If you redesigned high school curriculum, what kinds of classes would you create?

Question

For example, kids graduating high school these days have no training in how their credit rating works, how to get a mortgage, how to invest. They don't know how to advance their careers, how to hold a marriage together, how to raise children.

Thinking about the recent cover story in Time magazine, they don't know how to assess risk in the modern world. Judging by the popularity of some conspiracy theories, they haven't learned to think carefully about events in the news.

Our educational curriculum was designed in the 19th century and hasn't changed much since. Back then, young adults didn't have as many choices, they had more support from family and community, and were less likely, for example, to move a few thousand miles from where they grew up.

What kinds of classes would you suggest to bring our education system into the 21st century?

Sorry, the main question should have read "If you redesigned *the* high school curriculum..." Yes, I did take English classes in high school, but I didn't do that well at proof-reading!

ProfessorMaddie - I agree. Back in the 19th century, no one needed to tell us to exercise more and avoid junk food. And it seems like Physical Education could be redesigned to have less emphasis on sports and more on nutrition.

namowal - I agree with the intent of your suggestion, but the implementation details may need more work.

In the past, some of this was accomplished through classes in debate an philosophy. Perhaps these classes could be reworked to accomplish your suggestion.

linlyons - I agree that, in order to add new classes, some existing class must be shortened.

We could re-tune existing classes to make them shorter while retaining the core.

For example, I love math and have a degree in it, but I recognize that most people don’t get much out of their classes.

In fact, the main thing they should get out of math is the ability to apply math to every day situations. I doubt many people have used trigonometry recently.

The math-related ability I find most lacking today is the capacity to quantify things in everyday life, and then use those numbers in some meaningful way.

In short, I think math education today fails to transmit its most useful feature, while emphasizing specialized aspects.

To sum up, perhaps we could shorten our math curriculum so that most people emphasize applied math. We could spend the time thus freed on new classes, while people, with an interest and talent for math, like me, could to take more classes.

magpiesmn - I totally agree that choice is key to motivating students. Particularly since kids of that age have a natural rebelliousness that can backfire on them in school.

However, I also think educators have a duty to broaden students' outlooks and expose them to things they might not otherwise have considered.

robertmindriver - When the American education system was designed, it was totally focused on practicality. It was also designed for different times, so yes, I think there should be more emphasis on the real world as it exists today.

After re-reading my original question, I'm not sure why you think I advocate teaching morality, but we could consider adding it. Why? Because life today has more complicated moral choices, and some kids don't get the moral education they once received in church.

As far as the two-track system you seem to be endorsing, there is some merit it that. But I also would like to see new classes, for example some practical economic education. As a young adult, I personally could have benefited greatly from a class in practical finance.

And with regard to more vocational training, we also need to keep in mind the dwindling need for blue-collar workers on today's global economy.

"Mr. Wise" - it has become an unthinking mantra today that kids receive a poor education in math and science.

And yet we rarely think about what parts of a math and science education are genuinely useful for most people. In other words, studying math and science is not an intrinsic good, it must serve some broader purpose.

IMHO, the current math and science program alienates many while failing to convey the parts which could truly help people cope in a modern world.

I'm surprised at your assumption that a system designed to server a dramatically different society should not be re-evaluated.

I think you should ask yourself 1) what purpose should an education accomplish, 2) how well is our system achieving those goals, and if it is failing any goals, 3) what changes could we make to improve it.

Simply defending the status quo, when so much has changed, strikes me as an excuse not to think critically about where our society is headed.

Magpiesmn - I understand your concern over the government being responsible for broadening student's horizons. Perhaps that is one reason why it might have been a mistake switch from local control over schools to our current model, wherein the federal government is responsible for probably too much.

Yet I can't help that feel that while perhaps you do a good job at this, on average most of us fail dismally. In fact, I'd bet that the average parent wants to make a little clone of themselves.

And most of us don't have the degree of specialization necessary to expose children to diverse topics such as dramatic arts, visual arts and the performing arts, or to teach them about foreign cultures or different ways of thinking. This is what broadening horizons is about, not, as you may fear, political indoctrination.

Answer 1

morality
sex education
financial management
computers
media analysis
interpersonal skills (communication etc.)
how to take care of your body
yoga, etc. fitness & nutrition i agree

Answer 2

I would make it so that the students have more choice over what classes they can take. People should be allowed to make a choice in what field they are gona study. Some people are just not inclined to want to learn alot about science or math or reading ect... I believe the system would balance itself out to the point of people making the choice thats best for them instead of the system now where they dont get to make as much of a choice at all. If I had to add some classes I would add spirituality classes and stress management classes along with relaxation classes. Also a class where our children can learn what ever they want like a library trip ect would be great.

While it seems like a good idea to have the teachers be the ones to expand the horizons of the kids in school I think this job is best left to the family/friends of the kids. Because the teachers will have there own set ideals about what is inovative thought thus making them bias not that the family members arnt also... Its just that it will make a clash in family vs school teachings that will probably leave the student feeling confused about whos right making family life more difficult. I would personaly rather have that power left in the hands of the family and not the Gov.

Answer 3

Just like our kids we did not know how to balance a checkbook or have any skills coming out of school other then Tool Shop if you had it or Home Economics. The one thing needed is the strong reading/communication skills. All our lives we are handed contracts and papers to sign. Most of us just sign it not knowing the implications or what our options are to do when presented with something we do not want to sign. How about all these so called Deals with credit cards and car loans and interest only mortgages. The impulsiveness to just take what we want and not stop to fully understanding the cost is a strong current growing social behavior. I would say English, Money Issues and trips out into the real world in multiple environments (charity, goods producing companies etc) would help. How many kids think about where a process begins and ends when they are looking at an item. Kids need to know that things just don't appear and they need to know that it is a long process (failures and successes). Kids need to understand the impact of advertising. Kids need more reality courses and keep the cyber stuff for fun. How to have a balanced life with healthy relationships and good health and respect money.

Answer 4

I think that you are espousing the idea that high schools should teach kids how to live effectively in the real world.

You also seem to feel that the school system should take on the responsibility of teaching morality.

I agree with you on both points to a certain extent. However, I don't think that it is possible to implement such an all-encompassing curriculum that could achieve the goals that you want the students to achieve.

Personally, I would prefer a different tact. Instead of coddling and spoon feeding students with information and rewarding them for mediocre achievement, I think that we need to implement an achievement based style which can be started at the grade school level.

We should test the students at each grade level and prepare a curriculum for them that is in line with their intellectual ability and makeup. Allow the brightest students to progress as quickly as they wish. Give these students the opportunity to graduate from high school at an early age and give them a free college education as long as they perform at a high level.

For the mediocre student, about which I think you are concerned, we should direct them toward learning life skills and rudimentary job skills which will prepare them for the real world.

Of course, if a student decides to attempt to take a more academic route, he should have the chance to apply and be tested for the right to take that more rigorous path.

Answer 5

I'm not all that sure that more or different classes are needed. Nearly all successful students have discipline and guidance at home, they go to the same schools as the failures, and do quite well with thought, mortgages, and investing without formal training. The things lacking in today's schools are discipline, poor teaching standards, and lack of emphasis on math, English, science, and history. In other words, have gotten too far away from 19th century curriculum or teaching.

Answer 6

Kids need to experience the arts in all forms. Dramatic arts, musical and visual arts, etc. They need to develop their creative capacities and have their individuality honored and respected. When they are given sufficient opportunities to do this and are acknowledged enough for it, they develop into more brilliant citizens and contribute powerfully to the culture and their communities.

Matthew Fox cites an experiment in the Midwest where the worst and toughest students (hopeless causes) were enrolled in such a progam of arts and turned their lives around and became model students and citizens. (He has written so many books--I think this might be from Creation Spirituality.)

Answer 7

english and math are needed for life in general; english to a certain point and math... the more advanced, the better. for students planning on a career in health or human sciences, science classes that will help them with this should exist, too. other than that... classes for the real world. i think that there should actually be an adult life class, that teaches about finances and all of the standard adult duties... bills, mortage, even tags on your cars. like you and TIME have commented--who's even teaching this kind of thing?

good question, by the way.

Answer 8

Vo-tech. Give them some actual skills to use out in the world and let them go to work at earlier ages. Teach construction...carpentry, concrete work, truck driving not everyone is capable of or inclined to...office work.

Answer 9

i would have a class that we watched the news the whole time so we knew what was really goin on.
then id actually have a sex ed class because there is so much to know before it actually happens so we know what could happen if it doesnt go right and there are so many other things people dont know that they should know.
i guess history is important, but it doesnt interest me. at all.

Answer 10

For starters I'd include mandatory critical thinking courses.