High School Education- Subjects that you've found have no value

[cyclonedave25]

My Spanish class has proven to be my most useless. Where you live, who you're around and your career will obviously make a difference. But, I have yet to need my sub par Spanish skills. I just took it because it was an easy class and most of the time we just watched movies in English with Spanish sub titles.

 

[Angie]

I've never used calculus at all. Admittedly, I was pretty well over taking math classes at that point and I don't think that I ever did more with it than just do well enough to get my A- and get out, not even really retaining concepts.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I took neither, and I am a semi-functioning-at-best adult!

I may periodically check to see if Janny throws a "disagree" rating on this.

 

[mb7299]

Exactly on the math concepts, 99% of people never use anything but the most basic math skills (ie things learned in JH) and its passed off as its super valuable for critical thinking skills well under that guise playing video games that involve thinking skills should be a class and everyone should have to take three years of video games minimum to graduate lol.

 

[IlliniCy]

Sex Education

 

[NATEizKING]

Exactly on the math concepts, 99% of people never use anything but the most basic math skills (ie things learned in JH) and its passed off as its super valuable for critical thinking skills well under that guise playing video games that involve thinking skills should be a class and everyone should have to take three years of video games minimum to graduate lol.

Is your ex the math teacher?

 

[coolerifyoudid]

It's been touched on already, but how the class is taught reflects on one's perception of whether a subject was necessary. I had great Biology and Chemistry teachers and, despite not furthering my studies in either, I am really glad I learned what I did. I've always been more prone to reading up on articles and learning more on my own.

On the flip side, my history teachers were terrible. I hated having to memorize names and dates, versus the reasons behind the events and the implications that followed. It took me until after college before I earned a true appreciation for history. Now, I delve into more books and shows than I ever imagined. I wish I would have had the same zeal in college and had taken more courses.

Good teachers are extremely important to your perception.

 

[CycloneErik]

I may periodically check to see if Janny throws a "disagree" rating on this.

A real man would do it.

 

[CycloneErik]

Is your ex the math teacher?

I'm guessing he had an unrequited crush on his math teacher.

 

[runbikeswim]

Do they do that in AP History? That seems like a good place to do it.
I know when I teach chemistry I have to knock the concept of using the Bohr model for atoms out of students. At some point you need a foundation, after that, you build. I can understand setting the foundation in lower level high school classes, than pushing the envelope in junior/senior level courses.

Conceptual learning that teaches kids to think, can never be started to soon IMO. A history teacher is the EXACT person that needs to teach kids they cannot trust or accept anything as fact just because it is told to them or they read it.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Too long ago, do not remember.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Too long ago, do not remember.

I'll try to find an old history book from high school. There was half a chapter dedicated to your exploits.

 

[Rural]

The barefoot and pregnant agenda don't need no stinkin' schools.

 

[CycloneErik]

I'll try to find an old history book from high school. There was half a chapter dedicated to your exploits.

Just take pictures of that cave wall. No reason to hurt yourself moving the whole cave.

 

[Angie]

I may periodically check to see if Janny throws a "disagree" rating on this.

I definitely am not functional in the areas that either Human Sciences or Industrial Technologies would cover!

 

[KnappShack]

Exactly on the math concepts, 99% of people never use anything but the most basic math skills (ie things learned in JH) and its passed off as its super valuable for critical thinking skills well under that guise playing video games that involve thinking skills should be a class and everyone should have to take three years of video games minimum to graduate lol.

73% of statistics are made up 98.75% of the time on CF

 

[2Xclone]

And you're a teacher?

I guess that helps explain the dumbing down of America.

To answer your question about math, it isn't about using advanced formulas in your every day life, it's about using the critical thinking skills you acquire by taking those types of courses.

This is exactly right...I've been teaching math for 30+ years, both at the h.s. level and now at the college level. This is hard for people to grasp...as the original post verifies

 

[NickTheGreat]

I'm not saying that History isn't important, because it is, very much so. But it seemed like every year we'd start at the beginning and read the book until the end of the year. Next year, we'd do the same. I never learned much of what happened after the Civil War, but am an expert on the Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs.

I think High School should teach you things, but give you a little bit of exposure to other things. Make the jock learn about art and music. Make the computer geek learn how to bake muffins. Make the sculpting chick learn how to calculate the length of a hypotenuse.

14 - 18 is too young to close your mind off to things. You have the whole rest of your life to do that!

 

[Dopey]

The teacher had more impact on the value I got out of a course than the subject matter did. Teachers are hugely important, and talented ones, especially in smaller school districts, are in short supply.

I would love to be a teacher, but the market and society values my engineering skills at about 100k per year. I've got two family members with education degrees currently sifting through job offers of about 40k. Until we value teachers at a higher pay grade I, and probably many others, won't consider the profession.

Yes, I work for the money and my shallowness towards that doesn't mean I would be a bad teacher.

 

[VeloClone]

I definitely think shop and home ec should be required. Not like all 4 years, but you should have to take them for at least one semester. So much to learn from each of those. Stuff you will use every single day.

I went to two junior high schools when I was a kid. In the first one every student was required to take a half a year of home ec and half a year of shop every year. At the second school they were both electives. Seeing how many people there are out there who can't cook, can't operate a screwdriver, can't replace a light socket and can't sew a button on or fix a hem I think requiring it is the way to go.