Most Important and Benefitial Subject in Secondary Education?

[FisherQueen]

English. No question. If you can thoroughly master the skills you learn in English class, you can learn the rest of it at the library.

–Fisherqueen, English teacher.

[Fear_Itself]

Critical thinking.

What? They don’t teach that in all high schools? Well, that explains a lot.

[sugaree]

I vote for English too. Communication is key.

A person has a well-rounded secondary education if he or she emerges with a thorough grounding in math, reading, writing, and critical thinking. The last of those, of course, can be taught through any course.

History and science are important-- I’d hate to see them cut, even though most people do forget most of the facts and concepts they learn in those subjects. However, if they had good teachers, after the knowledge is gone, the skills they learned to get that knowledge will remain with them and get them through life.

[Mr2001]

Science. More specifically, the scientific method and critical thinking. People need to be able to recognize BS when they hear it, and not shy away from medicine or technology because they don’t trust scientists or don’t understand how we know the things we’ve discovered.

[patternagainstuser]

ENGLISH

Although I’m an AP history fiend, English is by the far most important subject. Not so much the dry Victorian novels we read (like Silas Marner…) and the even drier essays we produce about them, but being able to articulate yourself clearly and intelligently both in print and speech.

[Zsofia]

Neither. Economics and Government/Political Science. Granted, it’s hard to apply either without knowledge gained from all the other disciplines, but in terms of what’s the best for society, it’s money and government.

It would be nice if we all had to take home ec, which should include cooking, meal planning, button sewing, checkbook balancing, and credit-card-application-disposal, but unfortunately we do not.

[splatterpunk]

*Originally posted by JoeBitt *
**I enjoy reading all of your responses (except MLS, who reminds me of my dreaded english teacher from my high school education, who has to correct every small detail in literature.) As we both expected (NOTICE: I didn’t use accepted) this is much more a philosophical question then it is a straight answer.

I think we all are in agreement that high school students need communication skills, to be literate, logic and reasoning skills, etc. It is not the subject that is taught, but how well the message and understandment is interpretated (Hope I spelled that one right??). It also helps if the lecturer (or teacher) is entertaining. **

Sigh

Where to start with this post?

As we both expected (NOTICE: I didn’t use accepted)

You’re confusing two entirely different words: expected and excepted. I really don’t think people generally confuse expect with accept.

I enjoy reading all of your responses (except MLS, who reminds me of my dreaded english teacher from my high school education, who has to correct every small detail in literature.)

No, he or she is correcting poor grammar, spelling, sentence structure and syntax. It has nothing to do with literature. It has only to do with a simple command of the English language. As others in this thread have pointed out, the most valuable skill a person can learn in this world is the ability to communicate effectively. No offense, but it pains me to think that you (an admitted teacher) have failed to grasp this.

… but how well the message and understandment is interpretated (Hope I spelled that one right??).

No, you spelled interpreted incorrectly. However, if it’s any consolation, you spelled understandment perfectly. The only problem, of course, is that there is no such word.

Are you really a teacher?

[sugaree]

I find it interesting that many people choose subjects such as economics, political science, or science over English or grammar. Do you folks do so because they think grammar, writing, and reading comprehension should be mastered and polished before high school? Do you think is usually is?

[sugaree]

Apparently, in my case, these skills are not mastered after high school and some college. I plead that it is very early. I must fortify myself with caffiene before I check back to face the grammar police.