How To Prepare Students For Life’s Real Test
Have you ever been in a situation and wondered, “Why didn’t someone teach me about this in school?” This past year, I finally got a passport and invested in the stock market.
Why did it take me 35 years to learn the value of investing and traveling the world? Because no one had ever taught me its importance or how to do it.
I can recite the Pythagorean theorem, tell you all the battles of the Civil War, and still remember the steps to writing a 10-page research paper. But, it took 35 years for me to learn the importance of investing.
I can also admit that I still don’t know how to unclog a pipe, check the oil in my car, or parallel park. After living in the “real-world” for several years now, I can safely say there are various life skills that I never learned in school.
The majority of our schools will spend the next week taking End of Grade academic test. However, none of these standardized tests will prepare students for life’s real challenges. After the test is finished, many teachers feel like they spend the majority of time babysitting.
I know I did.
I now realize I wasted time with my students “after the test” that I could have spent preparing students for the real lessons of life. Why not use this time to teach students about life’s practical test? There is probably little room in your standard curriculum about “LIFE 101,” however one day your students will appreciate the life lessons you taught them.
You can either teach students topics by inviting guest speakers, taking field trips, or allowing students to research the topics and present them to their peers.
Based on my experience living in the real world, I recommend all teachers take time to teach at least 4 things I wish someone had prepared me for before graduation.
Taxes. What are They and How do I Pay Them?
I still remember the day I got my first paycheck. I thought, who is FICA and why did they take all of my money. Show your students an example of your paycheck or a sample one. Help them to see how much money might come out of their paycheck when they start their first job.
Students also need to understand they will need to file tax returns each year when they earn money. Show them what a W2 looks like and how many people they should claim on their taxes based on their circumstances. Perhaps invite a certified accountant in to give tips to students when applying for their first job or filing taxes.
Why Should I Vote and How Can I Register?
Do you know that only approximately 50% of eligible young people ages 18-29 voted in the 2016 election? (CIRCLE) Our youth are a vast majority of the electorate and can have a major impact, but many of them never participate. Helping students understand how, when, and where to vote will help them be prepared and reduce anxiety about the voting process when they can participate. Although many of your students will not be eligible to vote, use this time to allow them to research their representatives and write to them about issues they care about. This will help prepare students to research when voting for electoral candidates and understand how to communicate ideas and take action about issues that matter to them.
How do I manage money?
I remember taking an accounting class, but I never took a class that emphasized the importance of budgeting and investing money. Allow students to research the salary of the job they would like and create a budget. Help them practice how they will have money to pay bills, eat, invest, and save. Financial literacy is extremely important. We all pay for others financial illiteracy when citizens buy things with credit they can’t afford, retire with no savings, and don’t consider insurance or health care cost. Taxpayers end up paying the bill. We must educate our students about how much it costs to live in the real world. Consider exploring these financial literacy lessons to explore ideas or visit the North Carolina Council on Economic Education for programs or guest speakers.
Why does credit matter?
After graduation, your students may need a car, house, money for college, or want to start their own business. Many students will need a loan for these expenses. Students will also need to understand how to get health, car, or life insurance. This is a very extensive process that the average graduate does not have a clue about. The majority of students are thinking about how to work and make instant money. They aren’t planning for what might happen to them in 10 years with their health or money? However, it’s important to allow students to start planning for how they may need to acquire loans and insurance. Invite someone from a financial institution to help students understand the value and importance of how to establish credit to qualify for a loan, how to keep credit in good standing, and how to explore insurance options that would best fit them.
Life’s Other Lessons
While these are 4 priorities, there are many other life lessons that you can explore with students if time permits. I also wish I was taught how to get a passport, how to drive a stick shift, perform CPR, and fix a flat tire. Ask students to survey their parents or grandparents and find out what they wish they had been taught in school.
What is one thing you wish you had been taught in school? Why not take time this week to allow your students to explore it? It might just be the most important lesson you taught all year.
