There are many things not taught in school but should be frequently discussed. Some may argue that these lessons should be taught at home, and I agree. But they aren’t generally taught there either.
Getting these concepts into schools is the only way to assure that all students receive this information… particularly children from broken homes or families where the parents are too busy to teach their children and hence rely on the school system for everything.
A single teacher may have a lifelong influence on a child’s life. Think back to your school days. I’m sure you had an excellent instructor (or several) who you remember to this day. On a normal school day, a youngster spends more time in class than at home… if napping is excluded (at home, not in class).
The time our child spends in school—the most formative years of his or her life—is priceless.
Read Also: Reasons Why You Should Work From Home
Article Road Map
Things They Don’t Teach You In School
1. Pick Joy
Life is demanding, and it is not without its difficulties. It’s easy to get pessimistic and believe that things will never improve.
However, you do not have to be discouraged by life’s difficulties. Teens should be encouraged to choose joy, to see the bright side of every circumstance, and to find a way to go forward rather than being stymied by negativity.
Happiness is not the same as joy. You may not always be joyful, but you may choose to see beyond your circumstances.
2. Allow yourself the freedom to take risks
What better time to take chances than as an adolescent or young adult with minimal responsibility?
Teens should be encouraged to skydive, go across the nation, take that crazy volunteer position halfway around the world, and make decisions on the spur of the moment. It can be more difficult to accomplish afterwards.
3. How to Defend Yourself
As teenagers develop freedom, they begin to stay out later at night, expand their social circle, and take greater risks. They may end up in risky circumstances as a result of their actions.
When kids get into difficulty, knowing basic self-defense techniques and having a plan for who to contact in an emergency can assist.
4. It’s All Right if You’re Not Cool
Many teenagers want to be a member of the cool crowd. They want to be accepted, to wear the latest styles, and to have a large number of friends. In order to do so, people frequently compromise their own wants and aspirations.
Teachers and parents should encourage kids to pursue what they enjoy and focus on what they want to accomplish, rather than doing things only to be hip. In the long term, they’ll be considerably happy.
5. A Boyfriend/Girlfriend Doesn’t Mean Everything
If you’ve ever been around a big group of teens, you’re aware of how much time they devote to youthful love. Many teenagers are preoccupied with finding someone to date, getting kissed for the first time, and impressing their significant other.
While some couples who meet in high school marry, the majority of marriages endure only a few months. Teens should be encouraged to devote the same time, energy, and passion into a meaningful cause instead of pouring so much time, energy, and passion into relationships. Become a volunteer.
Help others if you can. Begin your own business. Make a name for yourself. Don’t depend your self-esteem on your marital status.
6. Tipping Rules are not taught in school
Many waiters despise it when a group of teenagers or college students sits in their area since they are likely to leave a low tip.
Teens should be aware of tipping and how to compute a simple tip. Instead of walking into a restaurant with $20 and spending the entire amount on the meal, they should be taught to budget the tip into the amount they expect to spend so they don’t stiff the waiter, hairdresser, valet, or anybody else who deserves a tip.
7. How to Rent an Apartment and Connect Utilities
Many teenagers believe they would just move out when they turn eighteen, but when they look at the cost of an apartment, they find it is more expensive than they anticipated.
A decent math lesson for teenagers would be to sit down and calculate the typical cost of an apartment, furnishings, and all associated utilities. Water, power, gas, cable, and the internet are not free, and teens should be taught this.
They must be paid for by someone. More kids may be eager to remain home a bit longer or find a few roommates to help offset the cost of living on their own once they realize the expense of living on their own.
8. How to Make a Budget
With reason, financial experts such as Dave Ramsey promote the need of a monthly budget. A monthly budget enables a person to understand what is coming in and what is going out. It also motivates people to live within their financial limits.
Teens might begin budgeting as early as high school. When kids realize how much they spend on coffee, clothing, and fast food each month, they may begin to realize the worth of a dollar and begin to make changes to stretch their budget even farther.
9. How to Set Up and Manage a Checking Account
Teens and young adults are unlikely to perform monetary transactions for the remainder of their life. They’ll need to create a bank account and put money into it at some time.
When they do, they’ll need to know about any costs linked with the account, how to check the account balance, and how to account for any purchases.
They’ll also need to understand how to access funds in the account and learn not to make cheques or use their debit cards if the funds aren’t available.
10. Taxes are not taught in school
Taxes are difficult for the typical American to comprehend, but kids should have a fundamental knowledge of what they are. If they are paid $10 per hour, they will not be able to take home $10 per hour, and they will need to compensate for this.
High school math class is an excellent location to expose teenagers about sales tax, income tax, social security tax, and other taxes they may face in their lives, as well as how to file their taxes.
11. How to Survive a Depressing Job
The majority of people have had at least one disappointing job in their lives. Jobs, especially entry-level jobs, aren’t always fascinating. High schools do a terrific job of getting kids enthusiastic about working and earning money, but they don’t focus enough on the reality of working.
Teens must learn to grin while working, to focus on greater goals rather than the task at hand, and to stick it out at a job until something better comes along. Having money come in from a tedious job is preferable than having no money come in at all.
12. How to Use Social Media Correctly
It just takes one bad photo or internet tirade to damage a teen’s or young adult’s reputation or job. Teens who use privacy settings on social media have a false feeling of security. Schools and parents should warn teenagers and young adults that they never know who is watching what they do online.
They may believe that only their friends can see an improper post, but if a friend shares the post or informs someone else about it, it may soon be available to the entire globe. Inappropriate social media use has real-world implications.
Teens must ensure that when they publish online, they do it responsibly and with their future in mind. A half-naked duck lips stance may be trendy now, but an employer may not think so in five or 10 years.
Things I Never Learned In School.
13. How to Interact Professionally with Others
This includes being respectful and polite while speaking with your employer or clients, controlling your emotions, not gossiping, and presenting oneself in a favorable manner.
It also involves good business writing abilities and the ability to explain oneself over the phone or in a business e-mail. Remember to use a professional e-mail address as well.
When you enter the workforce, [email protected] is unlikely to impress many people.
14. How to Find employment.
A lot of career education in high school is geared on helping kids figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives, rather than getting a job to merely make ends meet.
Teens should be taught where to seek for employment, how to apply for employment, how to make a résumé, and how to interview for employment, even if they are only at a local fast food restaurant or large box shop.
They should also be educated how to recognize a scam. If a job involves no effort and offers thousands of dollars per month right out of high school, it is most likely too good to be true.
15. Negotiation skills are not taught in school
Negotiation skills are vital whether you’re purchasing a car, debating a new job’s wage, or making a huge choice for your firm.
Negotiating is more than merely making a demand and insisting that everyone accept it. It entails considering both sides and coming up with a logical solution.
Teachers may assist students develop negotiation skills by permitting some negotiating in the classroom, whether it’s defining the repercussions of a rule violation or deciding on a deadline for a huge assignment.
16. Realistic Goals Setting and Achievement are not taught in school
Schools urge students to create future objectives, but they frequently stop there. Instead of just telling them that they can be anything they want to be and pushing them to aim high, schools should encourage them to set realistic objectives and then assist them in developing strategies to achieve those objectives.
17. How to Deal with Failure and Rejection
As adults, we frequently try to protect our children from failure and rejection, but the truth is that these are inevitable parts of life.
High school is an excellent location to expose pupils to failure and rejection in a safe setting while also teaching them how to develop resilience so that they can bounce back and keep going forward.
18. How to Pay for College Without Taking Out Student Loans
Many youngsters desire to attend college but cannot afford it. High schools frequently assist students in applying for scholarships to cover a portion of the cost, with the expectation that federal aid and loans will pay the remainder.
Schools should take the time to talk to children about the necessity of picking a college that they can afford, working while in college, or even deferring college (if they aren’t sure what they want to major in) to help them save money.
A student may have her heart set on attending an Ivy League school despite the fact that her money only allows her to attend a state institution. Both will, in many situations, deliver a high-quality education.
19. The Fundamentals of Saving and Investing are not taught in school
Saving for retirement or even a rainy day isn’t at the top of most adolescent’s priority list, but it should be. Some high schools provide lessons in which students engage in a virtual stock market, but the investment should go beyond that.
Teach teenagers about mutual funds, 401ks, and the need of having some money set up for emergencies. Rather of wasting any excess money, kids may learn how to use it to their advantage in the future.
20. Obtain a Credit Card (and use it wisely)
Students will begin receiving credit card offers in the mail or being harried by folks encouraging them to sign up for a credit card the moment they reach the age of 18, if not sooner.
Teachers and parents should both spend time discussing the hazards and advantages of using credit cards with their pupils. Credit cards do not provide free money.
Collectors have the capacity to bring even more needless stress to their life if the payments are not paid.
21. Basic Automobile Maintenance.
Oil changes may be costly. Teens should learn how to replace a tire and do a simple oil change as part of a driver’s education course. They frequently observe someone else doing it, but this is insufficient. To truly learn how to do it, they must crawl beneath the car and get dirty.
22. How to Purchase a Car.
Purchasing a car is a significant investment. Teens are often preoccupied with having the latest model or the coolest elements without giving any thought to the expense.
Math class is an excellent location to teach kids about the fundamentals of purchasing a car, such as depreciation expenses, loan interest, and even the cost of petrol depending on a car’s normal MPG.
23. Household Chores are not taught in school
How many high school pupils are required to replace a light bulb? A chore as easy as changing a light bulb may not seem like a huge issue, but high school students should have the opportunity to do it. They should also acquire other skills, such as how to hang a picture, switch off the power, and unclog a drain.
24. How to Cook a Meal
Of all, if you want kids to adopt healthy habits, they must first master the fundamentals of cooking. Kids may not be able to compete in Chopped, but they should learn how to create a simple salad or pasta meal and handle a range of kitchen equipment and tools.
Unfortunately, many high schools have eliminated home economics programs; nevertheless, parents may teach these skills at home, and instructors may be able to teach them through an after-school club.
25. Healthy Habits are not taught in school
This has been less of an issue as new programs have been implemented, however many of these programs focus on removing items from adolescent diets rather than teaching them good behaviors such as eating in moderation and exercising frequently.
Modeling healthy habits is the most effective strategy to teach teenagers good behaviors. Teach them that it’s ok to splurge once in a while, but that pizza and soda every day isn’t a good idea.
26. How to Use the Health-Care System.
To be sure, many people still struggle with this one. Parents still search healthcare providers and schedule visits for their children in high school.
While that is OK, the high school years are an excellent time to talk to kids about the healthcare process, explain why you picked a specific doctor, and even let them call and schedule an appointment for themselves on occasion.
Allow kids to participate in the process of paying for doctor appointments as well; otherwise, co-pays and deductibles may catch them off guard one day.
27. How to Take Care of Yourself.
Typically, in high school, students work themselves to exhaustion until they drop out. Then they have an emotional breakdown, take a few days off, and repeat the cycle. High school is an excellent age to begin educating pupils about self-care.
Teachers and parents may urge kids to listen to their bodies in order to avoid burnout, to take frequent breaks to relax, and to acquire appropriate stress management techniques. Many adults may benefit from learning that lesson as well.
28. Time Management Skills are not taught in school
Many high school kids find themselves hopping from one activity to the next while grownups assist them stay organized. It is not a huge problem if they miss a homework assignment or require an extra day to finish an assignment.
When they obtain a job or start juggling many classes in college, it becomes more of a problem. High school instructors and parents may assist educate high school students strong time management skills and hold them accountable for failing to manage their time efficiently.
This includes instructing pupils on how to prioritize tasks and make difficult decisions about what is most essential.
29. Basic Study Practices are not taught in school
Students in high school are frequently given review papers for important examinations and instructed what information to look up in the textbook, but few take the time to truly learn how to study. Study skills are essential in college.
More information is demanded of students than ever before, and they are expected to comprehend and remember it. The same is true whether they seek for a job or join the military, both of which require them to pass certification examinations.
Students who lack good study abilities are less likely to do well on those tests.
Conclusion
I’m not here to talk about how those parents should spend more time with their children; it is beyond your and my control.
However, we can advocate for some of these principles to be taught in schools, and if you are a teacher, you can begin incorporating some of these ideas into your classroom.
There are many wonderful teachers out there that push the envelope and accomplish things in novel ways. I’d love for those instructors to acquire some inspiration from this list.
Is there anything else you’d like to add to this list? While many of these lessons may not be taught in schools, parents and instructors may take the time to teach them to pupils in different ways so that they are better equipped to confront the world after high school.