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Whatever that cooking class is called that some schools require is awfully useless.
Home Economics.
Well, not TOTALLY useless... taught us guys how to turn the knob on the stove from 'Off' to 'Low' or 'High', and how long to microwave a TV dinner.
I wish schools in the United States were more career oriented and not "take whatever interests you." Want to be a programmer, take these classes, want to be in any form of science, take these classes, want to own or run a business, take these classes. I am not comparing socialist systems vs capitalist systems, but in Germany this is exactly how it is. You can't just drift through school, you have to pick something and be ready to be a productive member of society.
You can be a productive member of society doing what interests you.
You can be a productive member of society doing what interests you.
When I say " take whatever classes interest you " I mean take random classes with no goals. Taking a programming class, an art class, woodshop, and band . How would these benefit you or anyone in getting a job without college or going to a university?
I know if I concentrated on strictly math and programming I would have had a much better chance then someone that randomly took classes.
Gym class the best class I ever took! This is why I work out to this day...it should be mandatory for all kids up until you graduate to take a gym class.
Useless....art. I knew I couldn't draw or paint..why make me take this class again....I almost failed.
The thing I regret is not that I took useless classes, but that I learned nothing from them. That was my fault.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheena12
Useless - Algebra, and Geometry (although I liked the later) I've never had any reason to use either one of them.
It's pretty obvious, especially if you read the Politics and Other Controversiies threads, that very few people have ever "had any reason" to use the discipline of logic and proof that they were supposed to be learning in Algebra and Geometry. Arguments like "You're wrong because my uncle knew a guy once whose cotangent was based on a scalene triangle".
Quote:
Originally Posted by kremit
yikes... History was similar. Why do I need to know about napoleon, or any of the great wars that didn't effect the United States?
Because it all DOES affect the United States. If you had learned that no foreign power has ever successfully influenced the governance of Afghanistan, you might not have elected a president who thought he was a miraculous exception to that historical reality.
Last edited by CowanStern; 06-10-2012 at 09:55 AM..
All the other classes had value as well. They helped set the stage for further exploration in the areas that were of interest to me.
I found that the non-academic classes were of the greatest value in high school. Some classes, like wood shop, provided an excellent foundational understanding that has developed into a life-long interest. These classes weren't part of the college program yet are valuable practical skills.
I am appreciative of my typing class every time I use the keyboard. It saved me many hours of work in college and also was a skill that helped me get good part-time jobs while going to college. Many of my colleagues are still fighting with the two-finger method decades after graduating.
I believe that many high school districts are making a mistake by eliminating classes like cooking, typing(keyboarding), wood shop, etc., since for many children they most likely will never get the formalized training outside the school environment. For those not going on to a post-secondary program they may leave school with few "real-life" skills.
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