The Things That We Should Have Learned in School

The aim of schooling is to equip individuals with knowledge and skills to not only land their ideal job but to be productive, well adjusted citizens. Schooling has been highly criticized for focusing mainly on content areas and assessment that doesn’t adequately prepare anyone for life. Some people argue that the elementary and high school curriculum is lacking and that schools need to broaden their scope. There are certainly some things that people should’ve learned in school that they didn’t. Here are five of these.\r \r 1. Budgeting\r \r It is necessary for everyone to know how to be smart with money. Well, unless a student is doing an accounting or finance course, then budgeting is not learnt. This is an important skill that can determine to a great extent how successful one can become. We all need to know how to live within our means. Being able to create a plan to spend money is a responsible way to handle finances and it is necessary if anyone desires to maintain a healthy credit score. This skill is important to create financial stability and a stronger financial footing for the short and long-term. Therefore, financial literacy should feature in the curriculum.\r \r 2. Taxes\r \r We all pay taxes. While students are taught about the various types of taxes, the importance of taxes and how they are collected, students are not taught how to do taxes. That time of year, when people are expected to file their taxes, is often a stressful one. People become so overwhelmed and have no idea how to properly do taxes so they are forced to hire someone who offers that service. Giving individuals the know-how to get their taxes done would certainly benefit them long after graduation.\r \r 3. Physical Survival Skills\r \r Teaching students physical survival skills is certainly not on the priority list and is ignored in schools. We can all find ourselves in emergency or disaster situations and certain environments where skills such as first aid, navigation and acquiring food, water and shelter are necessary. Unfortunately, many people who aren’t from adventurous families or aren’t fortunate to be members of Girl Guides or Boy Scouts groups in their community would probably not have been exposed to these skills because they aren’t done in schools.\r \r 4. Homemaking\r \r Whether male or female, the ability to effectively manage a home or oversee day-to-day operations is absolutely necessary. We all grow up and have to become a responsible member of the household. Home Economics was once an integral part of the high school curriculum but today this is fading in many countries and education systems. In some schools, students have the option to choose related courses such as Health and Safety or Food and Nutrition. Many argue that due to the lack of such essential life skills, students are left ill-prepared for this important aspect of life.\r \r 5. Managing Failure \r \r Failure is frequently interpreted negatively by people, but it teaches us many valuable lessons. Failure should teach us that learning is a process. We won’t start new projects if we allow fear of failure to grow too great. Yet, at school we are trained not to make mistakes. When we fail or make mistakes we are punished. By doing so, students develop the misconception that there is no room for failure. Schools need to teach students to see failure as an opportunity to improve.