Which of these "endangered" classes did/do you have at your school?

Contributor: LuckyLady LuckyLady
we had art and music, we had a drama club instead of a drama class ,and p.e. was mandatory to graduate.
02/07/2013
Contributor: K101 K101
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
I've been reading about the changes in schools lately. It seems as if some of my favorite classes aren't even offered in a lot of schools nowadays, as schools cope with tight budgets and concentrate more on preparing students to pass ... more
We had all & the school I went to still does have all of those. I loved our music class in elementary school & I was in chorus too & the same teacher still teaches, so the kids in my family get her still, which is so awesome!

I am glad we have/had those classes. They're good for developmental learning, imagination, artistic skills, etc. It's sad that some schools are cutting them.
02/07/2013
Contributor: I Am Sherlocked I Am Sherlocked
We had all of them at our school. In fact, our school was very well known for our choir and drama department.
02/07/2013
Contributor: Nissa Nissa Nissa Nissa
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
I've been reading about the changes in schools lately. It seems as if some of my favorite classes aren't even offered in a lot of schools nowadays, as schools cope with tight budgets and concentrate more on preparing students to pass ... more
All of these were at my high school. I was in Drama
02/07/2013
Contributor: Allstars316 Allstars316
Had all of them. Not sure if all of them are still around in my school.
02/07/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
We had all of them & they continue to offer them.
02/07/2013
Contributor: SecretKinksters SecretKinksters
All of the above
02/07/2013
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
Our local schools still have all the classes you've mentioned.
02/07/2013
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
My high school offered Spanish, German, French and Russian until I had the opportunity to take language class, then Russian was dropped.

Years later I did take Russian at university. However, after I saw that cursive handwritten Russian looked like a page full of squiggles. I lost all interest and did not continue with it.
02/07/2013
Contributor: Living Doll Living Doll
We had all of those classes at my high school.
02/07/2013
Contributor: Cosmonaut Cosmonaut
We had all of that...and orchestra.
02/07/2013
Contributor: leanright69 leanright69
Continue to have all the classes listed, just way cut back.
02/07/2013
Contributor: Septimus Septimus
We had all of those classes in my high-school, but they were all electives. We were required to take one art or PE elective per semester, and we had to have at least 2 semesters of art and 2 of PE (so you couldn't just take drama eight times).
I took great classes in high-school. I took film making, digital art, 2 semesters of martial arts, ceramics and painting classes among others!
02/07/2013
Contributor: Geogeo Geogeo
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
I've been reading about the changes in schools lately. It seems as if some of my favorite classes aren't even offered in a lot of schools nowadays, as schools cope with tight budgets and concentrate more on preparing students to pass ... more
had it all
02/07/2013
Contributor: hillys hillys
My highschool, middle school, elementry school had all of those offered and we had some photography stuff as well. In college almost all of that is offered as well (I mean people major in that stuff) but it is limited to art majors/ drama majors/ band majors etc. or really hard to get into
02/07/2013
Contributor: BrittaniMaree BrittaniMaree
art music and PE
02/07/2013
Contributor: spiced spiced
Quote:
Originally posted by misterazor
without any one of these in our world, what's the point of living?
I agree 100%.

I'm actually reassured by people's responses. It seems these classes are not as endangered as the articles I've read had led me to believe.

My HS offered all of them and I took advantage of everything except art, which I later studied at university. No clue whether these are all still offered at my old school.
02/07/2013
Contributor: ginnyluvspotter ginnyluvspotter
I had all of those classes in school my kids still do, I think that second language classes are more of a dying class. I took Spanish in school and we also had French and American Sign Language but a lot of my friends never had those classes to choose from.
02/07/2013
Contributor: PeaceToTheMiddleEast PeaceToTheMiddleEast
My school had all of these activities. Now they want to cut out a lot of the stuff from the curriculum. I think it is wrong.
02/07/2013
Contributor: TrenchcoatHunters TrenchcoatHunters
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
I've been reading about the changes in schools lately. It seems as if some of my favorite classes aren't even offered in a lot of schools nowadays, as schools cope with tight budgets and concentrate more on preparing students to pass ... more
Pretty much all of them are.
02/07/2013
Contributor: CountryPrincess CountryPrincess
I took all those plus Creative Writing and a few other electives I'm sure theyll want to get rid of.... I think it's so stupid, I think all children need stuff like that to help them in life, but that's just my opinion
02/07/2013
Contributor: hjtee hjtee
My high school had all of those, and still does.
02/07/2013
Contributor: jr2012 jr2012
Shout out for Home-ec!!!
02/07/2013
Contributor: Leather & Lace Leather & Lace
All of them!
02/07/2013
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
We had all of these (though the drama was a club, not an actual class)...then again that was about 7 years ago, so things may have changed.
02/10/2013
Contributor: KinkyNicki92 KinkyNicki92
My high school offered all of those classes.
02/11/2013
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
None of these have been cut at my daughter's school. IMO, cutting PE would save a lot of money. I think school should be about academics, not running around chasing balls. Kids can exercise on their own time, and the parents, not the taxpayers need to take responsibility for their children "learning" to play sports, if they choose.

However, in IL PE is a mandated subject. Every kid HAS TO have a full period of PE every day! It's a waste of time and taxpayer money that could be used teaching kids things they will use in real life, IMO.

I'm a grown woman with a husband, a house, a job and 3 kids. I use my English skills (which I learned in school) every day.

I use my Math skills, (which I learned in school) every day.

I use my Science skills every single day of my life.

I use my Social Studies, History and Economics skills, which I learned in school every day.

I use my Art, Music and Home Ec skills, some of which I learned in school, frequently. (although most of my cooking and music skills I learned on my own. However, a wonderful grammar school Music teacher was largely responsible for my becoming an amateur musician and cultivating a lifelong love of music.)

In several decades as an adult, I have NEVER been called upon, in my career, my main relationship, my social life, my job, my parenting to know the distance between Home Plate and the pitcher's mound.

I have NEVER, in my career, my main relationship, social life, my job, my parenting had an occasion where I had to know the rules of soccer.

I have NEVER in my career, my main relationship, my social life, my job or my parenting been required to recite the point structure of basketball, football, field hockey, golf or any other sport.

I have needed virtually everything I was taught in grammar school with the exception of what I "learned" in PE. Nothing I learned in this class has helped me in my career, nor my social, nor my ability to attract a mate, nor to raise children, not to get along in the world. All I learned is that if you are small and fairly uncoordinated using your large skeletal muscles, you will be bullied and the entire hour of PE (and probably several school hours after that) will be a living hell. It wasn't anything I NEEDED. I don't USE anything I learned in PE. I see no reason for children to be put at the mercy of PE instructors (many of whom, but not all, were the bullies when they were kids) "team sports" or try to compete with kids who, by virtue of physical prowess, do better at sport. I simply see no reason to subject our children to this "subject" when we KNOW that spending more time on Science, Math, English and History makes them better at life and better at living.

Nobody is a "better person" just because they can catch a ball or throw one further. However, knowing History and knowing not to repeat it's mistakes can certainly help with one's development, as can learning to speak and read and write the language of one's country better as can knowing enough mathematics to balance a check book, shop well, and keep a home.

Running faster or jumping higher is not an intellectual or ethical advantage. I fail to see the point of "teaching" our children that these things are all that important.

Especially in times of economic issues, we should be concentrating on subjects that will help our children compete in a cruel world (Language, Math, Science, History) and of course, invest in subject that will help their lives in that world be worth living (art and music.)

If children are left to their own devices, they will invent their own "sport." Leave them in a field and they will know what to do. No adult needs to "instruct" or "coach" a child on Whole Body Play. It's an instinct. When left alone, each child will play to the best of their ability and interest. There is no need to teach it in school.

Just my humble opinion. (Sorry for the Text Wall.)
02/11/2013
Contributor: Marie Hanna Marie Hanna
My school had all of those. Surprising since it wasn't that well off of an area.
02/11/2013
Contributor: AidenLove AidenLove
No drama clases at my school. We HAD to take P.E. for all 12 years, Art for the first 8 years, Music for the first 8 years, swimming was also mandatory for freshmen.
02/11/2013
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
We had all of these except drama. Exact same situation as AidenLove. PA, right?

Although I always dreaded PE (except for when we had swimming), I understand it's purpose and support it being mandatory. Especially in the younger grades. There is such an issue with childhood obesity today, and there are just so many kids that aren't learning the value of exercise or gaining an interest in sports outside of what they get at school. The system wasn't perfect, but that doesn't mean I think they should get rid of it.
02/11/2013