Do you remember sitting in trigonometry class thinking: “How am I EVER going to use this in real life?” And… let’s keep it real. Unless you became an architect or engineer, you probably haven’t used trigonometry since high school.
Students past and present often emerge from the education system inadequately prepared for practical skills like personal finance, happiness and self-care, and networking/interpersonal communication.
Consider these hypothetical courses and imagine how well-equipped students would be in the workforce and their daily lives if THESE topics were taught in secondary school:
Professor: Robert Kiyosaki
Financial literacy is crucial. Without personal finance skills, an assured and comfortable life is difficult to come by. A course on this topic would cover money management skills, obtaining and protecting assets, budgeting, and more. Robert Kiyosaki, whose book Rich Dad Poor Dad is considered to be one of the top personal finance books ever written. Kiyosaki has devoted his life’s work to making personal finance digestible and interesting, and so a class on this subject by him would undoubtably prepare students for whatever financial situation they will be faced with in the future.
Professor: Shawn Achor
Pursuing happiness and living a mindful life seems intuitive and unteachable—but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Experts agree that there are concrete ways and actionable steps to leading a fulfilling life, and psychology backs this notion up. A class about happiness and how to make positive change easier would explore the psychological basis of happiness and mindful living. Our pick for the ideal teacher for such a class is Shawn Achor. Shawn teaches positive psychology and the power of happiness, emphasizing how positive thinking impacts productivity for the better—an important lesson for anyone to learn.
Professor: Melinda Marcus
The ability to Influence others is a highly desirable art. From obtaining a raise, or encouraging others to support causes we care about. Persuasion and influence plays a much greater role in our lives that we might assume at first glance. Expert Melinda Marcus would be an incredible teacher for a class teaching various strategies to positively influence others… she already does so in her real-life presentations!