1.
“I think stress reduction techniques in public schools weren’t ever even mentioned. Deep breathing, stretching, and meditation should have been taught or at least mentioned more often.”
2.
“As a high school teacher now, I know, regardless of how much I would’ve liked to learn financial literacy growing up, none of it would have made a difference in my life after high school. There’s only so much a teenager can learn to prepare for the future when their minds are in the immediate present. We now have financial literacy classes for students. No, they still don’t care and only take the class if they have crypto.”
3.
“Self care (hygiene, cooking, stress management, how to say no, time management, how to tell if you should go to ER or not, etc.).”
4.
“I wish they had expanded on their ‘cycle of abuse’ talk and told us what the fuck actually to DO if we find ourselves in that cycle. What do you do when you’ve given up important stuff in your life for someone who turns out to be abusive? What do you do when your options are being homeless or being abused?”
5.
“Social skills…some kids naturally catch on via observation, while others need blunt guidance. The basics of human nature. Reading unspoken social cues to determine one’s next steps. Being cooperative rather than combative and knowing how to be someone others want to be around (reducing creepy behavior). Many adults fail at life due to not recognizing the importance of authority, crossing boundaries, and just being sh*tty people that no one wants to be around, work with, or attach to. Also, many kids have clueless parents who won’t instill or model good prosocial behaviors.”
6.
“Another language. I hate how America is all about this is America speak English and then give you two crappy years in high school of a foreign language that does not teach you how to actually go out and speak the language, while other countries can speak multiple languages because they teach their children how to speak it starting at a young age.”
7.
“There should’ve been a course specifically about picking a major in college and how to apply to schools/scholarships.”
8.
“I’m a teacher and I teach them about breathing techniques, stretching, and the impact of meditation.”
9.
“The importance of fitness and nutrition, the value of learning how to fail, to be critical towards, and to always question figures of authority, and more critical thinking skills in general.”
12.
“(In response to elective offerings) Elective course offerings are dependent on the school district. In essence, middle-class and upper-income districts offer certain courses that will never be available in a poor or working-class school district.”
13.
“How to effectively communicate, listen, negotiate, and resolve conflict with other parties.”
14.
“Civics. Genuinely, just basic civics by anybody halfway competent. It was always coupled as civics/social studies and ‘taught’ by a football or basketball coach who just showed videos. I saw Dances with Wolves, Patton, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation instead of learning about basic civics. Growing up in rural Oklahoma was not cool.”
15.
“I wish there were more of a mentor program in school, especially for the young men. I think it would greatly benefit a lot of young men to become better, happier, and more fulfilled in their lives as they grow.”
17.
“Critical thinking. Too much of school is people learning facts or processes. Not how to think independently about process information.”
18.
“How to connect with people outside of playing weird games in a circle. They don’t teach you that you need to network to get anything done apart from doing the bidding of others.”
19.
“Actual life skills like how to write a check (which nobody knows anymore but still), pay taxes, save for retirement, home owning vs. renting, pensions, all that stuff. Nobody taught us any of this. It would be so helpful if someone taught us this.”
20.
“I wish I had learned to question things a lot more rather than going with the flow or assuming it’s all gospel. Also, how to take risks.”
23.
“It’s nice to hear that some schools are prioritizing things like emotional regulation. I agree, it would have been life-changing for me.”
24.
And finally, “Cooking. I don’t mean a whole class on how to make culinary masterpieces. Just simple shit like making tacos or hamburgers with just ground beef. I can’t believe how many people my age don’t know the first step to cook a meal.”
Is there something you really wish were taught in all schools? Drop a comment, or if you want to remain anonymous, fill out the form below!
