There are certain classes that need to be offered in high school for the betterment of all students and they have nothing to do with subjects currently covered.
Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you realize there are not enough courses offered for students in high school that will help them succeed in real life.
What good is knowing how to do complicated equations if you can’t even balance your bank statement?
I’m not saying Geometry and World History are not important.
But there need to be additional classes that will educate students on how to manage their adult life once they are finished with high school and college.
Parents are not always going to be there to bail their children out.
And while many of these life skills should be taught by parents, somehow they just never get around to it in many circumstances.
Here are five life skills classes that should be mandatory for all high school students.
General Finance
I had a course in high school that was called Economics, but it talked very little about managing personal finances.
If there was a general finance class, this might be the most important class that could be offered in high school.
For instance, politicians are having a field day discussing how student loans need to be reduced or eliminated entirely.
But here’s the thing: Nothing is free in this world.
If they aren’t paying for it, then the rest of us are with higher taxes.
Finance 101 could discuss bank accounts, investment accounts, how to manage a budget, how to avoid credit card usage, and personal financial responsibility.
Maybe this would help stop students from choosing $50,000 a year colleges and look for less expensive alternatives.
After all, would you rather have a $200,000 loan to pay off after graduating from college or be able to afford a place to live?
Health and Fitness
I realize that you are probably saying at this moment that high schools do offer Health classes and most have PE every single day.
This is true.
But obviously, we need to do more.
About two-thirds of adults are either overweight or obese in the United Kingdom.
Plus, more and more, young children are becoming obese as well and it will probably stick with them through a lifetime.
Positive body image is one thing, but gluttony is quite another.
Obesity brings on a variety of health problems that are affecting everyone as our health insurance premiums continue to rise higher simply because we overeat.
A mandatory course every year teaching fitness and nutrition to students of all ages should seriously be considered.
I don’t mind being one of the last people in the world to look good in my bathing suit, but it shouldn’t come down to that.
Simple Home Repair and Renovation
With HGTV being so popular, I am surprised that this is not already a class in high schools across America.
If you have ever worked with a contractor or repairman of any sort, you realize that most of the time you are at their mercy.
They charge you an obscene amount of money for simple fixes.
Most home repair and renovation can be handled without having to contact someone that is charging $50 an hour.
With a little education, a person can easily fix leaky pipes, lay down flooring, hang drywall, paint, change out fixtures, tile the shower, and install cabinets without needing to rely on anyone else.
Job Preparedness
Back in the day, every young adult would speak with respect to their elders regardless of who they were speaking with.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the norm anymore.
High school students need to be educated on how to behave during job interviews and at their place of work once they are hired.
In addition, the class could demonstrate how to create a quality resume and ways to make themselves stand out from the rest of the applicants in a positive manner.
Vehicle Maintenance
I’ll admit it for everyone to hear.
I don’t know how to change the oil in my car.
I can add oil no problem.
But changing the filter and draining the old oil out has never been taught to me.
Plus, I can pay $20 and have it done for me.
However, I wish I knew how to do more vehicle maintenance than I currently do.
I have encountered young adults that do not even realize how to properly put air in their car tires.
They do not know how to change their oil either, replace windshield wipers, or know how to change a flat tire.
Even if this class was only nine weeks long, it is better than nothing.
Make this class mandatory for all sophomores in high school since they will more than likely be receiving their license right around this same time.
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