A New Curriculum for Life?

What is the purpose of school? The older I get, the more I wonder… Have a little think and we’ll get back to that question later. Despite being the grateful recipient of a free, full time, eighteen years of schooling, looking back now 17 years later both personally and professionally I believe we can do better. Much better. Here I suggest some items that should be taught in lieu of many other so-called important subjects. And don't get me started on learning by rote or the lack of consistency when it comes to the quality of teachers!

And yes, before you say it…? not all schooling is equal, you may have had a different experience (lucky you), the school system has moved on a bit in my own country, social / study skills are being learned too despite me disagreeing with the subjects. That said, I believe that by and large there are many chasms that need to be bridged which are common to most schooling and social / study skills can be picked up just the same with more appropriate subjects.?

Below is a list with five separate, distinct areas I believe traditional curriculums largely ignore. Not all areas are equally applicable across all levels of schooling (primary, secondary, tertiary. Please use that sense which is becoming less common in determining at what stage of school these should be discussed. Before you continue, again, ask yourself what is the purpose of schooling? Please keep this question in mind while reading.

#5 Business. Politics & Law - Economy / Local Authorities / Government / (EU Policy) / Saving / Investing / Property & Mortgages / Pension / Healthcare / Credit Rating / Business Administration / Irish Law / Gardaí

#4 Career - Job vs Vocation / Building a Career / Job Hunting / Interviews / Management / Leadership / Work Environment / Work Culture / Work Ethic / Contracting / Promotions / Organisation

#3 Relationships & Family - Love, Sex & Orientations / Civil Marriage & Partnership / Child Rearing / Old Age

#2 General Awareness - Religion / Spirituality / Culture / Community / Traditions / Equality / Tolerance / Ageism / Sexism / Racism / Bigotry / Social Media / Understanding Consumerism / Bullying / Travel

#1 Self- and Other-Awareness - Psychology / Adaptability? / Philosophy / Critical Thinking / Dialogue / Taking Personal Responsibility / Communication / Empathy / Compassion / Core Values / And of course, Mental Health

Self- and Other-Awareness is my number 1 pick because it's easy to get lost in and indeed lose one's own self in the maelstrom that is social media, relationships, work, consumerism, politics, religion and more. The older I grow, the more shallow values and alternative facts I begin to see in the status quo. Having enough insight into one's own belief system and that of others and being able to competently question just about anything which is deemed imperative by somebody or some organisation has never been more important. I could go on ad astra on many of the above topics such as the importance of critical thinking given new media has never been more muddy, how damaging social media is, how we are expected to get jobs despite being woefully prepared by secondary or tertiary level to even do an interview.

There may exist a perception that many of the topics above should be imparted to children, teenagers and young adults by their family. I agree but not exclusively. This is neither about being spoon fed nor abdicating the responsibility of parents. It's about learning practical life skills by those qualified to teach them. Yes, many parents can, should and must do this but not all are equally responsible. School also gives a chance for students to discuss them more pointedly.

In hindsight, would you have preferred to study quadratic equations or a business subject in a context that would help you live responsibly? How many of those who studied quadratic equations require an intimate understanding of them to aid either their personal lives or of their careers? Very few indeed. Is that time better spent elsewhere? The answer is yes for me.

So, back to the question. What is the purpose of schooling? My answer to that is to prepare the student for life in the real world. Not some magic, misaligned world that has little bearing to, well, reality! Right now I’m wondering why, despite having a career, getting married, buying a house, having a dog and a child, next to nothing was done to prepare me for such common life events and trying to figure out why, when I look back at school, so many subjects have little bearing on my life today. I would be interested to hear from people both within and without Ireland what their experiences are and during what years. Please share if you have a moment, thank you.

Finally…. We each have a fixed amount of time on this earth before we die. Many of us spend up to 18 years in one form of school or another. If we assume a life expectancy of 80 years (Ireland), that's about one quarter of our life being schooled. To me it seems like a gratuitous waste of time to focus on subjects that inevitably have little personal or professional utility. Have you wondered why, until now, I steered clear of the word “education”?

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education" - Mark Twain.

That’s why.