general Do you feel school does enough adult training?

[Roughshod 719]

Perhaps with social skills, although that's more of an organic process with mixed results and not an actual part of the curriculum. Not where I went to school anyway. As for the others, no clearly not. If they were this discussion wouldn't be relevant. Schools have a limited amount of time and resources with which they can apply to subjects for public education.

 

The more academic subjects like mathematics, history and social studies are focused on because those are the least known outside of educational fields and also needed for higher forms of education. These areas may not be as practical in everyday life but they provide the basic building blocks for understanding modern life. Things like paying bills and home management are more easily learned by parents and on your own than say, biochemistry or English literature. You can study these subjects by yourself if you want to, but less people are inclined to do so than with the more commonplace life skills that most everyone learns anyway.

 

I think a lot of those things are something a parent should teach.

 If they could. A lot of younger parents have lost such skills in our modern times. In some cases it makes sense, certain skills become obsolete with technological gains and societal changes, but nevertheless many basic skills that have use aren't being maintained.

 

Edit:'inclined'

Edited March 8, 2016 by Roughshod

[Lil Pip 775]

Not every parent does adult training for their kids though then you end up 25 with no job car gf etc 

[Fawkes The Phoenix 737]

I learned how to wake up excessively early, so it won't be a problem to wake up just early in the future.

[Jeric 46,846]

I'm a HUGE proponent of teaching 'how to adult' topics to Juniors and Seniors in high school. Personal finance, credit management, handling emergency situation s, etc.

 

I was a member of the PTA until I found out it was really a glorified back patting group. I have been told that there is no money in the budget. My kids' school bought 500 macbooks this year to replace the two year old ones they had.

 

This is why I'm not a teacher.

[cider float 2,537]

Replace Anthropology with Adultology.

[Justin_Case001 4,872]

It's true that school doesn't seem to do much to prepare you for the real world, or teach you the real life skills you'll need, but at the same time, I'm actually extremely grateful for everything I learned in school. (except Spanish.  I HATED foreign language.)  Even though I may never again actually use the Big 3 kinematic equations, or balance an oxidation reduction reaction, or determine the resultant volume of the shape created from rotating a function around an axis, I'm actually really glad to have learned these things at one point.  I take pride in knowing how the world works, and I'd hate to be ignorant of such things.  And believe it or not, there actually are math, science, and English skills that I learned in school that I use regularly, even frequently.  And I think all of those "life" skills should be taught in the home, anyway.  That's really a parent's jurisdiction.

 

There are some things in school that were a big fat waste of time, though.  Like cursive.  Most people agree on that one.  Things like that, things that were a human invention to begin with, that aren't used anymore, and were never used in my lifetime, were a waste.  But learning at least some basic physics and chemistry and things like that is something everyone should do, imo.  I feel that human beings have a duty to at least have a bare minimum understanding of how the natural world works, when the knowledge is easily accessible.

[Anneal 2,196]

I can't say this for all schools in the U.S. or even California, but my school and the other schools in my city do have life training classes, which is in fact an open choice for everyone – unfortunately it has a negative reputation because most of the students are mentally or psychologically disadvantaged which discourages most from taking it. The only one that's alright is the Mechanics class (where you fix cars and all).

 

Also, one of the purposes of school is to teach students to search things up on the Internet or find books, not just take in information the teacher feeds you. Most textbooks you see encourage doing a good Google search or checking websites to find answers for yourself. Needless to say the content they teach you in school is just to make sure you actually pay attention in your classes and hit the bare minimum of knowledge.

 

Not to mention the "bare minimum of knowledge" is pretty damn low but fairly essential. Chances are you are learning far above that bare minimum and simply being more knowledgeable, and most of the time that knowledge is very convenient when you need it.

 

Can't stress how many times physics and calculus helped me fix and understand appliances and devices or set up computer programs. US History, another Political Science class, and a Debate Club last year helped me avoid BS media tends to make and actually understand what the hell is going on in the present day. And hell, English kept me from acting like a dumbass when people start quoting people.

[Howling Voice 77]

My simple answer is nope.

I'm an adult of 28, and aside from the basic reading/writing/math, school taught me absolutely nothing. The skills I use to make a living I built on my own, most the skills that come in handy in an atypical day to day scene weren't seen anywhere in school.

School never left an impression on me. There are no days I remember fondly, there are no lessons I remember hitting a point in me that lit something. I had very few teachers I actually liked and trusted. About two, my whole child/teen years, only two. And the one who made the most impact on my life wasn't in a public school.

His name was Mr Lee and he taught a very small class. (6 teens). He taught kids who had issues at public school, namely mental issues, disabilty etc. And the thing that made him so great wasn't even the fact he was a great, knowledgeable teacher. It was the fact he made a point to engage with each person, to get to know them some, talk about what interests THEM, make friends and work with their capabilities.

If only we could do just that on a much bigger scale.



 

[PiratePony 8,475]

I heard through the grapevine through a fellow teacher of mine that there's a movement to take Algebra out of high school curriculum and replace it with more practical math that is directly ties to every day issues (calculating interest payments, calculating compound interests for your investments/savings, paying off a loan, how much you save, shopping, calculating percentages when it pertains to tips and also saving on shopping, and the like).

 

What do you think of a more basic math that has a these everyday important aspects that a lot of people seem to lack. At first, I thought "oh come on, just learn algebra" but when I think about how some people speak and simply don't know these things, I think that it may be beneficial. I've defended basic algebra in the past, but if it is geared towards these everyday aspects...what's the harm?

 

Advanced math can then be reserved for those seeking careers in fields that need it.

[ButterKingPyromaniac 86]

No just useless info about nonimportant things.

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

 

 

I've defended basic algebra in the past, but if it is geared towards these everyday aspects...what's the harm?

 

I dislike a reductionist 'only what you need to know' approach, even as I see the appeal of it.

 

A fair chunk of that is that you really don't know what you are going to do at a young age (and even if you do, you still need options should things not work out as hoped) so having a good grounding in the fundamental basics such as maths, languages, sciences, history and geography (and probably computer technologies as well these days) will serve most people very well - better than they appreciate, certainly.

 

There's also the point to be made that if you don't do 'proper mathematics' (algebra, logic and proofs etc.) then you won't have the opportunity to discover if you like it or not. I really didn't like all the arithmetic we did in the earlier years (an hour of adding up shopping lists and working out the cost was really dull) but when I finally got to do algebra I ... well, it felt like I was really using my brain to do something powerful and incredible. If we hadn't done algebra, I probably wouldn't have taken maths at A-level, going instead purely into sciences, where I would then have struggled without maths. The same must be true for other subjects, I am sure. 

 

It was the reverse for computers - I've always used computers, for as long as I can remember, but repetitive classes about Microsoft Office were of no interest to me and I followed it no further. Forwards five years to university, and suddenly I was taught coding (well, coding for mathematicians - so MATLAB rather than C++) and once again I realised just how brilliant a subject it was... that I couldn't really do terribly well as I had no grounding in it (and not really much time to learn alongside a maths degree.) That was a failure in my education - I never realised how fascinating coding was, and it will always be a secondary skill to me due to what I've learnt (or not learnt) and the opportunities I have now (or don't have.) Not that I blame my school, but if algebra had been cut away, I would be in a very different (and probably not as good) situation.

[Solid 1,327]

These tend to be things you learn outside of school.

 

School is not the only place where learning occurs anyways.

[Zyrael 1,471]

"adult training"? I can't take this seriously. And I don't like what it implies.

[SparklingSwirls 21,292]

I took a personal finance class in school. Unfortunately, all we did was watch videos of Dave Ramsey rambling. -_- We didn't get to practice filling out tax forms/calculating interest payments/etc.

 

My high school does offer this "career and technical" program though which you can join. There's a program for construction, auto mechanics, healthcare, and maybe a couple others that I'm forgetting. I didn't join since I don't have an interest in any of the programs offered, but people I know in the programs say they've been very helpful.

Edited April 5, 2016 by SparklingSwirls

[PiratePony 8,475]

I dislike a reductionist 'only what you need to know' approach, even as I see the appeal of it.

 

A fair chunk of that is that you really don't know what you are going to do at a young age (and even if you do, you still need options should things not work out as hoped) so having a good grounding in the fundamental basics such as maths, languages, sciences, history and geography (and probably computer technologies as well these days) will serve most people very well - better than they appreciate, certainly.

 

There's also the point to be made that if you don't do 'proper mathematics' (algebra, logic and proofs etc.) then you won't have the opportunity to discover if you like it or not. I really didn't like all the arithmetic we did in the earlier years (an hour of adding up shopping lists and working out the cost was really dull) but when I finally got to do algebra I ... well, it felt like I was really using my brain to do something powerful and incredible. If we hadn't done algebra, I probably wouldn't have taken maths at A-level, going instead purely into sciences, where I would then have struggled without maths. The same must be true for other subjects, I am sure. 

 

It was the reverse for computers - I've always used computers, for as long as I can remember, but repetitive classes about Microsoft Office were of no interest to me and I followed it no further. Forwards five years to university, and suddenly I was taught coding (well, coding for mathematicians - so MATLAB rather than C++) and once again I realised just how brilliant a subject it was... that I couldn't really do terribly well as I had no grounding in it (and not really much time to learn alongside a maths degree.) That was a failure in my education - I never realised how fascinating coding was, and it will always be a secondary skill to me due to what I've learnt (or not learnt) and the opportunities I have now (or don't have.) Not that I blame my school, but if algebra had been cut away, I would be in a very different (and probably not as good) situation.

 

You know, after reading your response the other day, it got me thinking. It got me back to my original stance of "just learn the Algebra" and exposing children to certain careers and possibilities in school sparks an interest. For better or worse, I got into theater and acting based on the counselor's suggestion that getting into it would make me less (Flutter)shy...didn't work, but it got me into a career that I hate and love sometimes. 

 

Maybe there can be a, kind of, combination of them - add an additional real-life math in addition to Algebra and Geometery, but not require Algebra II. 

 

I took typing for my computer credit, thinking it was an easy way out (my problem: I excelled at school, but was beyond lazy...my Algebra II teacher said she'd fail me if she could, despite me having the highest grade average in the class, because she didn't like how I only did projects to increase my grade, and had zero interest in more than what was necessary...but I digress). I now type 90 wpm, and have worked professionally as a typist (yeah that's still a thing). I wish I had gotten into the actual computer course earlier, as it might have created a different career path for me -- I didn't get into it until my Senior year because it turned out that typing class didn't cut it. 

 

Like you said, exposure to these things can spark wonders.

 

Once again, it's a problem that people apparently have, and how does one fix it? How do I as a teacher, even in an arts class, contribute to fixing it? I don't know.

Edited April 5, 2016 by PiratePony

[CoffeeBeard 76]

Well, social skill and how to write job applications are in the learning system of Sweden, the other things, on the other hand, paying bills etc, I believe is expected to be taught by someone at home or through older friends.

Also I believe that if you use the internet bank, there are some kind of help section to pay bills, however, I am not entierly sure that's how it is.

 

Wouldn't mind having time set apart in the school's schedule to teach the kids how to do said things. 

[That Guy with the CMB 5,872]

Arguments like "the parents should teach those important things" is supporting the idea that parents know everything there is to know just because they're "grown-ups", which is a child's logic or the silly logic a parent projects onto a child questioning their rules. In case you didn't know, parents are people, too. They don't know everything, but they may know a lot. Parents may not be qualified to teach certain things to kids. They might not have enough time to do it - not to mention the kids without parents. Also, what would be the point to school at all if parents could teach kids all they need to know? Why send kids for so many hours a day to learn information that's trivial at best? If kids are going to be legally forced to go to school, teach them something useful. As stated in the video we're all thinking of and has probably been posted in this thread multiple times - you should introduce topics such as math, history, etc. and let the kids decide if they want to take those things.

 

 

Edited April 18, 2016 by Eazyfries

[Moon Sugar 532]

Nooooooope no no no they do not. 

I'm still learning how to adult, I'm not sure where I would be without google.

[frenchie1995 73]

THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWER HOUSE OF THE CELL!!! That's real life right? 

 

Unfortunately, I was horribly unprepared for life out side of high school. Living in the states, all anyone in high school talk about is going to a four year university straight out of high school and that's all they really focus on. For those that don't follow the normal path and decide to go to a junior college and work full time, not only are you unprepared for life, you also fell like a failure because of how ingrained in our minds it is that we all MUST go to a university. Slightly off topic... but I had no idea how to pay taxes, what the terms of a credit card meant, no sense of personal financing, or most things like that. I did take auto shop for a year in high school that way I have the basic understanding of cars that I can help myself when I get stranded on the side of the road.

 

During my first year at junior college though, I signed up for a class called Life and Career Planning. This is what has helped me learn SO many useful things and has helped me start to figure out what I want to do in life. All in all, no high school doesn't prepare most students for the real life.

[The Crimson Cross 7,532]

There is a slight problem with this conundrum.

 

Teenagers are like "don't tell me what to do"

Young Adults are like " Oh god. Please tell me what to do"

 

Everyone is like "ffs school doesn't teach you how to do taxes" well, don't blame school for not teaching you.

I think it's a matter of practical learning what to do for yourself, and for gods sake more to the point! the PARENTS should do an adequate job of walking their children through it anyway.

If your parents are gone or crappy, ask someone you trust. Or even the bank if it's finance, post office and etc. it's not that hard. And they usually point you in the direction.

 

I find that my own generation is lazy and would rather complain than do something productive about it.

[Anneal 2,196]

Nooooooope no no no they do not. 

I'm still learning how to adult, I'm not sure where I would be without google.

 

Google isn't your panacea, though. I learned that the hard way; sometimes you really need to learn something and sometimes just searching something up isn't enough. Going back on my statement more than a month ago, though...you can't get everything you have off of what a teacher teaches you – you need to use the help of outside resources such at the Internet or library books to supplement that. But the converse is also true: you can't get everything off of the Internet if you don't have the knowledge to begin with.

 

It's like a constructing a building. You build the (learn from school) foundation and walls but you need (outside resources) details, decorations, and shape to really finish it off. But you can't start from the latter first. Maybe it can work for some basic things, but I doubt you can be really skilled at world history or trigonometry by just going online. 

 

 

THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWER HOUSE OF THE CELL!!! That's real life right? 

 

GLYCOLYSIS

KREBS CYCLE

ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN

That's a pretty good representation of real life, actually.

[El Duderino 879]

My school didn't. There are a lot of things I wish they taught me. However, it turns out being an adult is just googling how to do stuff.

 

But seriously, you can't rely on google for everything, but it has been a big help. I wish I was taught more useful things in school.

Edited April 19, 2016 by El Duderino

[Moon Sugar 532]

World history and trigonometry are important--But some necessary life skills aren't taught. Public schooling should be the great equalizer (Even though that in of itself is another topic) I'm not saying that the core topics taught are bad, but all I'm asking is for broadening that scope with vital information to be adult. The internet is a vital source of information and it's basic level it's a tool, which is how I'm coasting as a young adult. 

 

I'm sure there is more, but these come off at the top of my head: 

 

* Credit

* Sex Education

* Basic car/household maintenance

 

These things should at least be part of the common core.

 

I know sex education is technically part of it--But at least hold schools accountable for the lack of tools they provide. In High School my sex education was a week long course in my health education class which enveloped how glorious celibacy is, ending with a video of child birth. My school for having nearly only 100 female students, during my senior year there was 18-19 girls pregnant ratio-wise was the highest in the country. I know from siblings of friends they still have never mentioned condoms, or even basic birth control. It's still a week-long have-sex-get-aids-and-pregnant-and-die according to some siblings from friends.

[powerpuff-tsubasa 448]

partially. my school sometimes taught me some of the vital things i need to improve life

[CT-1138 3,182]

Not so much adult training as I don't believe school gives you enough freedom to be an adult. In 3 months from senior year in high school to a freshman in college you're expected to mature to the point of making life altering decisions when a few months prior you had to raise your hand to take a piss. 

Edited May 20, 2016 by Dinos4Ever