What is America's Secondary Education Missing?

Raharu Haruha · #1 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 09:24 PM

I personally think there is a life skills class (no not home-ec) that needs to be implemented. That would be something like a personal life management course. It would teach people how to use a credit card properly with out going into debt. It would teach them how to take out a loan to buy a home. It would teach them how to start a business. It would teach them how to rent, and its disadvantages and advantages. It would teach them how to get a good job, or how to get a good entry level job, and how to gain experience over time. How to research the things they're into and turn those things into money making opportunities. Teach them a lot about unions. People skills.

However, the basics would be about personal financing: insurance, retirement, personal book keeping and credit management.

I think these are the things that most Americans cannot do right now.

Tuesday · #2 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raharu Haruha

I personally think there is a life skills class (no not home-ec) that needs to be implemented. That would be something like a personal life management course. It would teach people how to use a credit card properly with out going into debt. It would teach them how to take out a loan to buy a home. It would teach them how to start a business. It would teach them how to rent, and its disadvantages and advantages. It would teach them how to get a good job, or how to get a good entry level job, and how to gain experience over time. How to research the things they're into and turn those things into money making opportunities. Teach them a lot about unions. People skills.

However, the basics would be about personal financing: insurance, retirement, personal book keeping and credit management.

I think these are the things that most Americans cannot do right now.

Head, nail, on, Raharu! There was a topic on PF recently about credit cards and I was amazed at the ignorance. Ideally, parents would inform their kids about these things but it's not happening so the schools must take up the slack. I would add: serious 'in your face' sex ed, the value of compounding interest and if I had the option of giving one piece of advice to a school leaver I would say: Never, ever, ever pay interest on anything that depreciates!!

StarryStarrySkies · #3 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 11:47 PM

It's NOT missing standardized testing; big, big problem.

JavaBlack · #4 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 04:12 AM

I think some schools do that. The problem is mostly that it's hard to get kids, who do not have a developed sense for risk-management, interested and focused... and actually treating it like learning a life skill rather than treating as another subject they need to pass a test on.
They should definitely have more classes like this, but just having them isn't enough. They need to figure out a way to make it interesting and make sure it is reinforced for at least a few years... It couldn't work as a half-year elective.
Ideally it should also be tied into classes like mathematics, civics, and some electives little bits at a time.

ABoyNamedSue · #5 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 08:23 AM

Yeah, but you should see all the credit card trolls who set up little kiosks around the community college in my town. They're blatantly preying on these little 18-19 year olds.

Hell...the college itself uses a credit card as it's FREAKIN' STUDENT I.D.!

What? Didn't believe me?

JavaBlack · #6 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABoyNamedSue

Hell...the college itself uses a credit card as it's FREAKIN' STUDENT I.D.!

Is there an alternate ID for people who don't want the credit card?
If not, i can't see how that's even legal.

CptnRodent · #7 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raharu Haruha

I personally think there is a life skills class (no not home-ec) that needs to be implemented. That would be something like a personal life management course. It would teach people how to use a credit card properly with out going into debt. It would teach them how to take out a loan to buy a home. It would teach them how to start a business. It would teach them how to rent, and its disadvantages and advantages. It would teach them how to get a good job, or how to get a good entry level job, and how to gain experience over time. How to research the things they're into and turn those things into money making opportunities. Teach them a lot about unions. People skills.

However, the basics would be about personal financing: insurance, retirement, personal book keeping and credit management.

I think these are the things that most Americans cannot do right now.

I can only speak from personal experience at the high school I attended, but...
There was a class specifically called "Life Skills." And it taught pretty much exactly that; however, the students who qualified for enrollment in that class were all upper-classmen with "behavior problems." Basically, the students the administration had given up on in terms of college hopes. I agree that this is something that should be taught to everyone.

StarryStarrySkies · #8 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABoyNamedSue

Yeah, but you should see all the credit card trolls who set up little kiosks around the community college in my town. They're blatantly preying on these little 18-19 year olds.

Hell...the college itself uses a credit card as it's FREAKIN' STUDENT I.D.!

What? Didn't believe me?

My college does the same thing but ours does not LOOK exactly like credit cards, similar but not replicated. At least there's that.

ABoyNamedSue · #9 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JavaBlack

Is there an alternate ID for people who don't want the credit card?
If not, i can't see how that's even legal.

NO!
I had to go to two different places, to sign statements saying that I did NOT want a bank account attached to it. What was the response I got?

Quote:

...but then you won't be able to use it as a debit card.

MY answer:

Quote:

Which one of us here is in need of schooling again?

I went home and wrote a letter to the dean, condemning the school of irresponsible behavior like this. They're just setting these kids up for failure. Not just with this retarded ID card, but with allowing all the predatory credit companies to sit along the walkways, like vultures, waiting to prey upon those kids' credit reports.

StarryStarrySkies · #10 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABoyNamedSue

NO!
I had to go to two different places, to sign statements saying that I did NOT want a bank account attached to it. What was the response I got?

MY answer:

Wow. That's really, really bad. I just had to tell them I didn't want an account on it. That's a major problem.

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