Community Chat

[jubilant]

I read an article in the newspaper this morning with above title.  People were talking about skills they learned in school that became especially useful in their careers and/or life.  Some credited typing.  I would have to agree with that because without it I wouldn't have landed a great secretarial job.  

How about you?  What skills have you gained that you learned in school and where have they taken you?

[Tuppermore]

I debated and was a part of a winning state debate team.  This has gone a long way to help me become organized, speak in public, think on my feet, present something logically, work with others as a team, research for classes I teach as well as college classes I took, listen to what others are saying,take notes, present myself to others positively, etc.  I also took advanced math classes and science classes.  I remember very little from those classes.  My English teacher was a perfectionist so that has helped a lot also.  However, I think that high school debate garnered me the most benefit.  I realize that debate isn't for everyone, but it helped me to get past ME and focus on what was important.  I am 65 and have used the skills I learned in debate for a very, very long time. 

[jubilant]

@Tuppermore

I can see how that could help a person in many situations. I never thought about debate as helping one to focus but it makes a lot of sense now that I think about it.

[ShowMe]

I too am so thankful that I had typing.....in junior high and high school.  Back in the 50's we didn't know what an electric typewriter was.....learned on the best....ROYAL.....

Yes, by learning typing I was able to have a very good secretarial career.  Worked for an international firm of designers, engineers and construction company for almost 14 years.  Loved that job.  Did quit that job when I got married for the 2nd time in 1980.....  But later on I had to learn the computer to get back in the work force.  Fought learning it, but  now I love it.  Was a secretary in the legal field.  Plus I did do retail at Dillard's when I was in between jobs.  

Was 17 when I got my first job, and retired full time when I was 66.  

[dex]

We were taught budgeting.we were assigned different salaries and had to make household expense planners.We were taken to the grocery store to learn the prices of foods and the healthier choices that were less costly.We had to make meal plans that fit within our proposed food budget.We had to plan to rent or purchase a home and learned about mortgages.We also had to estimate the monthly expenses for heating,electricity etc.We made bank accounts for our salaries and were taught how to write cheques  and keep an account of the money on hand after expenses.This affected the way I have lived my life mostly within my means.I have always paid my bills on time and in full.I think many young people today could benefit from that budgeting class..which by the way I didn’t enjoy at the time but I am certain that knowledge kept me out of debt.

[Peaches McPhee]

A very good foundation in grammar.  Yes, it's versus its.  I know it in my sleep.

Typing, like the others have said. Who knew I'd be typing on a laptop at home?

Not sure if it is a "lesson", but a love for reading and literature.

[jubilant]

Some of the people talked about how much Home Ec helped them.  One woman said it helped her coordinate a wardrobe around 2 colors saving her lots of money  and also helped get her first job making clothing.

This article also talked about keeping Home Ec and even adding more skilled programs. There was also a discussion that these skills should be taught at home and that it's not up to the schools.   

[Snowpuppy]

The only thing typing class taught me was that women were raised with no aspirations other than clerical jobs.

Well, that is until you got married. Which is what Home Ec was for.

In my HS, you were not allowed to opt out of either.

[proudlyfromNJ]

When I was in high school in the Stone Age, I did have sewing in home ec. There was no cooking. If you were college prep you did not take typing.

I taught myself to type at home on a very old typewriter. Good thing I did as it served me well all my working life.

[ShowMe]

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@Snowpuppy wrote:

The only thing typing class taught me was that women were raised with no aspirations other than clerical jobs.

Well, that is until you got married. Which is what Home Ec was for.

In my HS, you were not allowed to opt out of either.

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@Snowpuppy......my aspirations were to be an excellent secretary.  Clerical is much different than secretarial.

By the way, there were boys in our typing classes also.  In fact, the one that sat behind me was superb with his speed.....we always raced each other.  In HS my typing speed on a 5 minute test was about 80 wpm/with no errors.....and Gordon was just about the same.  Still remember his name to this day.  We learned on the manual Royal with the tab bar on the right.  Excellent typewriter.  

Home Ec was not required.  But I took it.  Loved cooking and wanted to see what I could learn.  Never liked sewing though.