Parenting Skills in Schools
2007-08-21 22:48:00.0
AUTHOR: Judy Turner
Should "Parenting" be taught at high-school? A teacher at Tauranga Girls College believes so and comments on the fact that in the light of the Kahui and Nia Glassie cases, we need to be targeting would-be parents
Teachers always get nervous when we talk about adding new material into the already crammed curriculum, but I think we need to have a fresh look at all the 'life-skills' programmes currently packed in around our teens education and find a way to bring them all together under one subject that is focused on ensuring that NZ students leave school with not just a head full of knowledge, but with some practical skills that have relevance beyond tertiary education and the work-place. The curriculum could be designed in such a way as to allow schools the flexibility to tailor content to the needs of their students. I imagine that a life-skill curriculum would do more than just warn about the consequences of risk behaviours. It could cover things like personal finances, employment skills, health, and volunteerism.