Comments on: Does school prepare students for the real world? This teen speaker says no https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/ Tue, 09 Jan 2018 04:31:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 By: Cassie https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-936825 Cassie Mon, 24 Apr 2017 01:54:00 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-936825 Life skills in high school’s could benefit a persons future once they graduate. High schools focus on many academic classes, which are important but what happens once they graduate? Teenagers are plunged into an adult world where accounting, banking, career searching and social events surround them everyday. So why aren’t teenagers given the opportunity to learn these skills while they’re in school? Many people think that it is the parents responsibilities, but with their jobs, parents don’t usually have the time to teach their children these important skills. Instead of replacing the school curriculum, incorporating these life skills into classes is a simple and easy change that could change students life. For example classes like math could include accounting or banking tips. There are many skills people are taught throughout their life and if those skills were taught in schools while they are free, teenagers may be more confident in their adult life.

]]> By: Kasper Eagan https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-930526 Kasper Eagan Wed, 15 Mar 2017 19:26:47 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-930526 It’s a great talk, Adora, I completely agree with you. As a former college tutor, I can say that the existing education system works with a purpose to give students lots of general knowledge which future employers are hardly seeking in graduates. There are different practical courses in students’ curriculums but it’s not enough. Here is a great infographic demonstrating employability level of top US universities: https://studentshare.net/content/top-us-colleges-employability-ranking-2017.
After graduation from universities, we get the graduates with strong theoretical knowledge but without a clue how to apply it in real life. Therefore, former students have to take various practical courses, which cost a lot of money. From this situation, suffer everybody: graduates’ parents, college tutors and students themselves.

]]> By: Jamie https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-917421 Jamie Thu, 06 Oct 2016 14:06:25 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-917421 I am a mother of four kids and I am back in school at age 43. I found this site while doing research on a paper that I am writing on this topic.
When I was in school we had classes like shop class, wood working, home economics, greenhouse, etc. I have used the skills that I learned almost my whole life. I know how to change my tires, change the oil in my car, cook, sew, put furniture together, paint, and grow my own veggie. Schools also taught a business math class that taught me how to balance my checkbook. It is so sad that kids today do not even know how to count change back because they are taught math skills today that they will NEVER use.
I helped my 10 year old with his math and his teacher marked it wrong, when I called her to ask her why she marked it wrong when they are the correct answers she said they have to mark it wrong because they are not showing their work the way they are being taught. Wait…WHAT????? They have the same answer but I showed my kid a way that he will understand and you mark it wrong because it is not the way you showed him?? Are they insane or what??? Just so sad. Well this mom has taught her boys how to work on their cars, my 6 year old cooks with me. They do chores and have manners, morals and values and I work a full time job and go to school. I would really like help through their school though. It would really be nice.

]]> By: Monica Chen https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-917389 Monica Chen Thu, 06 Oct 2016 05:30:46 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-917389 cuz haters gon hate

]]> By: Mom https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-915883 Mom Sat, 17 Sep 2016 00:50:59 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-915883 Compulsory Education will NEVER teach our kids everything they need to know. Home school, or what my son likes to call “Self-directed Education” is what will give him the skills to go on after high school (or age 18) whether he decides to go to college, serve a service mission, get a full time job or start a family. Sewing on a button used to me taught in Home Ec, but today, schools are required to teach to standards that are not even 21st century. Anyone can learn how to sew on a button, or cook a meal, preserve or can food, prepare for an emergency, or even make a homemade dress via the internet as we are in an information society. But would it hurt to bring back Home Ec? Not at all. However, because of the lame standards, you will still have to learn polynomials and the difference between a metamorphic rock and a sedimentary rock. Is this really helpful to today’s students? Well I suppose if they were to go into archeology? For example, instead of my 9th grader learning Earth Science, he is learning to code in java script. Instead of reading informational texts and writing essays about whether or not the author was clear, concise, and believable, he is writing his own novel and learning what it takes to get it published. The problem today is that we let someone in DC dictate what we learn and when. But we we can let ourselves direct what we want to learn and when, that’s when REAL learning takes place and not just memorization that you will forget once the test is over.

]]> By: Judith Arnold https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-915126 Judith Arnold Thu, 08 Sep 2016 20:32:58 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-915126 1. You are making the assumption that parents know those “real-life skills”. My parents didn’t know how to sew on a button, for example, and no one ever taught me. Confronted one day with a button that needed to be sewn on I made a horrible mess. Consequently I never tried to teach my own children how to do it because I did not know how myself. Now apply this idea to using credit responsibly, figuring out finance charges, cooking, changing the oil in a car, and other “real-life skills” and you’ll understand why my generation hasn’t taught our kids to do these things. Don’t ask the teachers, because they are my age and most of them don’t know either.

2. Your privilege is showing. At my income level and in my neighborhood we aren’t exactly bothered by sixteen-year-olds driving new Priuses straight off the lot. In my area it’s more like the sixteen-year-old is unable to get a job because his mom is working at the fast food restaurant in the evening and she needs him to babysit his younger siblings because she can’t afford to pay for childcare.

3. See number two. In my neighborhood you may find quite a few twenty or thirty somethings living with their parents. It’s not because they are spoiled. It’s because they are single parents and can’t afford a place on their own, and neither can grandma. They band together because they’re family. If they pool their income, they can afford an apartment. It won’t have enough bedrooms, because it never does, but it might be in a part of town where the neighborhood is a little safer or the schools are a little better.

]]> By: Monika Kumar https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-915040 Monika Kumar Wed, 07 Sep 2016 22:44:30 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-915040 Not a realistic article. Seems like collection of things from here and ther!! I don’t believe getting a job at 16 to pay for things they desire only thing that teaches responsibility
- it can easily steer kids away from respecting higher Ed because once they start to make money, they may not be as interested to go to higher school, parents shall support their children and guide them to focus on achieving more -To top it off values come from family – home – and surroundings not only from school!! There’s so much competition out there than it was before for kids.
Coming back to living with parents 20-34.. I feel that’s where society is going! So nice to have kids be able to save up after college to pay off student debt while working and living at home or just save up for future!! Need to Stop considering this as a bad thing..
– parents get them off to right start for adulthood while building bond by helping with household responsibilities! When kid is mature enough to realize and be able to help around the house with big chores — sigh!!That’s real life
No drum beats needed
Oh well that’s how I raised mine and would t change a thing !!
Open to other aspects and experiences though:)

]]> By: Lauren https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-900931 Lauren Mon, 22 Feb 2016 02:05:07 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-900931 Chalking more young adults living with their parents up to not having a real life education is lacking in real life experience. College tuition has gone up along with text books. You can’t work a summer job to pay for your college education anymore. This has also been the worst job market in recent history. After the housing collapse it’s much much harder to get a home loan, and rent in many places takes as much as two thirds of the average income of those living there. But, I can see how wanting to place the blame for lack of success solely these young adults as though they didn’t do/or weren’t taught the right things would be comforting to a high school student getting ready to face those same bleak prospects.
As for being handed things… like the mention of being given a car at 16… I have a problem with the notion you have to earn absolutely everything for yourself. Though it has be hammered into the lower and middle class that self sufficiency is everything the truth is 1) wealthy people are often started on that path by the help they receive from their wealthy parents and 2) in many ways the push to make everyone do everything on their own plays right into the over consumptive capitalism of today’s America

]]> By: Karen MacRae https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-900916 Karen MacRae Sun, 21 Feb 2016 23:55:19 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-900916 I agree completely with this young lady and also with the one in the previous comment about teaching students, basically, how to think. I see so much of this: students not having a clue where to start something or no clue when to jump in and help, compassion, and I could go on….
As for President of the United States, yes, she could out do Donald Trump, that’s for sure.

]]> By: Aaron Keohane https://blog.ed.ted.com/2015/08/25/does-school-prepare-students-for-the-real-world-this-teen-speaker-says-no/#comment-900910 Aaron Keohane Sun, 21 Feb 2016 21:13:45 +0000 http://blog.ed.ted.com/?p=5953#comment-900910 If you’re looking for a type of school that is based on what students are interested in, and what students will need for their lives after graduating. Check out the Sudbury School Model. Every student students what they want in a real life setting of democratic community.

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