What are they teaching kids these days?

[Brneyedgrl80]

Generation Gap, lol

But see this is view point of many people my age (or so I claim).

Vinvac, I don't know how old you are, but I'm going to assume baby boomer age (correct me if I'm wrong) and I'm sure baby boomers had things or did things that the previous generations saw as rude or unnecessary.

Between 1945 and 1965 the number of home phones increased to 93.6 million. Imagine all the baby boomers that were talking on the phone and their parents going nuts over it.

Back in the day, Radio and Hollywood had begun to break down regional barriers; TV accelearated the process. It was a great equalizer-and historian. Think of the American family as Lucy to Dick Van Dyke to Archie Bunker to Seinfeld to Raymond. Television defined the baby boomers and computers define generation x and y.

Of course not everyone wants to use ATMs or computers. They can be quite intimidating and strange for older generations. But not too many people my age and younger shy away from this stuff.

And I agree, manners are important and etiquette is very necessary, especially with cell phones. But every generation had to hear about manners (and the lack thereof) from the previous generation.

I'm not immune to critiquing the next generation. I don't think they have it as good as I did when I was kid. I see opportunities that I had that they won't. But they have tons of advantages that I wish I could of had when I was younger. There's always pros and cons to the next generation.

Also, as far as filling out checks, a person can fill them out while they are waiting in line and leave their signature and amount blank. There's not much danger to one's safety there.

I actually think checks are more dangerous than debit cards. It's the whole receiving them in the mail thing that gets me and then having to mail them out. Of course, I recognize the dangers of doing things online as well.

 

[jamman_98]

My 2 cents

First of all because of Standards Based Education and No Childs Behind Left. We teach standards not kids. As an educator for almost 20 years, kids have to know so much more and more of them is demanded. English, Math and Science have dominated courses. Home economics is fluff and not needed. What is interesting are those fluff couses like money management, home economics etc did have there purpose. But you know SAT scores are more important than life skills. Now after all that, our state legislators in SC have decided that basic money magament skills have to be taught as part of the social studies curriculum. Gee if we had had Home Economics for kids maybe we would not have a generation of kids in debt and financial crisis. INHO.

 

[Brneyedgrl80]

I found these two articles that hit close to home. I found them pretty interesting, especially the USA Today article about the work force.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2005-11-06-gen-y_x.htm

 

[Brneyedgrl80]

Here's the Other One...

Here's a general article.

http://www.merrillassociates.net/topic/2004/08/five-generational-differences-shaping-leadership/

 

[knitwits1975]

True enough about the computers. We need human companionship. On the other hand, without the internet, I'd have never met you people. I'd also still have no idea what a Frigidaire Rollermatic sounds like.

 

[frigilux]

cybervanr--- and by 'they', I take it you mean parents, since almost everything you listed should be learned at home from parents.

 

[Cybrvanr]

Yes, both parents and the schools. Kids spend a considerable time in school these days, and really don't seem to come home with much more new knowledge than the left with

 

[frigilux]

Well, then, let's save a lot of tax dollars and shut down the schools. If you truly believe kids are learning nothing, then what's the point in having them?

 

[toggleswitch]

Actually, the message I got from all of the above is that the schools are not baby-sitters. Parents MUST be the primary source of inspiration and attention, and source of daily living how-to information.

So there.

 

[mattywashboy]

i totally agree Toggle

Being a person who is in the education sector i get to see a lot of children who come to school with a dirty face, mussed up hair and unclean looking clothes and odd socks. These are HIGH school children, the first time i saw this i thought maybe it was a one off i mean we are not always on the ball on a monday morning. But when they came to school like that everyday i began to wonder. Of course it depends on the family at home, situations, issues etc but i still believe that children are not taught by some parents basic hygiene, its amazing the amount of kids who run out of the toilet without even rinsing their hands. It should not be up to the school to teach these children how to wash their hands but it seems like it is. Then when you meet the parents they are perfectly nice clean respectable people, then you look at the child and think what happened?? In terms of laundry, cookery and such in high school it is the students choice to learn about those things, needless to say, our INdependant Living and Home Ec classes are all female populated, all the men are out doing sport or metal work. I believe these classes should be made compulsary for all students in order for the guys to gain some basic knowlege of cookery, cleaning etc etc etc...

 

[toggleswitch]

HA!

In Intermediate school (AKA junior high school in my day),the BOYS were required to take cooking and sewing and the GIRLS shop.

I personally made a FABULOUS quiche and a leather & silk vest....while the others were still looking for the "ON" button. TE HE HE HE HE

I still rmeeber how to sew on a button, and that a perfectly running electric motor hums with a B-flat. Don't ask me how or why that useless factoid came-up in class.

 

[rayjay]

I graduated High School in 1969. The Home Ec classes were only offered to the girls. The shop classes were offered to the guys with the exception of Mechanical Drawing. (Boy am I dating myself!) I wish they would have offered to both genders. Luckily, I learned a lot of the cooking and baking from my mom and grandparents. Both grandma and grandpa loved to cook. I baked by first cake from scratch at 9 years old. Started helping my ill grandmother at the time doing the laundry and housework also. I think it is the parents fault for not training their children at an early age. I am also guilty of this with my 13 year old son. I am so used to doing things myself and wanting them done a certain way, that I failed to teach my son. It hit home last week, when I complained that the only thing he knew how to do was play video games. Well....he told me that I never showed him how to cook and that he was interested. Well, he is in for it now. Yesterday I had to bring my make ahead mashed potatoe dish to my moms. I told him to get up with me, and that we had to peel potatoes. He said: "Dad I know how to do that, I helped mom peel two(2) potatoes last week" Well, I laughed, and said: "Only two potatoes and you are considering yourself experienced" LOL. Maybe not the right thing to say, but he laughed. I told him we had to peel 5 lbs. SO... i will start show him how to use the stove. he does empty the dishwasher, and does help and times dust. But I agree, it is up to the parents to teach their kids the every day duties in life.

 

[DADoES]

Home Ec was opened for both genders right at the time I was in high school, but I didn't take it. That would have caused more trouble than it was worth. The only thing I could have gotten from it, which I wish I had, is sewing. I dunno how to do a button. :-(

 

[toggleswitch]

That is what the tailor is for.....

Remind me to show you at the Tucson, AZ wash-in.
No charge for nice guys like you.