What new subject do you think schools need?

[DEAD34345]

A lot of people have said things like:

Call it "Daily Living". Teach things like how to calculate, plan for, and live on a budget, prepare a few basic, healthy meals, balance a check book, and similar situations that come up in daily life as an adult. Perhaps also cover how saving and investing money work.

However many, many schools already try to do this kind of thing, and it's always a bunch of crap. The problem is that the lesson usually amounts to "Don't be an idiot and blow your money on useless things", or sometimes "Don't get in debt.". Unfortunately, the people who end up in debt or who end up blowing all their money know that they probably shouldn't be doing that, but they don't care. Anything other than that is usually covered under common sense, which cannot be taught.

I'd say they should stop many subjects from being mandatory, such as English after you can read and write to a standard level, because some people just don't care about classic literature and poetry.

Other than making some lessons optional I think the choice is fine as it is, there's subjects for pretty much every area as far as I can see, and you only get more choice as you move up to college and university.

 

[iLikeHippos]

*The Way of the Warrior.

*How to properly release a Haidouken!

*Who not to piss off.

Those are elementary and should be taught, like, immediately.

 

[2718]

I don't know what to add/remove from mandatory schooling, but all adults should know:
*Basic cosmology (Earth orbits the sun, the axis of rotation is somewhat tilted, etc.).
*Basic arithmetic (Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).
*Basic geography (Your country is here, the continents are there, etc.).
*Basic physics (Newtonian mechanics, stars are gigantic fusion reactions, etc.).
*Basic biology (This will kill you/make you sick, use contraceptives, etc.).
*AT LEAST one language (Speaking, reading and writing fluently).
*Basic history (Rough idea of human history from the advent of civilization to present day).
*Basic sociology (These are prevalent and influential ideas, etc.).
*Basic scientific methodology (critical thinking, peer review, burden of proof, etc.).
*Basic economics (Inflation, deflation, supply and demand, etc.).

They should also have been exposed to great works of art (Symphonies, paintings, literature, etc.).

 

[Jonluw]

I feel this is relevant:
http://www.cracked.com/article_18611_the-10-most-important-things-they-didnt-teach-you-in-school.html

I think some decent computer-education should be included. Computers are the future, and we shouldn't leave learning how to use them properly to be done in the children's free time.

 

[TheAmazingHobo]

I think some decent computer-education should be included. Computers are the future, and we shouldn't leave learning how to use them properly to be done in the children's free time.

Wait, wait, time out.
Stop the thread for a second.
You mean to tell me that this is NOT already included in the curriculum of whatever country you live in ? Really ?
Okay, than obviously that would be the new subject that is needed.

Otherwise..... I dunno. Most of the stuff other people suggested in this thread is not really what school is for. I always considered "Life skills", "Not being a jerk" and "It´s a power outlet, stop putting your dick into it" to be something parents should teach their children.

 

[Cheesus333]

Industrial Arts should be compulsory throughout the entirety of the educational process. Most useful thing I ever learned. I can design and make stuff on which you guys would spend thousands of dollars, while it costs me next to nothing. I can fix my own car, while most people pay a mechanic $200 to fix an oil leak, it costs me 5 cents worth of Silicon.

Basic First Aid should be compulsory too.

As useful as the former sounds, I don't think I can agree with you there. But first aid is definitely vital, and should be taught to everyone. If a guy collapses, choking, or gets a deep cut, there won't always be a doctor around, but that shouldn't mean he has to die.

 

[Jonluw]

I think some decent computer-education should be included. Computers are the future, and we shouldn't leave learning how to use them properly to be done in the children's free time.

Wait, wait, time out.
Stop the thread for a second.
You mean to tell me that this is NOT already included in the curriculum of whatever country you live in ? Really ?
Okay, than obviously that would be the new subject that is needed.

I don't really know what's the curriculum these days. When I went to elementary school, we did learn how to type and how to use word and excel, but the computer education I am thinking of is more advanced stuff, like learning how to maintain your machine, perhaps how to use the task manager or whatever it's called.

 

[kittii-chan 300]

Spoiler: kids thes days?

How NOT to be a FUCKING ****!!!!!!! >@<#

but seriously? how to get jobs and what jobs require certain skills so students can pick the skills needed for the job they want. oh and also a language from a country that i will actually ever consider going to!

 

[KeyMaster45]

I think schools need to be teaching children about how to think with portals. :3

In all seriousness though I think along with the basics (reading, grammar, history, science, and math) there need to be more choice for students to study what interests them starting at the middle school level. Of course right now I believe our school days are already full just teaching the basics with one or two slots open for an elective class.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Common Sense: The course about how not to be an idiot.

Seriously, why does the majority of my High School not understand how to function socially on a day to day basis? They need this course, and it saddens me.

As for what courses would ever actually get implemented... I'd say more technology courses, mandatory ones though. Everyone needs to know how to use a computer, there's now two ways about it. The thing is I know a lot of people who have no idea how a computer works or how to fix even the simplest problems or complete menial tasks using computers.

 

[Ham_authority95]

There are lots of subjects in schools nowadays, but do we need something new? There are some subjects which - lets face it - are pointless. (eg. Year 10 English. We all know English, now we're just going in circles) So, what do you think schools should have? Something that will really be useful in our lives. Something that the kids today really need. Anyway, that's enough from me. Off you go.

Classes where you go out and network. If you don't get a network of people relevant to your interests, you'll fail the class.

It would be more useful to every single person than a thousand engineering courses. I sure wish that they would have it at my school...

 

[CyanideSandwich]

There are lots of subjects in schools nowadays, but do we need something new? There are some subjects which - lets face it - are pointless. (eg. Year 10 English. We all know English, now we're just going in circles) So, what do you think schools should have? Something that will really be useful in our lives. Something that the kids today really need. Anyway, that's enough from me. Off you go.

While I technically agree with you here, the dribble I hear coming out of most kids mouths suggest to me that they need keep it up until their late 40s lol.

OT: I would say criminal law. If only so that we can say upon their leaving school "yes, you do understand right from wrong. Your grades say so" lol

You complain about the dribble coming from kids' mouths, yet you end each of your sentences with "lol"? Do you see the contradiction?

 

[Anarchemitis]

Not new subjects, but a new model.

 

[James Kortright]

There are lots of subjects in schools nowadays, but do we need something new? There are some subjects which - lets face it - are pointless. (eg. Year 10 English. We all know English, now we're just going in circles) So, what do you think schools should have? Something that will really be useful in our lives. Something that the kids today really need. Anyway, that's enough from me. Off you go.

While I technically agree with you here, the dribble I hear coming out of most kids mouths suggest to me that they need keep it up until their late 40s lol.

OT: I would say criminal law. If only so that we can say upon their leaving school "yes, you do understand right from wrong. Your grades say so" lol

You complain about the dribble coming from kids' mouths, yet you end each of your sentences with "lol"? Do you see the contradiction?

Yes I do.... lol

 

[Tourmeta]

Mental Education

 

[Plinglebob]

Call it "Daily Living". Teach things like how to calculate, plan for, and live on a budget, prepare a few basic, healthy meals, balance a check book, and similar situations that come up in daily life as an adult. Perhaps also cover how saving and investing money work.

Strangely enough, my tutor group in 6th form asked for this when our tutor asked what we'd like to go over in our class tutorial. The focus wanted was slightly more on the cooking side though seeing as it was a boys grammer school. I think the general view was "We'd like to be able to feed ourselves at uni"

 

[Scarim Coral]

A Gentlemen class (how to speak politely) so they can at least speak a proper language and no more troll like manner!

 

[farq1414]

Not new subjects, but a new model.

wow that's so how the school systems think

 

[Plinglebob]

Driving: Nobody knows what the hell they're doing behind the wheel anymore. A manual transmission is as good an anti-theft device as the best Lojac has to offer in America. Everyone's reliant on electronics to stay on the road. On top of that nobody has any common sense regarding the interstate. My course would aim to fix all of these issues. The cars used would all have manuals(Don't want to learn on a manual? Better be missing a leg then, 'cause if you can walk into class, you can drive a stick), they would have carburetted engines, they would not have any electronic aids, testing would happen regardless of outside weather, and they would be required to learn how to tow something without crashing. I'm thinking a bunch of old domestic pickup trucks would be perfect for this, they're easy to fix, tough as nails, and they're about as forgiving as a bear trap if you fuck up. They will not hesitate to spin out and/or roll over if you're a bit too exuberant in the corners, and they're tricky to handle in adverse weather. Master these beasts and you've got modern cars down pat. Oh, and passing with an 85 is mandatory for getting your diploma, so don't screw it up.

Ok, how does Driving lessons work in your country as what you'ver said (minus the whole towing section) is pretty much how things work in the UK including having to show the examiner you know how to check things like oil and water.

 

[ThisIsSnake]

hmmm.
When I were a lad (not long ago)
We had PSHCE (personal social health community education), this included first aid, sex ed, financial panthers, drugs, rights, crime etc. It was only 1 lesson a week (every two weeks in Year 10/11) and should have included some more iformation than that.

I would have liked to have been taught Philosophy and Ethics rather than RE, RE was basically a class on how to retcon the Bible to make it seem better it was an easy B for my GCSE's though.

Military History and Strategies, that would be a lesson entertaining enough for me to do well at. Mythology as well, neither of them hold much value in the real world but I could get enthusiastic about them.

edit: I'll also add that ICT classes are compulsory in the UK until year 10/11. They're crap though and should be replaced with the European Computer Drivers License with additional material relating to maintenance and virus protection as well as a section on computer specifications and how to tell if something is a rip off.