In a recent blog, I suggested that students be prepared for practical life—learning about parenting and adoption, community resources such as basic and emergency medical care, food and financial assistance, etc.
(I do not think becoming aware of programs such as food stamps and WIC makes people who could work more likely to depend on these programs. Indeed, in my experience many people who rely on these programs are working, sometimes full-time, in lower-paying jobs–such as child care or social services, I might add!)
I will say here that I do completely sympathize with the lament that schools are asked to do so much nowadays that there isn’t time for the traditional classical education. I hate to see traditional academics given short shrift, and I agree that perhaps students should be learning these things at home. However, the reality today is that most parents are working and have little time to teach their children things.
We are also entering the second generation of kids whose parents were raised in daycare centers. A home economics teacher in our community recently did a unit on basic cooking and healthy nutrition. Several kids commented to her that they were learning things their parents did not know.
We have also learned much about nutrition and health that our parents could not scientifically have known. Teaching kids can teach their families as well.
Perhaps a solution would be to mandate a longer school day? After all, in many cities funds go to pay for after-school services which allegedly keep kids out of trouble. Perhaps we could just have a longer school day, since we can no longer assume that kids are going home from school to do household chores, cook, and learn farming or craftsmanship from their parents.
Or perhaps we could have the most academic subjects in one part of the day, and then the late afternoon could be devoted to practical activities. Parents could opt out of this part of the school day if they could show that their students were learning these outcomes through Scouts, 4-H Clubs, parental teaching or other means. Students could do a project or write a paper demonstrating their knowledge of these objectives.
I’ve often said (or rather moaned) to my physical therapist that I could have benefitted from more knowledge about posture, stretching, and muscle strengthening. It seems that athletes get these courses and the rest of us need them. (Did you know that if you are sidelined by a foot injury, so you are not exercising your quadriceps, your knee muscles slacken and your kneecap can rub against the ligaments?—Neither did I. It’s called chondromalacia and it’s quite excruciating. See what I mean?)
I’ll write more tomorrow; I have to go ice my leg now.
Please see these related blogs:
Perks of Public Education: V = Vocational Courses
Trends in Secondary Education: Specialization