If you surveyed random PVHS students how many of them would have any basic cooking skills? A general knowledge on how to safely use power tools? The ability to choose which over-the-counter medication would best alleviate their symptoms?
Despite their importance, the average teenager today isn’t fully equipped with these skills before going off to college or beyond because they haven’t been taught.
Unfortunately, there are very few courses that incorporate real life home skills. The AP Psychology Flour Baby project teaches students how to be responsible parents and the Economics Budget project teaches students how to budget their money to cover all their personal expenses.
We propose that PVPUSD should create a mandatory, semester long Life/Home Skills class available for all grade levels to take during the year or during the summer. The class could cover three main topics; household maintenance, self-care, and woodshop.
The household maintenance unit would cover how to properly do laundry, use cleaning products, and basic plumbing fixes.
Learning how to properly do laundry is essential for all college students as dumping a large pile of laundry onto the floor isn’t hygienic and waiting until the next time you see your parents for your laundry to be done is inconvenient.
Learning how to properly use cleaning products and knowing which product cleans which type of mess is important for the purpose of staying safe while cleaning. Remember everyone, never mix bleach and ammonia because this concoction may form mustard gas.
Finally, learning how to do basic plumbing fixes will save you money on small repairs.
The self-care unit will focus on basic sewing and cooking skills, on top of understanding medications for common illnesses.
Basic sewing skills with a needle and thread or a real sewing machine are extremely helpful as you will be able to confidently reattach a button or hem your clothes to get the perfect fit.
Learning basic cooking skills will serve you well beyond your college dorm kitchen, as classic tried-and-true recipes can serve as stepping stones into more complex dishes that will impress your family and friends at potlucks or holidays.
Understanding which medications can properly fight your aches and pains will help you live independently without the help of a parent or guardian.
Finally, the woodshop unit will equip students with the knowledge of basic power tool safety. This could come in handy when assembling furniture or simply building a birdhouse for fun.
Learning these skills will allow students to be able to fix any home projects, start potential renovations, and expand their skill set for future careers.
As students in the fall head off to college and live on their own, time will only tell how prepared they are to be independent. With the implementation of life skill classes in our classrooms, kids will feel more prepared in the real world.