What SHOULD be taught in schools?

submitted by Aureus from self.AskSaidIt

A lot of people criticize the high school and university system - and rightly so. Nowadays, it's more like a babysitting center and woke indoctrination camp than a place of learning. Universities charge thousands of dollars for rubber-stamp degrees that do little to further students' careers.

So let's rethink the education system. In your ideal world, what would be taught in high schools and universities?

Some ideas:

  • An overview of the current job market, as well as some relevant skills.

  • Computer skills more fundamental than Microsoft Office Suite.

  • An overview of how society works in terms of supply chains and logistics.

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[–][deleted] 22 insightful - 2 fun22 insightful - 1 fun23 insightful - 2 fun -  (13 children)

Logic and critical thinking. A full year of it, no halfass. This "overview of the job market" sounds amazing too. I can't believe they let kids run off to college to study psychology or communications.

[–]Aureus[S] 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

I can't believe they let kids run off to college to study psychology or communications.

Yep, it's absolutely nuts.

[–]kallyr 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I find psychology and communication very good knowledge to have and everyone would benefit from being more self-aware. However, it costs no resources to teach other than books, a classroom and a teachers' time, so going to college for this at US rates is pretty insane. Considering how many socially retarded people I deal with on a daily basis by working in tech (me included, occasionally) we could all use some extra humanities study.

[–]Aureus[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Humanities don't necessarily solve social retardation though. I aced English, Psychology, and History classes through high school and college, but it didn't help my social life at all. Maybe communications is different, I've never taken a class like that.

You know what would help? Some kind of mandatory drama or public speaking class. That's what schools are missing.

[–]Canbot 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Psychology is a prime example of mainstream pseudo science. It takes coincidences and half truths and makes broad and wild claims that can never be proven, but are accepted anyway. They have a reproducibility crisis because they are full of shit. You would never get told by a science teacher that something is the way it is because a scientist says so, or that they are right because they are the professor. That is very common in the "soft" sciences; which apparently is just another way to say pseudo science. No one in a real science course would tell you that you aren't qualified to challenge something in the course until you get your doctorate in it; yet that is how these pseudo science fields operate. It is hot garbage.

[–]DestroyerOfSoy 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I find it ironic the most anti-social and asocial people are trying to major in communications.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It is. That's how some psychic very ill people climb up the ladders. Thanks man.

[–]Yamyam 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Well, we can't have everyone studying stem. It has to balance out.

[–]AFutureConcern 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Agreed. Critical thinking, not critical theory.

[–]magnora7 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Most teachers aren't equipped to teach such a thing, and it's hard to find someone who is at the salary most teachers get paid

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

constructive thinking, imo. does "critical thinking" not come from "critical theory"? it's a destructive and undermining way of approaching things, isn't it?

[–]AFutureConcern 8 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

It doesn't. Critical thinking comes from Plato; "the analysis of facts to form a judgment."

Critical theory is named in a subversive way, and comes from the Frankfurt School in the early 20th century. It refers to "criticism" of a particular kind that critiques power in society; it is not concerned at all with "the analysis of facts to form a judgment;" in fact:

Critical Theory is only tangentially concerned with understanding or truth and has, as Hume might have it, abandoned descriptions of what is in favor of pushing for what the particular critical theory holds ought to be.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Does "criticism" mean something other than "discussing negatively"?

from krinein "to separate, decide" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish") (etymonline)

The English word always has had overtones of "censurer, faultfinder, one who judges severely."

Hmm. So the original word was more like "having good judgement"? Perhaps a synonym to "analytic thinking"?

[–]AFutureConcern 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah, think of an art critic or movie critic, there's nothing inherently negative about their criticism. Critical theory, though... that is pure deconstruction of society. Purely negative.

[–]RasputinsDong 17 insightful - 2 fun17 insightful - 1 fun18 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Basic economics and personal finance should be mandatory learning for high school kids. It's crazy that it's not

[–]Aureus[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Totally agreed. One of the biggest criticisms of the public school system is that it doesn't teach how to pay taxes or balance a checkbook.

Or how about how to interview and apply for jobs?

[–]brightlightbellend 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

How to spot bullshit, the linguistic tricks people use to mislead and manipulate. HOW to think, build a strong inner self. Meditation.

Trades. With view of getting more people into engineering. We have a country to rebuild, people!

And the gender unicorn, totes obvs the gender unicorn.

[–]StBlops2cel_is_Lord 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

We have a country to rebuild, people!

are you Syrian?

[–]PostmodernJukebox 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

actually a lot of american infrastructure is past its expiry dates. most dams for instance. and for what its worth our train system is ancient compared to the rest of the developed world. we arent completly broken yet but we should take care of what we have before we are.

[–]magnora7 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

Yeah if I recall there are over 80,000 structurally deficient bridges in the US right now. We're literally letting our infrastructure crumble so the military-industrial-complex can pocket a few more billion

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

public works projects opportunity? hmmm.

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Yeah exactly, it seems like an easy win for a politician. And people have been saying that for a while. Yet they keep dragging their feet, I guess they're too busy making billions to give a shit. Hence why people feel protests and such are necessary

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I think we could do this crowdfunded-style. Or just crowdsourced somehow. Lots of people are out of work, just need to organize it to be safe, provide food, shelter, expertise, etc. Maybe training if that's what's needed.

It would be meaningful work. Infrastructure is important.

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yeah the problem is getting such a work program through congress. They won't pass funding for such a bill, because of "partisan" reasons. But when the military-industrial-banking complex needs more funding, suddenly it's a "bipartisan" issue and is passed immediately.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yeah but we could just ... do it. Without waiting on gov't funding or involvement. Or any funding. Just organize it, whatever it needs, and do it.

Public works project is the perfect thing to deal with covid out-of-work stuff. If it can be done safely. I guess if it can't some sort of work-from-home public works project might be safer.

[–]PostmodernJukebox 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

a neighbor of mine mixed her own cement to patch her sidewalk once. it would be great if communities could come together and fill potholes.

[–]PostmodernJukebox 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

i disagree with my father on almost everything politically and i thought the idea of a public works project seemed so inoffensive and agreeable. he sat there and gave me reasons all about why if it hasnt been done already its probably for good reasons and how "well if a bridge is 'expired' but its still holding up then why would you fix what isnt broken some bridges have lasted hundreds of years" etc..... makes me want to move i swear to god.

[–]StBlops2cel_is_Lord 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

--How to win friends and influence/handle people

--Aristotelian logic

--debate skills

--Economics 101

--how credit works

--auto mechanics 101

--home repair 101

--cooking

--boxing

[–]Mallet22 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Definitely finances like budgeting and taxes

[–]EY_SCOOF 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

More in depth and unbiased history and explanations the context of those times and how certain situations lead to certain ideas and movements.

No more good side vs evil side bullshit.

[–]Aureus[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Great point. People need to be reading original sources more, not history textbooks. History textbooks are way too easily biased.

Rather than "here's what I think Lincoln did", why not "here is what Lincoln did in his own words"?

[–]Papitas 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

How to make friends and how to invest your money.

[–]StBlops2cel_is_Lord 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Dale Carnegie's 'How To Win Friends And Influence People' should be required reading for every 13 year-old on Earth, and repeated every year through college.

[–]Fictionsaur 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Emotional intelligence. It's really concerning none of the subjects help the students have better self-esteem and self-control.

[–]magnora7 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

There's more emotional awareness than ever, but less emotional intelligence. People are taught to expose all their emotions openly (which is generally good) but then aren't taught how to improve those responses and learn from their emotional mistakes. A lot of people see emotions as some immutable paragon of truth, and any emotion that is felt identifies the true character of that moment. So rather than leaning on rationality, they lean on emotional responses, and then they become intellectually-stunted adults who can't properly process their own emotions, much less the emotions of others.

[–][deleted] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Not sure.

I don't like a lot about education in that it feels a bit too much like indoctrination. And I think I'm not the only one. I feel a little silly for saying this, but I feel like sandbox mmos and online communities almost taught me more about how things work than classes did. It was easy to learn in my own way at my own pace and see dynamics for myself, rather than having them explained to me from another's perspective. And explore for myself.

look at these kid entrepreneurs. Lots of them ended up starting a business just by doing the extremely natural human activity of noticing something that was a problem, or something that could help more people than themselves, and making something out of it.

Sometimes I feel "education" should be less about telling students what to think or encouraging the reading of a certain cannon, and more about just supporting natural exploratory behaviors.

I also think we keep people as "children" for too long. Let people work. Admit that people are, in many ways, well on their way to "grown up" by 14 or so. Stop keeping people in indoctrination forever. Let people learn through work and living in the world. Let people start building to support a family so they can start having babies in their early 20s like is biologically ideal.

Idk. I haven't thought this all through. So maybe those aren't good ideas. But I think there's some truth to what I'm saying here.

[–]magnora7 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It is indoctrination. It's literally obedience training. It's based off the Prussian Schooling Model, which was designed to create military obedience, after Prussia lost the Battle of Jena in 1806 because of poor obedience. America then re-tooled this successful Prussian Schooling Model to the industrial era, to create obedient workers. And that's literally the school system we have today. Any learning that occurs is strictly incidental, and I don't mean that in a joking way. They want the people smart enough to run the machines, but not smart enough to question the increasingly shittier conditions they're forced to endure.

[–]AFutureConcern 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The main problem in education today comes from critical pedagogy. So, let's reverse every one of its tenets!

  • Make education be about instruction in critical theory Make education be about instruction in subject matter and critical thinking
  • Awaken a critical consciousness in students and teachers Teach students to be less cynical and critical. Teach them that the world is not build around oppression and marginalization, and that people in dominant positions are more worthy of our respect, not less, because most of them earned their place fairly.
  • Critical theories see the world as being constructed in terms of power dynamics that oppress certain people (minoritized groups) to the benefit of the dominant group(s). Teach students that the world is the way it is regardless of which words we use to describe it. Teach them that "oppression" is itself a social construct developed by the weak and unsuccessful as an excuse to discriminate against the strong and successful.

[–]Canbot 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Personal responsibility.

My little brother just graduated with a marketing degree. He got an internship as part of the program and was hired on after graduating. Whenever I ask him what he learned he can only list off a bunch of generic ways to make graphs of demand curves. I asked him, "how much of that do you use?" he said none of it, the point of college is just to get the paper. I ask him what he does and he says "whatever my boss tells me". He brings literally nothing to the table. He might as well be a high school drop out. He puts zero thought or effort into looking for new markets, reaching new audiences. The idea that he would suggest to his boss how to do a better job at expanding the business is comical to him. This is not an established company. They have like 30 employees, and are very niche.

To me a college degree should mean YOU are the expert in your field. If you hire a plumber you expect them to know what they are doing. If you hire a carpenter you expect them to build to code. You should come out of college able to take a look at the company, know how to do your own research to figure out what the best course of action is, and execute that plan to some level of success. You should come out of college with the impression that the degree you got means you know what you are doing. Instead no one; literally no one thinks that. What an absolute joke of a system.

[–]covor 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Practical things that are useful in everyday's life.

For math and physics, tell students what the formulas are for, where they can be applied in real life situations.

How to calculate how much money you give the bank when you take a loan.

Teach them about communism, how it killed close to 100 million people, and how much life sucked in communist countries.

How to start a business and the basic laws and regulations in their country/state.

How to find useful resources online.

[–]Aureus[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

How to start a business and the basic laws and regulations in their country/state.

Totally agree. Entrepreneurship is vital.

For math and physics, tell students what the formulas are for, where they can be applied in real life situations.

This is one of the things that bothered me about high school. Almost nothing is applicable to real life.

[–]magnora7 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

How to get a job. How to balance your checkbook. How to pay your taxes.

You know, actual life skills that literally everyone needs to know. Seems like that should be taught.

[–]Aureus[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

And what's crazy is that they're not!

[–]magnora7 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I know, it's literally nonsensical.

Although I have to give a shout out to Oklahoma, they added a state-mandated high-school course in household finances, to cover stuff like balancing a checkbook and paying bills. So that's cool of Oklahoma to be ahead of the curve like that. But this type of thing should be way more common. The disconnect between what's taught in school and what's needed in life, is far too large

[–]Robin 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Historically, schools are an aberration: https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Underground_History_of_American_Education

[–]solarsavior 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Communism has killed millions throughout history.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Computer skills more fundamental than Microsoft Office Suite.

For a second, I thought you were suggesting more Microsoft Office courses and I was not going to have a pleasant response ahaha

Either way, you're right. Teaching kids to code even is not enough. I think more electronics material, particularly labs, are essential.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

perhaps related discussion:

I am a homeschool mom who is finding a lot of other moms waking up to all the agendas. I am hearing from a lot of worried parents concered about their brainwashed teens. The parents want help deradicalizing them from anti-male and anti-white worldviews. The more I talk to these parents, the more I see a need for some kind of crash course for parents to learn some real history and facts so they can course-correct their kids.

discussion link

[–]Aureus[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That's awesome. Thanks.

It's ironic, but I think the SJWs were right about one thing when it comes to education. It's not great if kids are only taught about the U.S. and Europe, and not about the rest of the world. If kids don't know the real history of the entire world, then they can be tricked into believing the rest of the world was pure utopias, while Europe was a bunch of evil colonizers. The reality is that the rest of the world had all the bad things Europe is criticized for.

For example, the mainstream narrative is that the Spanish just walked in and toppled the Aztecs by themselves. But the reality is that the Aztec Empire was toppled by its own former slave states with the aid of the Spanish.

More education and context would solve this. But the SJWs don't want that.

[–]lmaonope333 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

they should give legit career training where you could choose which careers you wanna train for

[–]Locke 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

The US education system needs burned to the ground and redone entirely. It wasn't started to better people. It was created to get kids ready for mindless factory work and it hasn't moved on from that mentality since.

[–]Aureus[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It was created to get kids ready for mindless factory work and it hasn't moved on from that mentality since.

I almost wish this were still the case. At least it would be preparing kids for something and giving them some career opportunity. Right now it seems geared to teach kids a combination of useless facts and indoctrination.

[–]m68k 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Social Skills 101, Topic: Coping from people who think differently.

  • Accept that people have different opinions
  • Accept that people will not always agree with you
  • Grow a pair (if you're a man of course)

[–]magnora7 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

There should be a class "How to start your own saidit-like website" and then we could have hundreds of alternatives :)

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Math (NOT: how to calculate numbers), Latin and Greek. I believe it's that simple, if it's done thoroughly. These all three are languages, so maybe put an appropiate eastern language there, too.

[–]iraelmossadreddit 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

nothing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_education#Judea

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Sir Ken Robinson presents his understanding of the educational changes we need and his sense of humor is great.

https://www.ted.com/talks?sort=relevance&topics%5B%5D=education&q=sir+ken+robinson

[–]adultmanhwa 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

what is money, how to get rich. :D

[–]dissent 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Nutrition. Like math and English.