I look back on my high school years and can honestly say that It really didn't teach me anything that was really going to be important once I became a productive working adult that has bills to pay and a family to support.
Back in my school days, I wasn't the fastest learner and I didn't make all A's. I wasn't part of the honor society, I wasn't in gifted and telented, advanced placement courses or honors courses. I wasn't the student that raised their hand first for when ever the teacher asked a question. In fact I was usually not in favor of a lot of teachers, especially in my elementary school years, because it took me a little bit longer to learn things. I often made me feel shitty and dumb.
I look back on it all now and the things I used to beat myself up over and feel shitty about were pointless because none of it has anything to do with what I really needed to know as an adult making a living in the real world.
I had to figure out a lot of things out here on my own that I think should have been taught in high school instead of pythagoren theroms and the slope of Y intercept. The things that actually are going to matter when it comes to paying bills and making a living.
The things I feel need to be taught in High school and I wish that I had learned about:
Saving and Investing Money
This is probably the number one thing I would have liked to know about. Instead of just shoving going to college down their throats and racking up thosands of dollars of student loans, teach them what their options are for saving money. Teach them what an IRA and a certificate account is. Teach them how interest accumaulates on money that they put away into one of these accounts. This is such an important part of being a productive adult and why it is not taught absolutley baffles me.
How Medical Insurance Works
They aren't going to be covered by mom and dads plan forever, if their even covered at all. They need to be taught what the difference between and HMO and PPO is, what a co pay is, how to read a statement and what happens if your not covered and what Obama care is and how it works. It's all pretty complicated stuff thats actually pretty important to know about. I had to learn a lot of things about this the hard way like many adults do.
Your Credit and FICO Scores
It's safe to say that at some point everyone is going to have to finance a car, a house or take out a loan. I had no clue what my credit or FICO score was or why it was even important, but it decides whether or not you will save or pay more for a loan or if you even get the green light for it at all. It should be taught why it is important, where you can go to see what your credit score it is and how to raise it and keep it in good standing. I wish this was something that I learned about it high school.
I feel these are the most important things that a student should be taught in high school. I can imagine there are more things that are just as important. Please feel free to share.
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