A reader sent me the e mail below which I thought was so clear and so well written that I asked for (and received) his permission to publish it on this blog. Quite frankly, I agree with everything that he has said and really could not have put it better than he has done. My sincere thanks to him.
Over a period of years I have been bleating on in letters to the editor on this and several other similar subjects that should be part of the basic education of every Trini.
There should be a course on "home common sense" that should be obligatory in all schools.The idea is first to minimise possible risks to life and limb, then improve quality of life.
Here are some of the subjects that should be covered.
1. Disasters and emergencies (Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc)
2. Rules of the road and road sense. As pedestrian, rider, and driver.
3. Anger management and conflict resolution.
4. First aid for first responders.
5. General health and hygiene.
6. Risk recognition in everyday life. Fire, electrocution, drowning, falling, poisoning, stings and bites, and other "everyday" risks.
In the quality of life section should be;
1. Civil rights and responsibilities.
2. Basic manners, customs, and etiquette
3. An outline of services available to citizens, and how to access them.
4. Basic home economics, nutrition, and simple home maintenance.
5. Environmental awareness and basic agriculture.
A manual covering these subjects(and no doubt others that will be identified) should be easily available to every citizen, and should be a required textbook in all schools. It should be available in electronic form too.
A diploma in these subjects would be required for entry into any government employment, including the "10 days" type programs. The examinations should be arranged so that alternative assessment is available for those with various challenges, (including lliteracy!).
I hope I have not bored you, but it is my view that many of the "reluctant" students in our current education system would benefit at least in basic life skills from this or a similar curriculum, no matter what their academic inclinations.
What do you think?
Well, what do you think?
Monday, March 8, 2010
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As an advocate for empowering the learning child as a parent myself and even through my PTA involvement... this was worth the read. Thanks.
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