
Signs of an emerging home ec for modern times
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As a retired home economics teacher--later family and consumer sciences, I saw many changes in the curriculum. We always tried to stay up with the times and teach relevant information that the students could use forever in their lifetimes. Many schools have had budget cuts leading to some useful classes being eliminated. So often I hear people talking about how students are not being taught "our life skills" as we called them. They are not learning etiquette, how to write thank you notes, basic banking skills, clothing care, nutrition, job skills, child care, etc. It is sort of like kids will have to learn lots of things on their own since schools can't and families may not be teaching them. Maybe one day the educational system will come back around and recognize it and restore the curriculum. I loved every aspect as a high school student and especially as a teacher for 38 years!
Not sure how worthwhile HomeEc is, as I was taught in a parochial school in the '60's, and we didn't have such classes. However, all my public school friends who did have them seemed to learn to hate cooking and sewing! I learned these skills after asking my mother to teach me, and loved doing them.
That being said, I learned VERY QUICKLY after I was married how to take care of a house, garden, budget, and later children. Unlike some women today, I considered my role as a housewife and mother (we preferred "Domestic Engineer" in those days) as very important and I took great pride in my skills. I now work out in the world for a paycheck, but those years of being the household manager are priceless. People on the jobsite are amazed at my ability to bake bread, make clothes, can food, etc. I think Margaret Boyles is correct, the wheel will turn full circle, eventually.
I think home ec does need to move out of the schools and into society in general as a pursuit worthy of serious policy, practice, and scholarship.
I always preferred the title of Domestic Goddess, and I still yearn for a new breed of Domestic Gods. Both genders need to tend to the productive (not just consumptive) activities of the home.
And that is exactly why we are where we are today. No respect for home, school, neighbors. It is an "instant society" when something brakes - get a new one not let me see if I can fix it. Apparently as can be seen by our society one parent needs to be home with the kids. They need to be taught respect. There is no God or discipline in school so the family must teach the basics of living in society. If they can - can we fix things????
Home economics is an important subject. They teach children their native language, transmit culture and values, and shape a child’s understanding of the world and of human relationships.
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