As a student, do you remember the dread of the ‘back-to-school advertisements’ as they began to show up in August?.I do! My angst was my fun summer vacation was almost over, and we'd be going back to school soon with new books, pens, calculators, and clothes. Reconnecting with friends and acquaintances was always the best part as we continued to hone our social skills. But there was always the anticipation of new homeroom teachers with a fresh style of assignments that could cause evening and weekend anxiety..I wasn’t the best student in school, largely because the curriculum usually just annoyed me. I cared little about learning Conics which were taught in math class (sorry, Mr. Kirkpatrick). I wanted to learn more life skills and about career path options which seemed more practical for managing the challenges facing me when my public education adventure ended. Real life was fast approaching, and the anxieties were real..Over the past couple of years, parents received a taste of managing some ‘home schooling’ which revealed the current curriculum being taught to their children in many cases was an eye-opener..And, not always in a good way!.My experiences in school are long past, but I still shake my head when I think back to when my son was young, and the frustrations we experienced with the school system. By all reports it has in some ways gotten worse. One of our frustrations was his being subjected to a Social Justice class. During a parent-teacher interview, I angrily challenged the idea of their assumed right to teach my son their version of ‘morality.’ My main concern was ‘who were they to teach him what was my role as his parent?'.But this article is not about my past frustrations with the school system, or the curriculum, but leads me to some thoughts on where we are today as a society and why we need to stop and assess where things are going and where we need to go..One thing that's become evident over the last several years is parents are now taking an interest in what their children are being taught that will actually prepare them for their future. That interest has led to more parents questioning what should be classroom priorities, but is not to the point more decided to continue to home school their children or enroll them into a charter school..Homeschooling increased 80% from 2019 to 2020, and charter or private school enrolment 11% over the same period. This should be an ‘eyeopener’ to not only the government, but also to the administrators. More people want choice and a say in what their children are being taught..I have friends who're teachers and administrators, and I respect what they do. But they're there for the right reasons; they simply want to teach and provide their students with the best chance for a great future. They have a talent and an understanding of how to get the job done which doesn’t include a need to instruct our children on their own personal political, environmental, and social beliefs. We occasionally disagree on a few things, but not often..So where am I going with this?.Well, I wonder why aren’t programs such as home economics, drivers' education, financial literacy and budgeting, health and wellness and career path options offered as part of the curriculum? My son only learned this because I spent time teaching him. I primarily took the time, so he knew how to budget his life and cook healthy meals, and not become a wasteful ‘microwave kid.’.Guiding students towards a career that includes a variety of options from the time they enter high school should be a primary goal during those final three years of schooling..This could be accomplished by inviting a variety of industries to deliver their career options that might be of interest. Wouldn’t that make more sense in preparing them for life beyond school than writing another Social Justice essay?.We've seen numerous successes with this direction in European countries. Some jurisdictions successfully explored and implemented an optional Grade 13 which is dedicated to expanding career options with some even offering internships. This has resulted in less lost opportunity for those who finished Grade 12 with no particular future plan in mind. Why not emulate some of these well-known best practices?.How about teaching them basic STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) so they have an opportunity to develop important skills like problem solving, critical thinking and the ability to work independently and on teams? Wouldn’t that be a better ‘kickstart’ towards a successful life or help launch them into a post-secondary education they love, or become early future entrepreneurs?.With the larger boomer generation retiring, there is growing evidence of noticeable knowledge gaps among younger generations while there are enormous opportunities never seen before. There is a great need for a more balanced approach in our educational system. Less time on who is using or not using the ‘right pronouns' and more on who are our ‘future workers and leaders.’.It is called ‘getting back to life’s basics..Back to my earlier comment on the relevance of home schooling or charter schools that are now growing in popularity; parents are recognizing the importance of this choice and are taking back control of their children and once again becoming involved in the direction of their education..This should be a wake-up call to school boards and future governments that parents are frustrated and expect a return to ‘true education’ and to leave the family values teachings up to the parents..Parents want the best for their children and for them to have every opportunity to succeed in life..School and curriculum choice that offers ‘old fashioned’ education can make those opportunities available.
