Six Questions I've Asked This Week, and a Related Bit of Writing...
A few things to ponder at the end of the week. You can actually answer any of these questions by replying directly to this email - replies will go straight into my inbox, and I'll be sure to get back.
Just before the questions, a massive THANK YOU to those of you who have subscribed this week. This is a totally FREE newsletter. So, spread the word - it means a lot.
The Questions
Do we teach enough ‘stuff’ in school?
How could we teach more ‘stuff’ in school?
Also, related to ‘more stuff’, this Gabor Mate clip is fascinating - how could schools actually make this a thing?
How could we raise funding for every school to have its own cinema? (Imagine the benefits).
Can I successfully promote Teaching People without resorting to any other social media at all? (Started an Instagram but I’m no ‘instagrammer’, that’s for sure.)
Is it worth setting up a Linkedin for the sake of promoting Teaching People? (Wait, isn’t Linkedin social media?)
The Bit of Writing…
Over beers a couple of nights ago, a non-teaching mate of mine (always good to have those in order to remind yourself that there are some adults in the world whose year begins in January) commented that schools really ought to teach life skills. “Oh but we do!” I snapped, taking it personally.
But before I launched in to my trusted monologue on the virtues of literature, he laid out some specifics that seemed hard to argue with: first aid; taxes; simple car mechanics (as rudimentary as how to change a tyre); mortgages; cycling; swimming; and uploading social media content. I’m just joking. But the last one aside, I found the list hard to argue with.
And, on further reflection, I know my life would have been so much easier to navigate at 18 and 22 and 30 and, to be perfectly honest with you, right now, had I had a command of all those life skills.
Every student’s favourite mantra, ‘Why do we need to learn (X, Y, Z)?’ would become immediately redundant when this stuff is written on the objectives board.
And sure, some kids at some schools at some times may already learn some of those skills, but why leave it to chance?
Jeez, off the top of my head, I’m struggling to think of a way to justify their omission. What are we doing?!
Would they be best taught in the same slot – through, for example, PHSE/SPHE or extended form periods? Or would we be better allotting them to existing subjects?
I’m thinking the latter, and solidify their existence by putting them in the GCSEs too. A little less trig in maths exams in order to lock in some tax return knowledge? A first aid unit in biology? Sure, some of the allocations would be a little tenuous, but that’s a small price pay for increasing the next generation’s life knowledge, isn’t it?
There’s an awful lot to be said for equipping the population with a little more worldliness.
Now, which subject fancies adding ‘when to put the bins out’ to their schemes of work?
Have a great weekend. The next regular Teaching People newsletter will arrive in your inbox at 10am on Tuesday.
Cheers,
Jon
Oh - as mentioned - we’re on Instagram now too. Find us @teachingpeoplepodcast.
I think we ought to teach practical skills like cooking, cleaning, managing taxes (and maybe even avoiding them—just kidding - not!), self-employment, basic household budgeting, and swimming (because you never know when you might need it on a cruise).
We should teach how to pace yourself when drinking while still enjoying it, how to spot the difference between a good beef burger and a rubbish one, and how to use a keyboard correctly—seriously, so many people are going to end up with repetitive strain syndrome in their fingers.
Typing skills should be taught properly, like the typewriter techniques our parents learned—it would make a world of difference for keyboard use.
Financial literacy would have been a game-changer for me, but hey, I became a tutor and taught myself instead—go me!
We also need to teach how to exercise and eat correctly, not just play sports, and how to maintain a healthy weight for life.
These are the real-life essentials! Oh, I could go on and on—but I’ll save it for next time. Lovely to meet you. Nina here, signing off with a smile! 😊
Along these lines, we ask our student teachers to imagine Bridget Phillipson has asked them to open up and lead their own free school. We ask them to articulate what their curriculum would look like. Interestingly, a lot of them focus on those “life skills” over more traditional subject areas.