In real life there are things people need to know that are not taught in school settings such as: doing taxes, writing a check and even signing a name. Schools push students to have a certain number of credits to graduate, and most of those credits are not going to help people in their future careers. 

If someone is majoring in a core subject such as math, English, science or history, taking more in depth classes would be beneficial for them. However, majoring in something such as psychology, core classes are not needed as much. It should be required to take the bare minimum of the core classes, but someone furthering their education on the subject should be their own choice. Someone choosing their own classes to help further their education to support their future career should be a choice their freshman year of high school, and no classes should be off limits. 

I wish to pursue a career as a mental health technician.  In order to do that, I have to have an associates degree in psychology. I wanted to take the class titled “Introduction to Psychology” my freshman year but was unable to due to the fact the class was only open to juniors and seniors. Now in order to take that class, I have to wait until my junior year and hope there are enough seats. Starting high school, most students have their careers planned out, and all classes should be available to everyone.

Schools should teach students how to do their taxes, write a check and sign their name. Important parts of students’ and adults’ everyday lives are not taught anymore.

When I was in third grade at Bellwood Antis Elementary, we were taught a little bit of cursive writing, but not enough to sign our names. I still currently do not know how to sign my name correctly. I mostly write my name and connect the letters together due to the fact I was not taught how to sign correctly.

Taxes are an important part of every adult’s life. Doing them wrong could cause someone to go to jail for tax fraud. It’s crucial that students learn how to file their taxes correctly, so they don’t jeopardize their lives. 

Writing a check is an occasion that can happen often in an adult’s life. Knowing how to fill it out is important to assure that everyone is giving the correct amount of money. An error can cause the amount to be incorrect and consequences may occur. 

Teaching students about their credit score would also be beneficial in the students’ adulthood. Along with that would be applying for a credit card. A person’s credit score affects their ability to get loans, credit cards, to buy a house, buying a car and many other things. Schools should inform students about the effects of having a bad credit score, and how they can maintain a good score. 

After high school students will probably start thinking about moving out of their parents’ houses and renting an apartment or house. There are a lot of steps into renting an apartment. Looking to see what can be afforded, putting down payments on the place, figuring out rent, the cost of utilities and more. 

Finding a job is also a struggle because schools don’t spend a lot of time showing students how to fill out a resume or a job application. The first time filling out an application can be very stressful for whoever is filling it out. Being stressed while trying to fill it out could cause the person who is filling it out to make mistakes. 

Financial planning is another important topic. Managing money to make sure the correct amount is being saved, and assure no one is going into debt. Going into debt might cause loans to be taken out in the future, and then possibly having to put on a payment plan to pay it back. That doesn’t include interest as well. 

Communication skills are very crucial in everyone’s life. Being able to communicate feelings, wants, needs and anything that needs to be fulfilled is the secret to success. Schools don’t focus on teaching students how to communicate. Instead they focus on making them communicate, and most of the time, in front of the whole class. 

Sexual Education is another topic that should be taught in school. Informing students about sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy and protection is important. Teens should be informed about the risks of getting pregnant at a young age. Students should also be informed about how harmful an STD can be and how they can be transmitted. 

Students should be informed about what happens in the real world and the consequences of some of their actions. Schools should focus more on helping students both with real world problems, rather than pushing academics onto them.