Want lessons do you think SHOULD be taught in schools ?

[lawstudentmum]

I was talking with my daughter and we were discussing if she felt that lessons are relevant for todays children...have they moved enough with the times?

For example French, German etc have always been taught - but are they still the languages that children should be learning?

RE ?

So I put the question out there - what lessons would you like to see your children learn ?

I am so glad that this discussion has taken off, I am finding this really interesting - I feel that the school system failed me as I found it really hard to learn the way I was taught. Was that my fault or the schools.

I lost alot of cofidence in myself, and it has taken to adulthood to start learning again. I don't know what you call it but I would love to see a system where children had more awareness of not only themselves but what is around them.

Wake up their brains, and get them thinking for themselves and researching ideas so they don't come out thinking all the same way.

And just a small one...

I think they should be outdoors more !! learning from experiences

Internet, internet safety, cyber-bullying, social networking, living in the real world not just on the internet, being your own person.

ohhhh good one bibbitybobbiyhat - Yes, living in the real world, my dd I think finds it really hard to be her own person, she follows - and it is only when we go away to Cornwall in the middle of nowhere do we see the real her back and it is so nice.

"French useful in Africa, and most of Europe. If people can't speak English, they will normally have some French."

Not really in my experience. Most German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Scandinavian, Portuguese, Eastern European countries' schoolchildren learn English as a first foreign language. And often German is taught as a second language.

After English I think Spanish or German are the most useful. For subjects like Music or Sciencs German is quite relevant. Also spoken not only in Germany but also Austria and parts of Switzerland.

In summary, I think French is completely over-rated in the UK. I think Spanish, German and possibly (longer term) Mandarin are the most useful languages to learn.

I also think Latin is a wonderful basis for any latin based language.

I think Latin is a good idea because it encompasses an entire past culture - the art, literature, language and culture of that civilisation. It gives people more of a sense of the past than History does. I am sure that a subject could be devised for another culture that could do the same, but Ancient Greece and Rome are particularly important in Western culture.

I also think RE should be subsumed within the teaching of Philosophy and Anthropology. Having said that I like the new exam board choice of Religion and Expressive Art; it gets pupils to think about the meaning of art, architecture etc rather than teaching kids about world religions as some sort of watered down version of teaching equality and diversity. Unfortunately many schools will not choose that particular exam board option.

I think there needs to be a lot more focus on functional literacy and numeracy. I would also make a lot of subjects more skills based - textiles more about sewing, food tech more about cooking, Art more about basic craft skills and technique and so on.

I would ban schools from making any non academic subject compulsory at GCSE.

Many schools teach philosophy I've taught it in reception and nursery
p4c.com/

Apart from the 3Rs there is nothing taught in school (below the age of 16) that is of any use to anyone

Subject choices are mainly irrelevant

Skills, Attitudes, Capacity to learn and to adapt ... these are what need to be taught

Nonsense. I did French to O level - it is just about enough to communicate in and I'm suprised how much of it I've remembered.

I don't think you could get through science A levels without a decent grounding before them.

I did not do French at school but can communicate at a reasonable level

Science builds on knowledge, sure, but there is not a massive amount of essential knowledge at school level

The lessons that I think would most benefit children would be:

'How Your Thoughts works', 'How To Handle Finances', 'How To Invest Money For Financial Security,' 'How To Be A Parent', 'How To Create Good Relationships' and 'How To Create and Maintain Self-Esteem and Self-Worth'.

Can you imagine what a whole generation of adults would be like if they had been taught these subjects in school along with their regular lessons?

The main problems even graduate employers find is poor written and spoken English and maths. Ability to write essays, marshall thoughts etc.

Secondly it is good to know about the past and the world around us - so history and geography are good GCSEs to have with your maths, english lit and lang.

Thirdly we need more engineers etc so 2 or 3 sciences are good.

Fourthly it is good to have a language or two and to make that compulsory for GCSE because they are hard and means the child actually has to do some work and memorise things.

There we haev 8 or so subjects your traditional GCSEs which most of the brighter children will do and indeed was wtih RE the school certificate in the 1940s.

Rachel234 sorry for complete & utter hijack, but can you or someone list good reasons to study Latin? y5 DD has been selected to study it over 10 sessions & I think she should, but not really sure why... and she is saying (insert whiny voice here) "I don't want to"... feel like helping me convince her?

My mum learned Latin 40 years ago. never did anything with it since.

BUT, whenever she is in Italy, or Spain or Latin America (where my brother moved so she visits a bit) she gets by really well, thanks to her Latin!

it also helped her to learn French quickly.

Reading, Writing, Arithmetic as standard and to a competent level.

For those who may not have the advantages of others: please, thank you, how to walk along a pavement in a civilised fashion, to smile and say good morning, to be helpful, to work hard, to be presentable, to be kind, to think of others, the dangers of illegal substances, the fact that there can be a decent life for them if they are prepared to engage with society.

For the academically clever: three sciences, French, Spanish, Latin, Mandarin, etc.

For the non academic: more practical things and possibly things that reinforce marketable administration and practical skills with a greater emphasis on vocational training that is not provided at the expense of the basics.

For all - and my son's academic school has done this - touch typing which is a godsend in our academic world. Far more helpful than all the design and technology in the world.

Optional subjects IMO should be: PE, art, design and technology, music, etc.. I would love to see more emphasis on things that require academic rigour. I find it very sad that my daughter at a comprehensive (from which we have now moved her) spent hours on what I would call the "hobby" subjects yet the mathematics teaching for her class (top set) was so poor I had to engage a private tutor.

I haven't read all the posts, but I think a course in self-esteem enhancement would suit all kids. Teachers too for that matter.

Perhaps if it was part of the curriculum we wouldn't have so much negative body image in pre-puberty girls or so much gang culture in boys.

Have only just come on this thread but would like to say most people will need to know how to manage a bank account.
Don't think this is included specifically in GCSE Maths.

childofisis You can't teach self esteem IMO. It comes from your life experiences/ role models/parents

But you can support the development of self esteem through your teaching

I would like to see Maths split into pure and applied from year 7 and Arithmetic to be taught in primary schools until it's set in stone. I'd like to lose the concept of "jimmy has 5 oranges and gives one to Eric. How many oranges does Jimmy have?". I think it's confusing and unnecessary at a young age.

Opening a bank account, shouldn't need to be taught in schools. It's a parental job. The state should not have to parent by proxy. If a family has no idea about how to teach basic life skills then the family should attend compulsory parenting classes.