Imagine giving a group of elderly people cell phones and then asking them to text a friend. Now imagine a giving high school students needles, some thread, and buttons. The general expression of astonishment would beg the question, “Now what?” The generation gap is far too wide; just as the elderly are confused with modern technology, young people are lost when it comes to basic skills used in everyday life. Many high schools today tend to focus so much on honors classes, college academic preparation, and standardized testing they fail to see students are missing an opportunity to learn beneficial life skills they would use in college and beyond.
Not long ago, a home economics course in high school was required. Students would learn basic home-focused skills including cooking and sewing. If a class, similar to previous “Home Ec” courses, were offered in today’s high schools, the class would be more of a “Life Skills”-based course because of the addition of skills beyond just those of the domestic realm. “Life skills” can be defined as having the knowledge of basic tasks and being able to apply them on an everyday basis. Such a class would include the fundamentals of: cooking, sewing, cleaning, car maintenance, domestic and self-organizational skills, and manners/etiquette. The Life Skills course would be offered to juniors and seniors only; they are the students closest to graduating and are the closest to having to face the real world.
High schools today are constantly trying to find new ways to prepare students for college academics and the college atmosphere, yet they forget to consider the time in-between when the college students are not at school. There is nothing wrong with giving the option of post-secondary classes at local colleges, or offering more courses that present college curriculum in the high school atmosphere (AP and Dual-Credit). However, schools must realize after students graduate, they are met with reality. Did the students learn the relevant, basic skills they need to prioritize and organize themselves? Did they gain the skills needed to change the oil in their car when going to the shop is not an option? High schools and students must take a step back and view the “big picture.” In the long run, the score a student receives on the ACT and/or SAT is not the end of the world. Will the score affect their lives 20 years down the road? Not likely.
Being able to organize oneself and knowing the correct etiquette going into a job interview are two examples of life skills signifying major changes and choices in a person’s life. Taking notes and memorizing facts does not hold any weight of importance in such situations. Stimulating, hands-on lessons tend to stay with a person longer than the jumble of memorized or forgotten facts.
As high school seniors graduate and head off to college, they must immediately prepare to live in an entirely different world whether they decide to live on-campus or not. Unavoidably, new responsibilities and new expectations arise. A student who already knows several life skills going in experiences a much easier transition from home to campus and dorm. The inevitable cannot be ignored—the cost of college. College students know the importance of saving money. A college student who can cook for him or herself will most likely save more money than the student who eats out for one or two meals per day or the student who purchases a full meal plan. Knowing basic life skills creates a strong basis of self-confidence and self-reliance. Students would have the ability to provide for themselves and others when needed.
Even before Home Economics classes existed, the mothers, fathers, and/or elders of a family fulfilled the role of teaching young people the tasks needed to run a smooth household. Mothers and grandmothers would teach girls to quilt, sew, cook, and clean. Boys would learn to farm, work, and repair from their fathers and grandfathers. The reality today is there are changing family dynamics; young people may not have such representative figures in their lives. Grandma and/or grandpa may have passed away. Mom and Dad might be divorced or both parents may have full-time jobs. A student may only live with one parent. Maybe the relationships between family members are frictional in some way. Who, then, is left to teach the young “the basics?”
There is one idea to be considered—students have the freedom and choice to teach themselves the basic tasks. For today’s technologically enhanced generations, knowledge is just fingertips away. If students want to learn something new, they immediately turn to the Internet for information. They can “Google” directions on how to complete the task or watch a video demonstration on YouTube of a person presenting a “how-to” lesson. However, many students lead extremely busy lives. Students have commitments to family, friends, extra-curricular activities, and school work. With so little time, the last thing on students’ minds at the end of the day or week is the desire to teach themselves something new. Students are already at high school—it is convenient. High school is the ideal, away-from-home place for a young person to learn life skills. They can do so in a comfortable environment among friends who can help them along the way. A Life Skills class requirement saves the student from never learning basic tasks at all.
Learning the basics of simple tasks has the power to open new doors and uncover unknown talents in “undecided” college-bound students. Students would finally have the hands-on chance to explore, in some ways, future careers. For instance, say a student learns how to sew a button on a shirt or learns how to hem a pair of slacks. It is possible the Life Skills student could develop an interest in the fashion industry. The student may not become a fashion designer, but he or she may consider minor degrees or career paths directed towards a skill that he or she did not realize talent in before the class. A student who learns basic cooking skills could then expand his or her knowledge to make, plan, or suggest meals for the family. Torie Bosch, a writer for Slate magazine states, “You could make the case that home ec is more valuable than ever in an age when junk food is everywhere, obesity is rampant, and few parents have time to cook for their children.” The cooking lessons would consist of teaching easy, healthy meals students could prepare on their own. Chances are, the skills taught in high school will be retained for life and hopefully even passed on to coming generations.
One hope can come with the Life Skills course—the curriculum could travel to even younger generations than high school. Once students graduate college, and pursue a career, they will likely decide to “settle down” at some point. Once they have children of their own, they could teach their own children the basic skills early. The earlier a person learns a skill, the easier the task becomes in the future. Though there is no guarantee of the domino effect occurring, there is a more probable chance parents will have the knowledge and motivation to teach their children skills needed prepare for the future.
Of course, several weaknesses exist if the Life Skills class gained consideration. With adding any course to a high school, there is always the issue of funding. Financial support for the Life Skills class could be very difficult to come by due to the inevitable need in the class: supplies and appliances. Life Skills class would definitely add extra class fees per student. However, despite minor setbacks, focusing on the benefits of the class on America’s youth will create the motivation needed to put the class into action!
Even though today’s high schools claim to prepare students for the future through academic focus, valuable skills are lacking in high school students’ generations because there are no Life Skills courses offered. Life Skills courses will ultimately change the outlook students have on their adulthood for the better. Now when given the needles, thread, and buttons, high school students will finally be confident in themselves to know what to do.
Not long ago, a home economics course in high school was required. Students would learn basic home-focused skills including cooking and sewing. If a class, similar to previous “Home Ec” courses, were offered in today’s high schools, the class would be more of a “Life Skills”-based course because of the addition of skills beyond just those of the domestic realm. “Life skills” can be defined as having the knowledge of basic tasks and being able to apply them on an everyday basis. Such a class would include the fundamentals of: cooking, sewing, cleaning, car maintenance, domestic and self-organizational skills, and manners/etiquette. The Life Skills course would be offered to juniors and seniors only; they are the students closest to graduating and are the closest to having to face the real world.
High schools today are constantly trying to find new ways to prepare students for college academics and the college atmosphere, yet they forget to consider the time in-between when the college students are not at school. There is nothing wrong with giving the option of post-secondary classes at local colleges, or offering more courses that present college curriculum in the high school atmosphere (AP and Dual-Credit). However, schools must realize after students graduate, they are met with reality. Did the students learn the relevant, basic skills they need to prioritize and organize themselves? Did they gain the skills needed to change the oil in their car when going to the shop is not an option? High schools and students must take a step back and view the “big picture.” In the long run, the score a student receives on the ACT and/or SAT is not the end of the world. Will the score affect their lives 20 years down the road? Not likely.
Being able to organize oneself and knowing the correct etiquette going into a job interview are two examples of life skills signifying major changes and choices in a person’s life. Taking notes and memorizing facts does not hold any weight of importance in such situations. Stimulating, hands-on lessons tend to stay with a person longer than the jumble of memorized or forgotten facts.
As high school seniors graduate and head off to college, they must immediately prepare to live in an entirely different world whether they decide to live on-campus or not. Unavoidably, new responsibilities and new expectations arise. A student who already knows several life skills going in experiences a much easier transition from home to campus and dorm. The inevitable cannot be ignored—the cost of college. College students know the importance of saving money. A college student who can cook for him or herself will most likely save more money than the student who eats out for one or two meals per day or the student who purchases a full meal plan. Knowing basic life skills creates a strong basis of self-confidence and self-reliance. Students would have the ability to provide for themselves and others when needed.
Even before Home Economics classes existed, the mothers, fathers, and/or elders of a family fulfilled the role of teaching young people the tasks needed to run a smooth household. Mothers and grandmothers would teach girls to quilt, sew, cook, and clean. Boys would learn to farm, work, and repair from their fathers and grandfathers. The reality today is there are changing family dynamics; young people may not have such representative figures in their lives. Grandma and/or grandpa may have passed away. Mom and Dad might be divorced or both parents may have full-time jobs. A student may only live with one parent. Maybe the relationships between family members are frictional in some way. Who, then, is left to teach the young “the basics?”
There is one idea to be considered—students have the freedom and choice to teach themselves the basic tasks. For today’s technologically enhanced generations, knowledge is just fingertips away. If students want to learn something new, they immediately turn to the Internet for information. They can “Google” directions on how to complete the task or watch a video demonstration on YouTube of a person presenting a “how-to” lesson. However, many students lead extremely busy lives. Students have commitments to family, friends, extra-curricular activities, and school work. With so little time, the last thing on students’ minds at the end of the day or week is the desire to teach themselves something new. Students are already at high school—it is convenient. High school is the ideal, away-from-home place for a young person to learn life skills. They can do so in a comfortable environment among friends who can help them along the way. A Life Skills class requirement saves the student from never learning basic tasks at all.
Learning the basics of simple tasks has the power to open new doors and uncover unknown talents in “undecided” college-bound students. Students would finally have the hands-on chance to explore, in some ways, future careers. For instance, say a student learns how to sew a button on a shirt or learns how to hem a pair of slacks. It is possible the Life Skills student could develop an interest in the fashion industry. The student may not become a fashion designer, but he or she may consider minor degrees or career paths directed towards a skill that he or she did not realize talent in before the class. A student who learns basic cooking skills could then expand his or her knowledge to make, plan, or suggest meals for the family. Torie Bosch, a writer for Slate magazine states, “You could make the case that home ec is more valuable than ever in an age when junk food is everywhere, obesity is rampant, and few parents have time to cook for their children.” The cooking lessons would consist of teaching easy, healthy meals students could prepare on their own. Chances are, the skills taught in high school will be retained for life and hopefully even passed on to coming generations.
One hope can come with the Life Skills course—the curriculum could travel to even younger generations than high school. Once students graduate college, and pursue a career, they will likely decide to “settle down” at some point. Once they have children of their own, they could teach their own children the basic skills early. The earlier a person learns a skill, the easier the task becomes in the future. Though there is no guarantee of the domino effect occurring, there is a more probable chance parents will have the knowledge and motivation to teach their children skills needed prepare for the future.
Of course, several weaknesses exist if the Life Skills class gained consideration. With adding any course to a high school, there is always the issue of funding. Financial support for the Life Skills class could be very difficult to come by due to the inevitable need in the class: supplies and appliances. Life Skills class would definitely add extra class fees per student. However, despite minor setbacks, focusing on the benefits of the class on America’s youth will create the motivation needed to put the class into action!
Even though today’s high schools claim to prepare students for the future through academic focus, valuable skills are lacking in high school students’ generations because there are no Life Skills courses offered. Life Skills courses will ultimately change the outlook students have on their adulthood for the better. Now when given the needles, thread, and buttons, high school students will finally be confident in themselves to know what to do.
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