Practical knowledge for HS students

"Well, it's technically not if you look at our state standards (the content/skills we MUST teach). Unfortunately, there are no such standards for parents. A shocking number of kids at our school have no responsible adult parent figure at home and some students are homeless. Teachers are their only link to upward mobility."

Well there is your answer...teach them to be responsible parents(if they choose to be parents).

polltard

[Phat Mack]

Teach them to critically read (or watch, or listen to) advertising. Have them read between the lines so they can understand what is being said by not being said. Have them create a few deceptive ads themselves--it'll make them more aware of technique.

Maybe you could even have them dissect some political speeches--but that could lead to trouble.

[midas]

Mike - The best advice I can give for your students is to meet regular role models who have left the inner city without a lottery ticket (sports, music, etc) and have been successful through brains and hard work. Bring these people into your class to talk to the kids.

Also, I think the worst ball and chain is to have a kid before you can can support yourself. But if you taught this in class you would probably be wacked.

[canis582]

Teaching them credit responsibility and how to recognize deceptive marketing would be my top two. The other one would be to teach them their fourth amendment rights, but I am not sure the dare officer would appreciate it if his future targets were aware of their rights.

[jaybee_70]

Remember the game of life? How the first spin determined your job and salary for the rest of the game? There is a similar game based on actual figures that shows how the math you take in school affects your education and job prospects in the future. You roll dice to see how much math you take in school, and then based on results move to job, college, family, etc. The whole class can play and talk about results. It is possible for example, for a high school drop out with little math skill to end up wealthy in the game but VERY unlikely. You could start class by playing this game, and locking people into different salary ranges. Then as you progress throughout the year teaching different topics (credit, housing, taxes, etc.) students can see how options differ based on various incomes.

Also, it is very important for young people to develop their voice, as well as critical thinking skills. Words like honor, integrity, honesty, trust loyalty, resposibility, and leadership are often used without students really understanding what they mean. Give students examples they can relate to and then have students work through their own definitions of these words. Have students look for examples to share with others from their own life. Put students to work writing and telling stories that are relevant to them. Anything you can do to get them thinking critically and developing their voice.

Good luck,
Joe

[cdxx]

explain to them why their parents are low-income losers.

[canis582]

[ QUOTE ]
Remember the game of life? How the first spin determined your job and salary for the rest of the game? There is a similar game based on actual figures that shows how the math you take in school affects your education and job prospects in the future. You roll dice to see how much math you take in school, and then based on results move to job, college, family, etc. The whole class can play and talk about results. It is possible for example, for a high school drop out with little math skill to end up wealthy in the game but VERY unlikely. You could start class by playing this game, and locking people into different salary ranges. Then as you progress throughout the year teaching different topics (credit, housing, taxes, etc.) students can see how options differ based on various incomes.

Also, it is very important for young people to develop their voice, as well as critical thinking skills. Words like honor, integrity, honesty, trust loyalty, resposibility, and leadership are often used without students really understanding what they mean. Give students examples they can relate to and then have students work through their own definitions of these words. Have students look for examples to share with others from their own life. Put students to work writing and telling stories that are relevant to them. Anything you can do to get them thinking critically and developing their voice.

Good luck,
Joe

[/ QUOTE ]

GREAT idea. You can use examples in the class and compare them.

"Tommy here learned integral calculus, so he gets to drive around the suburbs and decide which $250k house he wants...Mickey never learned algebra so he is tending bar looking for a $300/month apt in the slum."

Drill it into their heads that hard work sucks now, but tending bar for a living sucks even more. (no i do not tend bars)

[MikeNaked]

[ QUOTE ]
What's the over/under on percent of class that actually reads it?

[/ QUOTE ]

12%

[MikeNaked]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike - The best advice I can give for your students is to meet regular role models who have left the inner city without a lottery ticket (sports, music, etc) and have been successful through brains and hard work. Bring these people into your class to talk to the kids.


[/ QUOTE ]

Great idea - I will try to find some of these people. I also like the other poster's suggestion that I find a homeless person (or former homeless) and have them talk about their hardships.

[MikeNaked]

[ QUOTE ]
Teaching them credit responsibility and how to recognize deceptive marketing would be my top two. The other one would be to teach them their fourth amendment rights, but I am not sure the dare officer would appreciate it if his future targets were aware of their rights.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the suggestions. Media Literacy is actually taught in 9th grade English.

And we have no DARE officer, thank jebus. We have a homeless student advocate instead. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]