4 Things You Learned in School That Your Children Probably Won't
10:17 AM
My 6th grader came home with a paper the other day that requires both his signature and mine. The problem? The school never taught him how to write in cursive. I had an entire year in school where we were only allowed to write in cursive period. My youngest who is in 1st grade knows cursive because he liked the way it looked so he taught himself, but the school evidently is not interested in teaching it anymore. This got me thinking, how are children supposed to sign their names on every form from this day forward? More importantly, what other important tasks are they not learning? Check out the four things below that you learned in school and that your children probably won't.
1. How to Sign Your Name
Like I said above, I was taught cursive writing and it was important, but there doesn't seem to be a focus on it anymore.
2. How to Address and Write a Letter
Now, I know there wasn't email when I was in elementary or middle school, but even in high school they focused on teaching us how to address an envelope and write a letter. An important skill that kids still need if they ever intend to mail anything.
3. How Interest and Credit Cards Work
I can remember learning all about interest and how bank accounts and such work. We were taught about how to fill out a deposit slip and that was in elementary school. These are life skills that our children will likely not learn, and which could lead them to make costly mistakes in the future.
4. Looking up Words in a Dictionary
Okay, so maybe you don't really need to know how to look up words in a paper dictionary anymore since you can just go to Google and get it, but looking in a dictionary for a word also teaches children alphabetizing and that can be important.
Those are just a few of the things that came to my mind quickly when I was thinking of the things I learned in school that my children likely won't. Yes, I know I can teach them to them myself and I will, but that wasn't my point. Our children are being taught to a test (at least here in Florida with the FCAT) and are being taught to rely on technology while missing out on valuable life skills.
Can you think of anything you learned in school that you noticed your children have not?
17 comments
I was never taught anything about credit cards but I wish I was. They taught us how to balance a checkbook, something that online registers take care of now!
ReplyDeleteI try and make my son look up words in the dictionary when he doesn't know what they mean.
ReplyDeleteThat is kind of scary.
ReplyDeletemy child learns pre-cursive right now, for cursive later. and they learn to use a dictionary. But on top of that my oldest son has fine motor skill issues so we may be one of the families that never learn how to write in cursive (at least him) He will live.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad.. I remember years ago, my stepson couldn't address an envelope and he was 18!!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember learning about credit cards at all at school. I did earn cursive though and used to practice all the time so my handwriting would be pretty.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is learning (or will learn, she's in third) all of these things. She is in an online school, and their curriculum so far has included 1, 2, & 4. eventually she will learn #4, if they don't teach it, I will!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember if we learned about interest and credit cards, but I can guarantee you that my daughter won't - all they do is teach to the FCAT test!
ReplyDeleteCursive isn't on state testing. That's why most schools are getting rid of it.
ReplyDeleteThat being said -- my kids private school still teaches it.
I wish I could afford private school Lisa. If I could, Jordan would likely not be homeschooled right now, but that is a different discussion entirely. :)
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with 1 and 4. My 12 year old son doesn't know how to write in cursive. My daughter knows how to write her name because she asked.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't know if any of them have ever used a dictionary.
I am saddened by the number of people under 30, who can't even count back change. The lost look on cashier's faces is far too common.
ReplyDelete"...but it doesn't tell me how much to give you." ...ugh.
My son has learned or is actively doing in school right now all but #3. He's in the 4th grade, so maybe they will before he gets out of elementary school, if not we will teach him. So I didn't know there were schools that didn't teach cursive writing or how to write letters... sad. And like, Robin, I see so many cashiers that cannot count back change if they don't have a computerized cash register or calculator. :/
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I will have my children take hand-writting outside of school. I think it's super important.
ReplyDeleteI didn't learn anything about credit cards in school either though.
ReplyDeleteBut I think by 2nd grade I was already learning cursive and my 8 year old at this time has no idea what it is. When I write my letters like that she tells me I'm doing them wrong, lol
I have a huge old dictionary that I plan on using as a learning tool for my son.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't learn about credit cards and interest, but I'm teaching my kids. I know my kids are learning letter writing skills.
ReplyDelete