As students at Tallwood High School, since the beginning of our academic years, we have been required to take the mandatory core curriculum classes. These classes include math, English, science, and social studies. While others may argue that students should be allowed to choose all classes they take, these classes help prepare students for life after high school, and therefore should remain mandatory.
The four core subjects included in the education system curriculum contain skills taught that will be necessary for the future of all students regardless of their career goals and vision for the future. As students grow and become more independent, they will need to have certain skills and mindsets that will help them be successful and comfortable in future situations. One of the most important examples is financial literacy. A common complaint us students say is the saying, “When will I ever need to use math in the future?” In reality, math is especially vital for every individual’s future because of the need to understand and make responsible financial decisions. Factors like taxes, investments, income, etc. require mathematical understanding in order to handle correctly. Without basic math skills, financial decisions become much harder. Some people may even need to pay others to help manage their money. Another key skill needed is English. In English classes, grammar, writing, speaking, etc. help students communicate clearly and professionally. No matter the work field you wish to join, these social and communication skills are needed to be taken seriously and advance in workplace settings. Lacking English skills will lead to struggle not only in career progression, but in social life as well. So, the lessons taught in the core curriculum ultimately benefit students in all of their future plans.
Along with this, learning these subjects helps students become well-rounded and more informed regardless of their post-high school plans. The idea of balancing and learning all four subjects at the same time not only teaches students responsibility, but exposes them to more than one single area of learning. If students were to choose all of their own classes, most would turn to choosing subjects that align with their interests, passions, and academic strengths. This would then lead to a lack of well-roundedness, and students would have excessive knowledge on certain select subjects, and little to none in others. It is because of this why in the VBCPS system, students are required to take the core curriculum, but are also given the ability to choose unique electives such as art, technology, language learning, etc. With this system, students become academically well-rounded, while also engaging in their personal favorite subjects at the same time.
Some may argue that most job positions do not require the lessons taught in all four core subjects; however, most do need the knowledge of all four. It is simply how much each subject is used that differs depending on the job. This simply means that while it may appear that certain work fields only require knowledge of one single core subject, in reality, that core subject is just the one used the most. The remaining three subjects are still necessary for that job position. For example, it may seem that a doctor only requires knowledge in science (health); however, a doctor actually uses all four core subjects and simply uses science the most. English is used by a doctor when speaking and writing professionally to patients and colleagues, math is used when calculating and comparing data collected from medical services, and social studies is needed for understanding factors such as patient demographics, the history of certain medical practices, or psychological factors being taken into consideration.
When you look at the skills students actually need in real life, the importance of being well-rounded, and the use of the core subjects in all careers, it is clear that it is important that the core curriculum remains mandatory in schools throughout the community. Although electives allow students to pursue what they enjoy most, core classes still play an important role in helping students become capable, informed, and prepared for the future.
