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Last post 7 years ago by DrafterX. 35 replies replies.
Schools are failing our kids.
Mattie B Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 12-12-2005
Posts: 6,350
So my youngest is 14 and choosing his school schedule for his freshman year.
I see that he selected Art for one of his electives. I learn that to graduate high school, a year of Band, Theater or Art must be passed.

How freaking stupid is this policy????

Why not teach them how to open and balance a checking account
Finance a vehicle
Shop for insurance
Mortgage a home

I can on and on about more important life skills that would be beneficial. Instead, its more important to Toot a Horn, Be Dramatic or Draw a Stickman.

I really need to be in a position to influence some of these decisions.
DrafterX Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,508
Are there different 'Art' options..?? And i'd strongly recommend Stage Production if it's an option.. he'll have a blast... build sets, learn about audio and video stuff, run the spotlights and get stoned in the high grids above the stage... plus you get to get out of classes and stuff.. Mellow
gummy jones Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 07-06-2015
Posts: 7,969
i dont think time spent learning the arts (to some degree) is a waste of time
im sure it can be done alongside life skills

Mattie B Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 12-12-2005
Posts: 6,350
Only those 3 options.

Band. Theater. Art.
DrafterX Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,508
Stage Production would fall under Theater... look into it.. ThumpUp
Hank_The_Tank Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 11-15-2016
Posts: 3,677
I enjoyed my HS art class. It was a nice release from the frustrations of other classes.
Mattie B Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 12-12-2005
Posts: 6,350
I follow what you mean with stage prod. Theater is a very low budget class with maybe some costumes at best. I've seen some programs and there are no sets.


I took art all through high school as I wanted to go into landscape architecture.

I just don't see the need to make it mandatory.
dstieger Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Mattie B wrote:

Why not teach them how to open and balance a checking account
Finance a vehicle
Shop for insurance
Mortgage a home


The devil's advocate in me is suggesting that those 'life skills' are more YOUR responsibility to teach than the school's.

For those that accept the premise that some exposure to the liberal arts mentioned are of some import.....well, then a school might be better positioned to provide that instruction than most parents...
MACS Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,599
I think it is important to have those options as electives... but in order to pass?

Odd.

We had a class called 'resource development'. Wood shop, metal shop, auto shop... and home economics. I loved those classes.
dharbolt Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
Can't give kids tools anymore. They might learn some real skills... and cut themselves
bgz Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Home ec was awesome, that's what all the hot chicks took.

Shop was cool too.

As far as those 3 that Mattie, you going to have a class with a high pressure salesman getting them to sign a giant stack of papers?

I think they would be better off with a negotiation / people reading class instead of what you're recommending.
TMCTLT Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 11-22-2007
Posts: 19,733
MACS wrote:
I think it is important to have those options as electives... but in order to pass?

Odd.

We had a class called 'resource development'. Wood shop, metal shop, auto shop... and home economics. I loved those classes.





THIS ^^^^

Because I agree it's important for kids to have an " out " from the otherwise demanding and unexciting classes of math / history / English etc. that dominate their time in school.
Mattie B Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 12-12-2005
Posts: 6,350
Bgz

I think by educating our youth, on the topics I mentioned,it would make them more comfortable with a salesman.
They would understand how interest rates impact costs. They would know what to look for in their paperwork. That's just one example

I think they should also teach the benefits and how a 401k works. How an IRA works. The rule of 72 and the effects.

These are life skills that can be used. I never use my art skills, but I have bought many vehicles, carry insurance and mortgage homes. Most adults will do these things.

But to your point....negotiation skills would be incorporated into the curriculum

I see that more applicable than arts.

I would even settle if the arts are mandated, then they shouldn't be mandated in college. I had to pay for art appreciation in college to graduate with a Business degree. Talk about a waste of time and money.
bgz Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Yeah, I hear you. My wife makes the same argument with me, but if they got anything from math and English, they should be able to read and understand the paperwork they are signing.

I think arts are important to get a little diversity in education, and also to make their course load a little easier. They're kids, they're not going to retain half the stuff they learn in high school anyway.

As far as art being required for a business degree, ya, that's kinda stupid. I started in business, took a couple drawing classes, then switched to computer science...

Art is not required for an engineering degree. Additional math and science classes are electives for engineering degrees, so I was kind of screwed in that regard.

victor809 Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 10-14-2011
Posts: 23,866
Mattie...
My high school had a mandatory class in "life skills" when I was in high school. It was part of some dumb progressive "school for the 21st century "grant they got.

It consisted of financing vehicles, banking etc.

It was the dumbest class I took the entire 4 years. There was nothing I learned that I didn't already know. It was absolutely mandatory for every student, with no advanced levels... so I had to sit in a class while students who didn't understand math were taught the absolute basics.

I considered that class the biggest waste of my high school time... and I took orchestra for 4 years for the only reason that I wanted to get into a good college.
opelmanta1900 Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
... and you were trying to hook up with a penist...
victor809 Offline
#17 Posted:
Joined: 10-14-2011
Posts: 23,866
.....violist.... but she's dead now.
teedubbya Offline
#18 Posted:
Joined: 08-14-2003
Posts: 95,637
We had arts in action where they integrated art ad music into PE.... our PE teacher was miserable working with the the groovy music and far out art teacher... I can still hear the Tinikling song in my head much like bannana phone

As a one off... I am shocked to find Mississippi schools are letting kids down :)
opelmanta1900 Offline
#19 Posted:
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
I was shocked to find they have schools...
opelmanta1900 Offline
#20 Posted:
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
victor809 wrote:
.....violist.... but she's dead now.

She shoulda just said yes... no one turns down Victor...
ZRX1200 Offline
#21 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,477
Art and music are very good.

I only had to take 3 classes my senior year, and I took a full schedule so that I could do more electives. ONE of those in one year isn't going to effect the vital things as you see them.

I agree our schools are failing, but not in this respect IMO.
illinichaser Offline
#22 Posted:
Joined: 07-24-2011
Posts: 5,772
dstieger wrote:
The devil's advocate in me is suggesting that those 'life skills' are more YOUR responsibility to teach than the school's.

For those that accept the premise that some exposure to the liberal arts mentioned are of some import.....well, then a school might be better positioned to provide that instruction than most parents...



This is the way I feel. . .

Having, culture to the curriculum helps make our students more well rounded and teaches to appreciate things they can't do with a calculator(and this is coming from an engineering major. . . )

Additionally, multiple studies have actually shown that students who take some time to learn some of the "arts" actually go on to perform better in the core classes that teach how to write and multiply and stuff. . .




BTW, I freaking love the rule of 72 and didn't need a special class to learn about it. I learned it as 1 small par of a basic math class in jr. high. .

Oh, and the art of "balancing a checkbook" is way over rated in today's electronic banking world. More appropriate is "how to create a budget and live within it", which I'm afraid is best taught by example. . .
JadeRose Offline
#23 Posted:
Joined: 05-15-2008
Posts: 19,525
How's a feller s'posed to git his sister in the sack if he can't pick a banjo? Get him learned up in music. He can worry bout all that cipherin' later.
JadeRose Offline
#24 Posted:
Joined: 05-15-2008
Posts: 19,525
illinichaser wrote:
This is the way I feel. . .

Having, culture to the curriculum helps make our students more well rounded and teaches to appreciate things they can't do with a calculator(and this is coming from an engineering major. . . )

Additionally, multiple studies have actually shown that students who take some time to learn some of the "arts" actually go on to perform better in the core classes that teach how to write and multiply and stuff. . .




BTW, I freaking love the rule of 72 and didn't need a special class to learn about it. I learned it as 1 small par of a basic math class in jr. high. .

Oh, and the art of "balancing a checkbook" is way over rated in today's electronic banking world. More appropriate is "how to create a budget and live within it", which I'm afraid is best taught by example. . .




Lot of skills way over rated in today's world. I know people bitch and moan about not teaching "cursive" anymore. I think it's a complete waste of time. I can't begin to tell you the last time I hand wrote something.
DrafterX Offline
#25 Posted:
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,508
I never took band but I think it's suppose to help with math skills... and then there's the band camp thing I guess... Unsure
Hank_The_Tank Offline
#26 Posted:
Joined: 11-15-2016
Posts: 3,677
JadeRose wrote:
Lot of skills way over rated in today's world. I know people bitch and moan about not teaching "cursive" anymore. I think it's a complete waste of time. I can't begin to tell you the last time I hand wrote something.


Except when you have to sign your name....
teedubbya Offline
#27 Posted:
Joined: 08-14-2003
Posts: 95,637
music is math

dada is death
opelmanta1900 Offline
#28 Posted:
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
JadeRose wrote:
Lot of skills way over rated in today's world. I know people bitch and moan about not teaching "cursive" anymore. I think it's a complete waste of time. I can't begin to tell you the last time I hand wrote something.


I'm with you... with the technological advancements in handwriting analysis, cutting letters out of random magazines and piecing your message together is the only way to stay safe nowadays...
teedubbya Offline
#29 Posted:
Joined: 08-14-2003
Posts: 95,637
Yea that and all the lube makes it hard for jade to hold a pen
MACS Offline
#30 Posted:
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,599
DrafterX wrote:
I never took band but I think it's suppose to help with math skills... and then there's the band camp thing I guess... Unsure


Drummers just need to count to four. Anxious
teedubbya Offline
#31 Posted:
Joined: 08-14-2003
Posts: 95,637
Drafter always takes all 5
DrafterX Offline
#32 Posted:
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,508
Think


I ate 5 lobsters once.... but they were kinda small... Mellow
Mr. Jones Offline
#33 Posted:
Joined: 06-12-2005
Posts: 19,359
Put the KIBOSH on ART CLASS...

He may become an ARTIST ???

1)Then he can't afford a car

2)Won't make enough $ to buy a house
And since #1 & #2 come true...

He won't need insurance...

He'll be living at your HUT,
in the basement.
teedubbya Offline
#34 Posted:
Joined: 08-14-2003
Posts: 95,637
DrafterX wrote:
Think


I ate 5 mobsters once.... but they were kinda small... Mellow


freak
DrafterX Offline
#35 Posted:
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,508
Sad
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