I just found out I'm teaching Home Ec. this year to a class of mixed seniors. Can you help a girl out? Name some life skills you wish someone had taught you before graduating from high school. Aaaaaaand...go!!!
Anything having to do with banks, finance, retirement plans, life insurance, buying a home, buying a car...I was totally clueless about all this stuff, thank god for my husband's economic degree!
I wish I had known a little more about super basic cooking. Rice, chicken, spaghetti, easy stuff. Resumes, budgeting, and student loans are all things I wish I had more experience with when I left school!
OMG student loans for certain. Someone should teach you about that before you sign up for them. I'm pretty great with money now, but graduating high school I had no idea what adjustable interest rates were, nor compound interest. Maybe an accounting class would have helped. Haha
Lol! I have taught this for a while and everything the others have said is what I teach to a senior-only class! I have them plan for next year... Make it real and have them 'choose their career path, buy: insurance, get a loan, a car, apt, schooling, budgeting, meal planning etc' all connecting towards each other. Also always connect it to their life. Even if they 'don't know' what they're doing next year, make them choose either world of work or college and go from there... It is a lot of fun! I always do a home mgt unit at the end: clothing repair, button, ironing, laundry, meal prep etc! Good luck
Basic interviewing skills (clothes, body language, acceptable answers). I've been on a couple interview committees when hiring teachers, and I'm always surprised by what some think is acceptable to wear to an interview. Basic resume skills are crucial too. Personally, I wish I was taught how to use a sewing machine.
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how to safely and responsibly use the internet and social media. I teach at least one lesson every year to each of my classes and they are amazed at what can be found about someone on the internet. they really have NO CLUE.
How credit cards work, tax basics, loans, insurance. Cooking and baking basics. With cooking let them be creative and add spices themselves see what they come up with.
I definitely agree with the financial/insurance/big purchase stuff. I'd also like to add somethings that I WAS taught and wish more people were taught... general etiquette, resume building, a proper handshake (do NOT give me that dead fish handshake! EW!) and interviewing skills to be better prepared for the workforce.
This might sound like complete common sense but I wish I had learned to do laundry. My parents always did it for me, even through college! My parents thought they were helping me out but it really hurt me in adult life. My husband taught me a few years ago but sometimes I still do it wrong and have colors bleed all over each other. Basic stain removals would be great too (how to get blood or pen off of a shirt etc).
It is like the game of Life!!! In the beginning of class kids are hesitant... (My parents keep asking, etc) but by the end they always end up loving it!!! I especially love when students come back to tell me about how they were glad to know about interview practices, how to buy a car, leasing info for an apartment, etc. That's what it's all about
Re: NBR- life skills for high schoolers
Cooking basics
Buying a car or loans in general... Depending on where you live, buying a home may be a decade away for most.
Credit cards
Job application process and interview skills
How to take in / let out clothes.
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