Imagine this: You graduate from high school, diploma in hand, ready to take on the world. But as you step into adulthood, you quickly realize that the education system left out some critical lessons—lessons that would have made your transition into the real world a lot smoother. Why aren’t we teaching our kids the things they actually need to know to thrive in life?
The Lessons They Don’t Teach: How Schools Are Failing Students in Real-World Preparation
Our schools are decent at teaching algebra, history, English and literature, but when it comes to real-world skills, there’s a glaring gap. Students leave the classroom without knowing how to manage their finances, take care of their mental health, or even jumpstart a car.
Some could argue that these skills are more important than most of the things taught in high school. Outside of Math and English… what’s more important than knowing basic adult life skills? I would submit to you that nothing is more important to learn in school for someone just starting out life as a grown-up. Their parent(s) should be also teaching things in the home, but these days—you can’t rely on that to be occurring.
Let’s dive into the top things that should be taught in school—but aren’t—and why integrating these topics into the curriculum could revolutionize the way we prepare students for life beyond the classroom.
Financial Literacy: The Missing Piece in Every Education
Managing money isn’t just about knowing how to add and subtract. It’s about understanding how to budget, handle credit, calculate interest, and plan for the future. Yet, too many young adults find themselves drowning in debt or living paycheck to paycheck because they never learned the basics of financial literacy. Schools should be equipping students with the knowledge to navigate loans, credit cards, retirement planning, and savings, helping them build a secure financial future.
Pro Tip: Teach teens about the dangers of debt, how to manage it, and the power of compound interest. Understanding these concepts early can change the trajectory of their financial lives. Also, teach them the concept of investing and how the earlier you start—the better it is.
Emotional Intelligence: The Foundation for Healthy Relationships
Emotional intelligence is more than just a buzzword—it’s a critical skill that can determine the quality of your relationships, career, and overall happiness. Despite its importance, emotional intelligence isn’t a focus in most schools. Students should be taught how to recognize and manage their emotions, develop empathy, and build strong interpersonal relationships. These skills are not just for social success; they are essential for mental health and well-being.
The lack of emotional IQ is getting worse these days with so many people being stuck to their screens, they rarely develop the same type of empathy, awareness and such for/with other people that the generations who didn’t grow up with a phone have.
When you don’t see the power and damage that your words can cause on someone else’s face or from their real-time live reaction… you don’t fully understand how you can affect others with your words and actions.
Personal Insight: When I was growing up… there were consequences when talking sh*t. If you said something to the wrong person – you run the risk of getting punched in the mouth. Nowadays, people are saying all sorts of crazy-talk online without repercussions. At some point, that is going to manifest into them saying something to the wrong person or just breaking relationships – with co-workers, friend and lovers… because they say dopey hurtful things.
Media and Information Literacy: Navigating the Digital Age
In today’s information-saturated world, knowing how to critically evaluate sources, discern credible information, and protect oneself from misinformation is essential. Schools should be teaching students how to navigate the media landscape, understand the biases that come with it, and safeguard themselves from scams and misinformation. This knowledge is crucial in an era where “fake news” and online scams are rampant.
Fact: A 2020 study found that 65% of adults have encountered fake news online. I would say that the number is closer to 100% in 2024. Teaching students how to spot it early on can empower them to make informed decisions in a digital world.
Basic Life Skills: The Essentials of Independent Living
Cooking, cleaning, basic repairs, and childcare—these are the day-to-day tasks that everyone will face, yet they’re often overlooked in school curriculums. Incorporating practical life skills into the education system would prepare students for independent living. These are the skills that will ensure they can take care of themselves and their homes, regardless of their career path.
Tip: Schools could offer workshops or electives that teach these skills, making it a fun and interactive part of the curriculum.
Social Skills and Conflict Resolution: The Keys to Collaboration
Effective communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution are crucial for both personal and professional success. Unfortunately, these skills are often learned the hard way—through trial and error—after graduation. Schools should be teaching students how to handle disputes and work collaboratively, giving them the tools to succeed in any social environment.
However, we must also teach people to accept critical comments and know how to deal with things. In this participation-trophy everyone thinks the other person is a bully society that we live in… any tough comments are considered “bullying” which oftentimes it is not.
People need to learn how to give their critical input and accept it in return… and how to sort through things and decide what they should hold on to and what they can respectfully discard. They need to learn that throwing a temper-tantrum isn’t the right thing to do… and lashing out due to frustration is also bad form.
Advice: Role-playing scenarios in classrooms can help students practice these skills in a safe, supportive environment.
Health and Nutrition: Building a Foundation for Wellness
Understanding nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can prevent numerous health issues, yet many students leave school without a basic understanding of how to take care of their bodies. Schools could benefit from incorporating lessons on preparing healthy meals, understanding dietary needs, and the importance of physical activity. This knowledge is vital for long-term health and well-being.
In the wacky world of the 21st century, it’s sometimes considered fat shaming if you suggest someone should eat healthier or reduce their weight. Everyone seems to have a thyroid problem or “big-boned” when in reality… and it’s irrefutable… and it’s well-documented… if you are overweight… you will eventually suffer the health consequences from it. I understand that folks shouldn’t be mean-spirited about someone being chunky, fat or even obese but lets not play pretend and act like that’s healthy… it’s not.
When you combine the faulty mentality that a lot of Americans have with the access to unhealthy food… and the focus on appearances… it leads to a very disastrous situation. Go look at a picture taken at some well-populated mainstream touristy boardwalk at the beach in the 1970’s… and go look at a picture of the same scenario in 2024… see a difference? You would be hard pressed to find a fat person in that old pic… meanwhile, you would be hard pressed to find more than a handful of an in-shape person in the 2024 image.
Fact: Research shows that students who eat a balanced diet are more likely to perform well academically. Nutrition education and being health-conscious could have a direct impact on students’ success and health in school and beyond.
Civic Education and Critical Thinking: Empowering Informed Citizens
Teaching students about their rights and responsibilities as citizens, as well as fostering critical thinking skills, can help them become informed and active participants in society. Schools should prioritize civic education, ensuring that students understand how government works, how to engage in civil discourse, and how to think critically about the issues that affect their communities.
Call to Action: Encourage your local schools to integrate civic education into their curricula. It’s an investment in the future of our democracy.
Mental Health Awareness: Creating a Supportive Environment
Mental health is often stigmatized and overlooked, but it’s a critical component of overall well-being. Schools should address mental health openly, providing resources for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. By creating a supportive environment, schools can help students develop resilience and cope with life’s challenges.
On the tame token… people shouldn’t unnecessarily or excessively coddle others or allow them to use mental health to get them out of a tough situation. There is a difference between having a legit mental health issue and just being lazy, soft and/or a jackass.
There is a fine line that people need to be taught that unlike a broken leg, you can’t always see mental health issues at work prior to them manifesting… and it’s OK to seek and get help for any mental health issues but you also need to try to work through things as well.
Tip: Schools could partner with mental health professionals to provide workshops and resources for students, making mental health education a priority.
Digital and Social Media Literacy: Safe and Responsible Online Behavior
With the pervasive use of social media, students need to understand online safety, privacy, and the potential impacts of their digital footprints. Schools should teach students how to navigate social media responsibly, protect their privacy, and understand the long-term consequences of their online actions.
Advice: Incorporate lessons on digital citizenship into existing technology classes, ensuring that students are prepared for the digital world.
Career Preparation: The Road to Success
Finding and securing a job requires more than just a resume and interview skills. Schools should teach practical career preparation, including how to navigate different career paths, such as college, trade school, and the military. Understanding these options and how to prepare for them is crucial for post-school success.
Fact: A 2021 survey found that 47% of college graduates felt unprepared for the job market. Career preparation should start in high school to bridge this gap.
How to Change a Tire and Other Basic Car Maintenance Skills
It might sound simple, but knowing how to change a tire, jumpstart a car, put gas in your car, maintain your vehicle and checking the oil (and other fluids in your car) are essential skills for anyone who drives. Schools should teach these basic car maintenance skills as part of a comprehensive life skills curriculum. This knowledge can save time, money, and even lives in emergency situations.
Tip: A hands-on workshop could be an effective way to teach these skills, making sure students are prepared for real-life scenarios.
A Solution to a Broken System
Beyond the Classroom: Preparing Students for Real-World Success
Integrating these topics into school curricula could better prepare students for the complexities of adult life and contribute to their overall well-being and success. These skills should be introduced in the freshman year, built upon in the sophomore and junior years and focused on in the senior year, right before teens go out into the world. Even if it’s just one course per school year… it would work wonders for these students. I think it should be a mandatory course each semester… even if it’s just once a week.
The kids will use the skills above way more often than they will reading about Shakespeare or learning about European history in the 1700’s or whatever other courses are taking up time so the skills above can’t be taught. I have nothing against learning those other things as well, but not at the expense of essential life skills. All it does is make life harder than it should be.
Teachers should present this information without political biases, focusing on common-sense, logic, and fact-based education grounded in reality. They shouldn’t be forcing their own personal thoughts outside of the scope of the course to a captive audience… they need to “stick to a script” with the only goal of helping the kids so that they are better prepared once they graduate from high school. It should be taken as seriously by the school, teachers and the students as any other class is.
I think another brilliant add-on to this is to bring in one of the parents who is a topic expert on the subject. If no parents are available for a particular subject, see if you can get a competent person from the community to help teach on a topic that they are an expert on. And have them come in for more than just a quick chat during one session. It should be an ongoing situation with them coming to the class often to help provide an expertise that the teacher probably wouldn’t have. Obviously, you would need to vet this person to make sure they are safe, competent and appropriate… and knows how to teach the skill at hand.
The question isn’t whether we can afford to teach these lessons in school; the real question is, can we afford not to?
