Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Learning Basic Skills

Ch. 10, pg. 326, post #3

In chapter 10, Eisenberg et. al paint a sad picture of the future of the United State's workforce. "The result is a downward spiral of quality, service, job skills, wages, and employee self-esteem." Although workplace literacy programs should be applauded for giving their employees an opportunity to learn basic skills, I can't help but think that people should have learned such things as how to read, write, and problem solving in school. I remember when I was a senior in high school they made it so any student in CA had to pass the exit exam in order to graduate and there was a big uproar about it because their were many kids, even in the bay area, who couldn't pass. For me, I could have passed it in eighth grade, but then again, I didn't need to work and take care of my siblings to help support my family in high school. Although I think the blame of students not learning basic skills should neither be placed solely on the students or the schools, giving a student a high school degree should mean that they are at least proficient in the skills outlined on pg. 327 otherwise high school has really done nothing to prepare a student for the real world.

1 comment:

  1. I could not agree with the post anymore than i do. while i do not know what it is like to raise my family at hteh age of six, i do know that basic skills are the one thing students should get out of high school. for me, my parents started teaching us common sense and basic skills from the home just during day to day encounters. I think children can better learn these skills just by learning to be independent and take some matters (within reason) into their own hands. They will learn the basic life skills necessary by default i think. its the parents who cottel their children to the point where they send them to a private sheltered school, dont let them interact in certain ways, or with certain people etc. Children needs tructure and guidance yes- but at the same time they need to be children and make mistakes and make decisions for themselves (within reason again. This is how people grow up with common knowledge and - the necessary basic skills.

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