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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. –Nelson Mandela
The Classic Educational System
The educational system is comprised of foundational courses, teaching methods and curriculum which have not drastically changed over the years. Although there are yearly curriculum adjustments for courses in terms of content and assessments, there are still many important core courses missing in the standard educational system. The world and workforce have changed and evolved exponentially since our parents and grandparents attended school. Careers, lifestyles, and societies change regularly, thus it is important for the educational system to be modified in order to adapt to the changing workforce.
It is crucial for the educational system to revitalize its core courses based on the future instead of the past. This is due to the fact that many core lessons and skills that were relevant and necessary when our parents were in school may no longer be applicable in today’s society due to technological advancements and societal progress. Therefore, focussing students on classic curriculum content such as Shakespeare is not as beneficial, impactful or relevant in today’s society. This is due to the fact that the whole point of the education system is to develop and teach students foundational skills they can utilize in the workforce. Therefore, after personally experiencing the educational system first hand, I believe that the following courses should be required for all students to complete. These courses should be just as important as math and science as they will help students acquire fundamental life skills while creating the leaders of tomorrow. Thus, the following four courses will help modernize the dated educational system for future generations.
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Financial literacy
Financial literacy should be a course in high school as it will help set students up for success when they start making an income. In a lot of cases, I feel many people don’t understand how to budget and invest when they start making an income. Financial literacy can help students develop a greater understanding regarding knowledgeable budgeting, money management, secondary income development and saving money. Money management is a life skill that everyone will utilize in their future whether they are part of the lower class or upper class.
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Programming
We are now in the age of technology and the technology we utilize is constantly improving thus programming is a growing industry. I believe that programming should be a fundamental skill like math or science, as it has both complexity and relevance applicable to daily life. Programming is one of the most powerful tools students can learn because they can learn to solve problems and create something from nothing. Furthermore, with the increase of online usage and the constant innovations in the internet of things (IOT), it is important to develop students for the new age workforce. This due to the fact that as the internet and technology continue to develop, many careers will no longer be relevant. But programming will be the foundational knowledge required in order to work in many new careers being developed. In addition, simply giving students the opportunity to take a single programming class could inspire them to learn on their own time and create their own projects.
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Personal Growth (Self-Awareness)
Personal growth should be a class in both elementary school and high school in order to help students develop on their personal journeys. This course should be comprised of personal growth lessons in breathing, meditation, mastery, learning, speed reading, memory, and relevant life skills. I believe personal growth can help create self-awareness for students and change their lives forever. For example, by teaching the Whim Hoff Method of breathing, students could take a simple life skill and reduce their stress levels without taking medicine. Furthermore, by teaching Tim Ferris’ or Kwik Learning’s speed reading curriculum students can reduce the duration of time they spend reading with increased retention. Thus, by teaching personal growth in terms of skills and learning, students can possess a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset. This will help students achieve their goals and develop as individuals while reducing the effects of negative peer pressure and criticism.
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Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship should be a required fundamental class taught in elementary school and high school. This is because entrepreneurship improves creativity, forces the practice of a variety of skills and empowers creators. By teaching entrepreneurship, students can learn to start a business and gain experience in launching a real business. This will help students understand how a business operates, inspire them to start their own and help students find their path into business at an earlier age. A simple new venture project could give students the experience they need in order to have the confidence and foundation required to start their own business. Furthermore, entrepreneurship is important for society and the economy as it increases jobs increases innovation and improves the standard of living.
The Modernization of The Educational System
Therefore, the educational system needs to be modernized including courses that are more applicable and relevant in today’s society. I personally wish I had the opportunity to take these courses throughout my own educational journey for two reasons. If I took these classes earlier in my educational journey I would have started learning about my passions earlier and I wouldn’t have to learn basic life skills on my own time. Furthermore, I feel these four courses can not only have a positive impact on society but it can help improve the lives of future generations in terms of health, wealth, happiness and career satisfaction.
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