In today’s rapidly changing world, traditional education often falls short in preparing individuals for the complexities of life. This article delves into three invaluable life lessons that are often overlooked in formal education settings. Explore the essential insights on personal growth, resilience, and adaptability that can significantly enrich one’s life beyond the confines of traditional schooling
When personal finance was introduced to the national curriculum as a mandatory subject back in 2014, many lobbyists celebrated a move that would hopefully improve financial literacy amongst future generations.
However, one study entitled ‘The Ticking Time Bomb of Generation Debt’ has found that personal finance education has stalled at secondary schools, more the majority of teachers feeling as though they lack the necessary skills to teach this topic effectively.
In this respect, money management is one of the numerous life lessons that is surprisingly absent from schools. Here are some others that children may benefit from learning!
1. Critical Thinking
In some respects, schools do teach critical thinking, primarily by encouraging students to challenge religious and political viewpoints.
However, this invaluable life skill still isn’t taught as extensively as it could be, particularly in the context of real-world decisions and the potential consequences that they can have over time.
Of course, the main reason for this is that such discussions are often in-depth and moralistic, creating a scenario where teachers scarcely have the time or authority to oversee this type of subject matter.
This also taps into a wider issue of how students learn, with the focus on memory retention and repetition often preventing kids from understanding more complex topics in detail at some schools.
2. Investment and the Financial Markets
We’ve already touched on the lack of personal finance lessons in schools, and this is also part of a wider issue pertaining to the failure to equip students for the modern world.
This also extends to fiscal concepts such as investment and financial markets, which are more accessible than ever before in the digital age and provide access to viable career opportunities in 2020.
For example, aspiring investors can use online platforms and forex demo accounts to hone practical trading skills in the UK, while also accessing the same library of analytical tools and technical indicators that’s available to professional investors.
Understand this is key, as it imparts additional financial lessons while also piquing interest in a potentially lucrative career.
3. Finding a Job
On a similar note, schools also struggle to teach the practical skills required to prepare students for the workplace and find their ideal job.
Remember, the goal of education is twofold; to educate for its own intrinsic value and create a foundation of knowledge and experience that creates valuable employees of the future.
Ultimately, education means little unless you’re able to translate this into practical value or actively find a relevant job, with this process often frustrating, complex, and inclusive of several different stages.
So, students would benefit from practical lessons that teach them about searching and applying for jobs online, while also helping them to understand the nature of corporeal interviews.