For openers, the three Rs, Reading ‘Riting and
‘Rithmetic. Once the kid can read he/she can
learn anything that is worth learning by simply reading.
Plus, reading is fun. Settling
down with a good book is a good time, IF the kid is fairly good at
reading. Writing is highly prized. Companies will hire people who can write
instruction sheets that customers can understand, advertising copy that sells
product, procedures for manufacturing that result in quality product, reports
to stock holders or government regulators.
There is more to writing than the Great American Novel.
Arithmetic is
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Even in this day of hand calculators I think
kids need to understand what is going on before the numbers displayed by the
calculators mean anything. They need to
know about borrow and carry and remainders.
They need to know about percents.
They need to know about fractions
and decimals. If they have any idea
about dong a STEM major in college, they need
algebra and trig in high school
Then they ought to
have at least one good course in US
history. It needs to be real US
history such as is found in Morrison and Commager, not Critical Race
Theory. In my day civics was part of US
history, but it would not hurt to have a separate civics course. In addition to teaching the division of the
federal government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches, it ought to teach
about the big state-small state compromises made back in 1789. Such as the Electoral College, constitutional
amendment procedures, and the bicameral legislature.
A wood shop
course. I still remember stuff from
middle school shop and I use it daily in my own shop. Perhaps Drivers Ed in high school.
When the kids get to
high school we would be better off if we required one course in chemistry, one
in physics, and one in biology of ALL students.
So much of modern life revolves around issues of science and technology
that the country would be well served if the new citizens had a high school
understanding of the sciences.
Things we should NOT
be teaching in public schools. Today’s
political issues. Stick with historical political issues. LGBQ and other issues related to sex and
gender are not appropriate. Perhaps a
single Sex Ed course that explains about pregnancy, how to avoid it until after
graduation, including contraception, and periods. No more.