Don't stay in school

Person_one

Rouge_peg wrote: »

Saint John's ambulance can teach him. As a parent, having basic first aid as part of the curriculum would be more beneficial for the children, instead of learning about Victorian England. Do you agree?

I'm not a parent, but I think both are important.

The idea of generations of young people living in the world and knowing nothing about it, perhaps not even having any desire or curiosity to learn about it, sounds like an utter disaster to me.

Rouge_peg

They say it's not the kids, the parents are the problem. Then if you taught the kids to parent that's the problem solved then.

This quote from the song rings true for me. School could replace some of the subjects that are only studied because of what would be in the exam. The teachers are restricted. They have to make sure every child leaving school will have good GCSE's.

The mandatory subjects I have no quarrel with, they are important. What is not important are the subjects that will have no benefit to your child in future life.

theoretica

This is sounding like an argument for different schooling for different people - and all the problems of how to work out which sort different kids get. Will they pick things up by themselves? From their parents?

One of the problems is that the world changes: Some of the most complicated maths I have done in my private life was working out which mobile phone to get, and they weren't an issue when I was at school.
Similarly 25 years ago a special school taught a relative to write a cheque.

Not to say that schooling should ignore practical points - is learning to swim still part of the primary curriculum?

Rouge_peg

theoretica wrote: »

This is sounding like an argument for different schooling for different people - and all the problems of how to work out which sort different kids get. Will they pick things up by themselves? From their parents?

One of the problems is that the world changes: Some of the most complicated maths I have done in my private life was working out which mobile phone to get, and they weren't an issue when I was at school.
Similarly 25 years ago a special school taught a relative to write a cheque.

Not to say that schooling should ignore practical points - is learning to swim still part of the primary curriculum?

It was when my son was in primary school, along with learning about ancient Egypt. The more I think about this, the more I see certain apsects of the school curriculum is not practical.

The song whether you agree with it or not does raise an important issue for parents. Is this what you want your child to be learning?

Flyonthewall

theoretica wrote: »

This is sounding like an argument for different schooling for different people - and all the problems of how to work out which sort different kids get. Will they pick things up by themselves? From their parents?

One of the problems is that the world changes: Some of the most complicated maths I have done in my private life was working out which mobile phone to get, and they weren't an issue when I was at school.
Similarly 25 years ago a special school taught a relative to write a cheque.

Not to say that schooling should ignore practical points - is learning to swim still part of the primary curriculum?

True, the world does change, but there are some basic life things that don't or for things that do then at least having knowledge of how it was may at least help you figure out how it is. For most things it's likely to be the same thing except digital.

So instead of, for example, ticking a box on paper using a pen you have a screen with the exact same thing on and you touch the box with your finger to tick it. If you know to tick the box at least you have half the issue solved. You know what you want to do, even if you haven't quite figured out how. If you have never even been taught to tick that box you'll be completely lost.

Far as I'm aware swimming is still apart of it. Looked up my local school and they have swim classes listed. The dates seem a bit random though so perhaps they don't go swimming as often as I did when at school, but they do still go.

theoretica

Rouge_peg wrote: »

The mandatory subjects I have no quarrel with, they are important. What is not important are the subjects that will have no benefit to your child in future life.

But how do you decide in advance which ones those are for your child? I can think of examples where I have used all 11 of my GCSE subjects - including Latin and art.

Flyonthewall

theoretica wrote: »

But how do you decide in advance which ones those are for your child? I can think of examples where I have used all 11 of my GCSE subjects - including Latin and art.

Taster lessons? Although it should be the child deciding, not the parent, as it's what interests them (I am thinking older children though, not like 5 year olds).

I guess for younger kids focus more on the core subjects.

They have taster lessons at uni though (or at least, some universities), why not have them at school?

Like when I was at school I had to pick out of the following subjects: cooking, woodwork/metalwork, electronics, graphics and textiles. We'd done all in previous years so had an idea of which we'd then wish to do for GCSE. Same for languages and humanities.

It was easier to decide between them knowing what to expect from each.

However, there was also options like business studies, IT, media studies and we hadn't done them before. I went for what I knew most about and what I thought was right at the time, but had I done a taster lesson or two maybe I'd have felt differently or maybe I'd have done the same one, but then gone on to do something different at college based on having also liked one of the other subjects too and followed that through college.

Rouge_peg

Taster lessons is a good idea. How will your child know if they like something if they've not tried it?

These decisions are a defining moment which will carve the path for their future.

Guest101

OP missing the entire point:

It's teaching your children to adapt and pick up new information more easily, much like you might in a work place.

It's why degrees such as histoy and politics are popular with employers, particuarly with graduate schemes.

FBaby

It was when my son was in primary school, along with learning about ancient Egypt. The more I think about this, the more I see certain apsects of the school curriculum is not practical.

But school is not just about learning practical matters. I am guessing that you are a 'doer' type of person but many are 'thinkers' and learning about Ancient Egypt might help develop their imagination which might then help them develop their creativity, which will make them able to do jobs that the 'doers' are not capable of.

I do agree with you that the curriculum has not modernised in time though. Totally agree that financial matter should be taught, as well as some basics economics, and health promotion, but I certainly wouldn't say that school is a waste of time as it is.

It has taught me to apply myself, to think, to concentrate, to learn how to do research, to ask questions about what I am being told. It has developed my sense of curiosity, taught me how to express myself, how to cope with deadlines, pressure..... I could go on....