Why don't high schools teach the right things?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I opened this thread wanting to agree with you, but I completely disagree. Frankly I think schools should teach harder classes and less fluff.

I easily figured out personal finance, resumes and interviews.

Ditto. Plus colleges do a lot of resume writing and interviewing workshops.

[Anonymous]

Studies tend to say that high school personal finance classes, which are widely required, are pretty much worthless as far as improving financial behavior. Requiring additional years of math seems to help, though.

Resume improvement is close to a zero sum game. If X is hired because of improved resume skills, Y won't be. It seems unwise to spend scarce time and resources on something positional, instead of e.g. teaching them how to punctuate their sentences, which would make both of them more valueable employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:where to begin

While our area schools do very well with teaching diversity, equity, inclusion, and CRT, the trend does not extent far beyond the DMV. These are the most import topics to teach right now.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure everyone would agree on which things are “the right things” to teach.

For myself, I agree some basic financial literacy, the ability to read/write, and the ability to do basic math are essential. I also would like to see a better job of teaching the US Constitution and how the American federated government divides up roles & responsibilities, not only among the 3 branches of government but also between a given state and the federal government.

I doubt it will happen though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:where to begin

While our area schools do very well with teaching diversity, equity, inclusion, and CRT, the trend does not extent far beyond the DMV. These are the most import topics to teach right now.

Disagree. Being able to read well and do at least basic math successfulky are the most important. Someone who cannot read well is crippled for life.

[Anonymous]

Our high school has a career center for resume and job interview help. They also offer a class in financial literacy.

[Anonymous]

Personal finance was taught decades ago. It's why the class is called home economics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For instance my state requires students to pas the earth science test in forder to graduate. They must learn about polaris, bedrocks and all. However they don't require students to know how to write a resume or interview for a job, and public schools don't offer any classes for these things or other things more likely to be used in life like personal finance.

Maybe because this isn't technical school but education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personal finance was taught decades ago. It's why the class is called home economics.

Thank god I didn't have to take that nonsense and could focus on academics. I was able to figure out how to read a cookbook on my own.2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel so lucky that in one math class at my private HS, my teacher told us we were on track to finish our curriculum early so was there anything else we wanted her to teach and I asked how to do taxes. So she taught us. I have done my own taxes since I was 17 years old.

There’s now an app for this!
But yes I get it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:where to begin

While our area schools do very well with teaching diversity, equity, inclusion, and CRT, the trend does not extent far beyond the DMV. These are the most import topics to teach right now.

I can’t tell if you are being serious

[Anonymous]

Honestly I think it’s the parents’ job to teach financial literacy and other life skills
Some kids didn’t luck out on educated parents so they have to be taught (first Gen kids)
I am very happy my son’s middle has a coding elective. First, there’s no risk you will be in the same elective class with known troublemakers; second, they learn coding early and don’t treat it as some mysterious science of the few (I am guilty of it as a 46yo).
Foreign language education is abysmal imo and needs to be made a priority and improved
Also, it shouldn’t be physics OR chemistry, and they should both be core subjects (maybe it is already so? Not sure)
Geography should be taught better too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personal finance was taught decades ago. It's why the class is called home economics.

Thank god I didn't have to take that nonsense and could focus on academics. I was able to figure out how to read a cookbook on my own.2

I was a high school exchange student in the US and took that class (didn’t have much guidance lol)
I was exposed to like the dumbest students in our high school
Everyone else probably took something more intellectual

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel so lucky that in one math class at my private HS, my teacher told us we were on track to finish our curriculum early so was there anything else we wanted her to teach and I asked how to do taxes. So she taught us. I have done my own taxes since I was 17 years old.

There’s now an app for this!
But yes I get it

ChatGPT did mine for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:where to begin

While our area schools do very well with teaching diversity, equity, inclusion, and CRT, the trend does not extent far beyond the DMV. These are the most import topics to teach right now.

I must've missed those classes in the catalog. My kid has AP Lang, Calc BC, AP Spanish Culture, AP World Civ, Orchestra, and AP Bio, but I guess to each their own.