If you want to teach children how to sign their names,,, fine,, but IMHO - there are many other things that they should learn that will serve them better than knowing cursive writing - seriously - think of the last time you wrote more then your name ..... see .....
- Better math skills - and I mean problem solving. Knowing the times tables is great,,, but actually solving a problem with Math is completely different. And Great - you have a Computer, and apple watch and a Calculator .. what numbers you put is more important than that ! The skill of calculating areas of Triangle, or Angles them selves, or thinking thru - being able to buy enough wood or food ,,,, is sorta important. Getting Gallons to Liters, and feet to Meters. If a train is headed south at 30mph and another is headed north at 50 miles an hour, they are 1500 miles apart when they start and the 30mph train leaves 90 minutes before the 50mph train. Where on the tracks with they pass each other and how long in Hours will that take ??? And logic problems, of every sort. Plus how to know what is the Better deal - 6 eight ounce cans for .$1.29 or 8 - 5 ounce cans for $1.55 ???
- How to plan out and complete a project. What tools, materials , are needed and about how long will this take to complete. What skills are required to do it ?
- Budgeting - or How not to end up in debt over your ears !?!? A Little finance .... how long will it take to pay off Credit card debt of $2000 at 22% interest if you make the Minimum payment of $25 a month.
- Team work, and individual work. Both are necessary and both important ! Along with how to present an idea to others so that it makes sense.
- COOKING ! ... Basic Life skill.... you can't / shouldn't eat out every night. you need to pan a menu , shop and then cook the food. As much as you like Pasta or Hamburgers,,, they get old. and you need skills for restaurant ordering and behavior.
- Computer and really these days tablet skills...... what APPS are available to do what ? and how to interact with them. How to Send / Receive and DELETE or Sort E-mails . How to set up an online account and protect yourself for Scams. How to search for information on the Internet, so that when you type in something into google - you know what the results you are looking at are. That it is not data from 3 years ago . and how to spot a scam when you see it. And how not to post and repost garbage that is NOT TRUE ! how many stories that if you do a simple fact check or Snopes - you see that it is NOT true.
Ok - so these are just few of what I think at Skills for the next century besides knowing how to write words in cursive just cause that is what we taught kids 50 years ago !
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