Teach Me to be Better by David

Davidof Murrieta's entry into Varsity Tutor's August 2015 scholarship contest

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David of Murrieta, CA
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Teach Me to be Better by David - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

Being an American high school student is just one of many important transitional stages in a person’s life. I believe that during those four years, two significant growth spurts occur; one when the student enters high school and the other, when the student exits high school. Entering freshman year, students are faced with a wide array of vast challenges such as a bigger campus, higher student population, added class work difficulty, and increased competition among extra-curricular activities. As students exit high school than the focus shifts towards four options: college, work, military or unknown. It is important that students develop the life skills needed to adapt to these types of transitional moments in order to improve their chances of success; whether that is in or out of the classroom. Current subjects taught at American high schools do not direct full instruction into these types of moments in a student’s life. Which courses can a student currently take that would aid their experience in high school while prepare them for life after high school?

If I could add one subject to the American high school curriculum than it would be a life skills course. It would be a two year required course to graduate high school. The first year would be created for freshman to prepare and assist them as they navigate through their initial year of high school. The course would instruct on such skills as note taking, conversing, test preparation, organization, and proper social media etiquette. The skills learned during their freshmen year should prepare them for the rest of high school. The second year would be reserved for students entering their senior year of high school. The course would focus on reiterating lessons learned from the first year while discussing preparations for the future. Their senior year will include lessons covering finances, interview preparation, relationships, and developing their own worldview. The skills developed here can be used towards any life direction they have chosen after high school; whether that is college, work, military or unknown.

A course like this is not designed to teach any of the core subjects. A course like this is not taken to get into a college. A course like this was not created to provide training for a career field. This course was specifically constructed to develop better human beings.

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