A major concern of mine is education.  Not just for children, but for everyone.  I believe that, as humans, we should all have a right to a good education.  In America, this opportunity for education is promised; however, we have fallen far from the mark.

Besides the fact that high school drop-out rates have skyrocketed, as well as the cost of college, schools also concern themselves more with tests than providing students with decent educations.  The issue that I want to address; though, is one that I have never heard discussed publicly with any seriousness.  That is the issue of, for lack of better phrasing, educational emphasis.

The Problem With School Subjects

I am the first person to discredit someone who, when discussing one of the four major subjects, complains that, “I’ll never use this in my life.”  I am a firm believer that all people should have a wide-spread education because it not only helps one understand the world as a whole, but it also can inform someone of what he/she wants to do in life.

The problem with putting an emphasis on the traditional math, science, history, and literature is that these do not teach applicable skills.  Without a doubt, most children in developed nations will eventually need to know how to find and apply for a job, how to stay healthy, how to buy and maintain a home, how to manage money, how to raise children, and how to build relationships with others, among many other things.

Though it is true that these areas are often seen as subjects which parents should educate their children on, not every child has the benefit of good, well-educated parents.  For students who do not learn these subjects at home, where are they to learn these life skills?  On television?  On the internet?  In a book?  What about children who don’t have access to these tools?

Leaving It To The Parents

I see a major flaw in simply leaving life-skills to be learned by chance, especially since there is no textbook for parenting either.  Not every parent knows how to handle and raise children.  Of course, there is no “right” way to raise a child, but there are certainly “wrong” ways.  Many adults who had no younger siblings or relatives, never worked with young children, and don’t have any friends with children find that their first long-term interaction with a child since elementary school is after their first son or daughter is born.  Shouldn’t they at the very least have an institution where they can get advice on child-care?  Shouldn’t the same be true for the above mentioned life skills?

Once again, I don’t think these subjects should replace the standard and vital subjects of math, science, literature, or history; although, I think there should be more variety in schooling.  Too little emphasis is placed on some of the most important skills a child can learn in life.