Life Skills Opportunities: Driver’s Ed
With four years of schooling that consists of four English classes, three science, three history, two language, and two electives, LAUSD leaves little flexibility to include electives that focus of real-world applications of skills that will help students after graduation. So far, our parents are the ones to teach us how to pay taxes, cook, and drive. These topics should be brought up in school just in case students do not know how to do these things.
When school is based on letter grades and not knowledge, there is a discrepancy between what students know and what they need to know before they enter college. It can be difficult for students when they are just entering the world after high school. It is very challenging to live on your own. Students need to be prepared for that, but when we are taking classes (that we forget over summer) it’s a waste of time.
If a student wants to major in chemistry or math, let them take the subject. But for those who want to take business or arts, then schools should add that on to their other class requirements. I would like Taft to add classes like these to the program because it would allow students to be more prepared when entering college and take their chosen class without too much exertion.
Taft should offer Drivers Ed because all students who have to take their permit test currently have to study on their own. This could be stressful for them because studying for a permit takes time on top of their other subjects. If we could put a driving class in school there would be safer drivers on the road and fewer tickets. Over half of all teenagers get in a car wreck in their first year of driving, usually due to being distracted.
No student will be able to avoid taxes once they join the workforce, therefore, schools should teach us how to pay them. Schools should be able to train us how to pay different types of taxes and teach what the government does with your money. This is very important because every citizen and non-citizen in the United States must pay taxes, whether its property tax, payroll tax, income tax, consumption tax, etc. A class for paying and receiving taxes should be mandatory to all students, especially seniors.
Schools should be more open to student decisions rather than scheduling them to a certain class. The main question is, should we make schools harder? Not necessarily, but at the same time, students need to be prepared for college. The main goal of all schools is to teach and give you an education.
“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
Tom Binford • Mar 4, 2019 at 12:02 pm
I agree that classes offered in school should be shaped towards the interests of students while also meeting their needs for education, but I think some consideration for smaller schools is necessary. In schools with students only in the hundreds, teachers’ schedules may be stretched already without offering a multitude of classes for students’ individual wishes. Possible solutions may include larger but fewer schools or schools separated by the types of classes they offer.
Dante Corona-Briceno • Mar 4, 2019 at 9:21 am
I strongly agree with this article. The electives offered at Taft, while diverse, are mostly “fun” electives meant to take up empty periods or to provide a small break in the school day. Electives that taught useful life skills would be a massive help for students headed to college.
Ben Hebner • Mar 4, 2019 at 8:20 am
I strongly agree with this article because I am looking to get my permit soon, but taking the required classes will be difficult with my busy schedule. If Taft offered Driver’s Ed, I could take those classes while at school and I could focus on them more.
Nathan kerr • Mar 4, 2019 at 8:08 am
I agree with everything said in this article. I especially agree with the parts about having drivers ed classes during school and classes that teach us how to due taxes. This article speaks for the students, good job.
Michele Dean • Jan 11, 2019 at 2:18 pm
Very good article! Speaks the truth!!!!
Jordan Eskayo • Dec 12, 2018 at 5:31 pm
I think it is true that we should get taught driving,buisness, and more real life traits for the real world and not saying that science and other classes are not important just not as important as getting the real world money making help to succeed in life.