Every morning when our children go to school we have full confidence in the educational system. We know that at home we also have to continue studying so that they can pass the exams… But we must be aware that there are other types of learning for them to grow as persons of integrity.

From home we have to teach them to understand what happens in life, to learn to study… because at school they are told what they need to know to pass the exam, but they are not taught to study or better understand the concepts they have to learn. Educational institutions are based on a pedagogical model so that our children learn and have a base with which to train and specialize in the future, and that is fine. But it is not enough. Differences between high demand, hyperactive and nervous children.

What should also be learned at school

There are aspects in life that are crucial and that must also be learned so that, in this way, children really succeed and feel good about themselves and the environment. Avoiding future mental health problems or inappropriate social behaviors.

Below we are going to present some examples of things that should be learned at school and that are not… example).

learn to study

Many children grow up frustrated because they feel they are not capable of learning for themselves. They see how other classmates do pass exams or have a better retention capacity. This makes them feel inferior and dissatisfied with their effort.

Unfortunately, in educational institutions they want children to learn many concepts, but they do not teach them to study. They do not explain to them a method of study that is appropriate to their real retention capacities, they do not take into account their idiosyncrasies so that they feel capable. Learning to study should be taught in all schools around the world to ensure good tools and that students feel confident about their possibilities.

Value effort over results

We live in a competitive society where the one who has the most is the one who receives the most respect from society. No matter how you got your status, if you have it, you are respected. At school the effort doesn’t matter, only the grades.

Perhaps a child has worked hard to pass an exam but his personal circumstances have made him lose concentration, and despite having all the homework done and having studied every day, with an average of 4.5, he fails the subject. At home he gets bad faces and the teacher doesn’t understand why he got such a low grade, but he doesn’t ask.

On the other hand, another child who has not done anything, nor has made an effort during the school year but has copied in the exam, gets a 9 and passes counting on the congratulations of everyone…

Is this the society we want? It is essential to begin to value more the philosophy of real effort to obtain good grades and stop betting everything on a number of a grade.

The importance of mental health

Unfortunately, in society, people who go to the psychiatrist are classified as “crazy” in a punitive and generalized way. Society looks the other way when deaths by suicide exceed the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents in our country.

Mental health should not be a taboo subject and that is why schools should normalize these topics. Talking about the importance of taking care of yourself physically and eating well is necessary (they do), but so is talking about the importance of taking care of our emotional well-being and mental health. A society that does not take care of the mental health of its citizens is doomed to the most absolute failure .

Sex education

How many unwanted pregnancies are there among adolescents? too many. How many sexual risk behaviors do adolescents commit just because of lack of information? Many. How many young people confuse a healthy sexual relationship with what they see in pornographic movies where women are subdued and humiliated? Almost every.

They are direct and alarming questions, but they are the reality. Sex education should not be a taboo subject in schools either. It is not enough to talk to adolescents about using condoms during sexual intercourse to avoid sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancy.

We must talk about sexuality openly, bearing in mind that there are not only relationships between monogamous men and women… there is much more. Respect must always be present in any type of loving, liberal, polyamorous or sexual relationship.

First aid

What good is it for a student to get a 10 in math or literature if when he has the chance to save someone’s life he doesn’t know how to do it? First aid should be a compulsory subject from Primary Education. It is the best way to prepare society to save lives in times of emergency. How many lives would have been saved if we all knew how to do the Heimlich maneuver?

emotional intelligence

From the schools it is transmitted that the most intelligent students in their Intellectual Coefficient will be the most successful in life. Nothing is further from reality. Having intelligence is fine, but you will be nobody if you do not have good Emotional Intelligence , both to understand the people around you and yourself.

Good self-esteem, empathy, assertiveness, resilience, conflict resolution skills, staying calm in stressful situations, knowing how to manage your emotions in a healthy way… all of this is necessary if you really want to live a full and successful life. It is another subject that should be required in every classroom in the world, at any academic level.

Conclusions

These are just a few examples of things that should be learned in school that are not taught. They put knowing algebra, Latin or chemistry before this type of knowledge that is so indispensable. Of course, the list could be much longer because we can’t forget about: learning to manage finances , self-defense, meditation , self -control , the importance of self-care, how to be your own boss and fulfill your dreams, have perseverance in life , how to manage setbacks…

These are things that are also important, and that are expected to be taught at home. An education at home that is reduced when there are hours left to finish homework (both at home and at school).

Parents have many responsibilities and with their children studying or homework they have to do every afternoon, it is difficult for them to manage the time to teach everything else. It is even more difficult when your children have to learn (in any way) concepts that after taking an exam they will quickly forget. They are forgotten because nothing has been really understood (it has not been learned, only memorized and stored in short-term memory).

For all this, it is essential that both families and schools are able to work together, not only for academic learning, but also for good personal growth, taking into account all of the above. Although it is only a reflection, it is never too late to start the change from schools and homes.