Schools spend much of their energy pushing students to excel in their necessary curriculars like calculus, chemistry, physics, history, etc., but schools don’t focus on teaching students skills that could actually benefit everyone in their lives. For example there should be classes offered to teach kids how to pay bills, pay taxes, open a bank account, do household chores, etc. Although schools are just trying to meet the requirements set for them to teach to students, it is up to schools to figure out a way to incorporate classes in which kids learn how to prepare for their adult life.

In my opinion, schools should help their students focus more on what will prepare them for adulthood. Offering classes that will teach these life skills will prepare kids and ensure that they have knowledge on how to run a household in their future. There is currently a gap in education where kids should be learning skills that will prepare them for their lives after school otherwise kids will enter the real world with no real skills or knowledge of how to be independent.

Mathematics, English, and foreign languages are subjects that I feel are necessary because many people use math and language in their everyday lives. For example, someone will add prices up in their head while shopping or add things together when paying a bill. English and foreign languages are important because they teach basic communication skills with people of the same culture as well as different ones. However, schools should not force their students to learn science and history. While these are important topics to have a basic knowledge of, schools should not focus on these as much as they do currently because many people will not go into a career having to do with history, biology, chemistry, or physics. History, on the other hand, is important, but students are able to go on to the internet to find something out about the past if necessary.

I am not saying these subjects should be rid of entirely, but that they should not be as big of a focus in schools as they are currently because there is a need for more education in health, sex ed., bills, taxes, government, etc. All of these subjects will be necessary for everyone to learn in order to succeed in their adult life.

Adora Svitak, author of the article Does school prepare students for the real world? This teen speaker says no, focuses on a group of students that are discussing whether or not schools focus on the right things.

“If you had the opportunity to design a school from the ground up, how might its classes be different from classes in existing schools?

If I got to design my own school, the classes that students would take would be based on two main components: what students are interested in, and what students will need for their lives after graduating. Sometimes, there are classes that we don’t necessarily like but are required to take because they teach things that are needed out there in the real world, or provide a better basis for the rest of a child’s learning career. However, it is proven that when a child is enjoying the class, they are more likely to absorb the information. If there is a particular subject or teaching style that a student likes, that’s information to act on¨ said one student.

Many students agree that schools should focus their academics on the things that prepare us for adulthood. Many students at Ripon High also agree that schools should put their focus on something useful.

“Life skills are much more than what our studies teach us. We should have classes that teach us life skills like how to finance money,” junior Maci Herrin said.

People may argue that a health class or a Home Economics class are where we learn these skills, however, the topics we learn about in these classes teach us completely different things. The best option is to offer classes to seniors that will help them prepare for adulthood.

“I would like to see classes that teach us how to buy a house, pay bills, and apply for a job,” said junior Abby Harrell.

Having classes that help students prepare for adulthood allows them to feel more confident about basic adult skills when they graduate high school.