don't tend to teach.

I'm not sure that public school is an appropriate place to teach these skills, but if not taught there, many children will never learn these things.

Things like:

-Basic money management - budgeting, proper use of credit, etc.
-The value of hard work - keeping a job no matter how much it sucks, doing what needs to be done, no matter how you feel, etc.
-Persistence - not quitting when things get hard or when you have a setback or failure.
-Working smartly - how to decide what work will be valuable and beneficial and what work will be wasted effort.
-How money works - principles of compound interest, time-value of money and calculating the trade-offs between purchases and investments.

I'm sure there are more things that children need to learn - what do you think should be added to the list? Also, what avenues should be used to teach these things?

Responsibility. Hard work doesnt cut it, in case you thought that was it.

Originally Posted by Thinker

Responsibility. Hard work doesnt cut it, in case you thought that was it.

But that will go against modern parents coaching them that they only have rights.