Home ec class..necessary or not?

[Coral123]

At my DD's junior high, all students are required to take an introductory home ec class.

This isn't something I did growing up.

I'm not against it, for students that want to take it.  DD doesn't necessarily mind it.  However with the amount of electives that she takes, it would be nice to have that time instead as a study hall.

Do kids actually learn much in this class?

[ollyoxenfree]

In Years 6, 7 and 8, in home ec, DS and DD both did some rudimentary sewing (DS made a pillow, DD made a bag, they both made stuffed animals). They both had already done a fair amount of sewing and craft work, so it was nothing new. The other part of the course was nutrition, menu planning, grocery shopping and simple cooking. There was some cooking in school in the home ec room (which is called something else - domestic arts, maybe?) but they also had to shop and prepare meals for our family. Again, not much new for them since they had been cooking with me since they were toddlers. 

If you think she's already covered the curriculum and will be bored or unhappy, I'd ask the administration if she can get credit for prior independent learning. You might be asked to put together some documentation of prior learning and submit it. Perhaps a portfolio of sewing projects and other crafts that she's completed and a menu list of meals that she's cooked recently for your family. 

OTOH, it's usually a lot of fun for the kids to work on the sewing and cooking projects in class together. It's a nice break from lecture/lab/study hall time. It's an opportunity for some collaborative learning. If she's already competent, it's a chance for her to be a leader and a resource person in the class. 

BTW, they also participated in wood working and metal working (Industrial arts? design and tech? something like that) and really enjoyed those classes too. DS created a wolf silhouette from wood and DD gave me a wooden jewelry box that sits on my bedside table. 

[Rani]

I don't have a problem with it. Many kids never get a chance to cook or sew or menu plan at home. And everyone should have basic cooking and meal planning skills. I work with many 20 and 30 somethings that could have used such a class.  And she might find a love of a new skill in that class.

[FarmerBeth]

I think home economics and industrial arts classes are excellent for having a switch to life skills and hands-on learning.  A lot of home economics programs also have a term on child studies or healthy relationships, too, along with stuff like cooking and sewing.  I look at especially sewing, cooking and industrial arts as artistic outlets that aren't only about painting and sculpting, etc.  Maybe it's not necessary, but that could be said about all kinds of things we study in school.  And when kids are young teens, we have no way of knowing if we might be fostering the interests of a future chef or fashion designer.  How can you know if some of these things are for you without trying?

[whatsnextmom]

I believe it's a valuable class and should be offered as an elective but I'd be irritated if it were a required class eating up an elective spot.

In our area, the middle school standard is 6 periods. After Math, English, P.E., Science and Social Studies, there is only 1 elective spot left and kids should be able to choose whatever they have personal interest in. My kids actually go/went to a middle school with 7 periods and so they get two electives but they would have been very frustrated having to give up band/orchestra or their foriegn languages for home ec. I would have been irritated too as I can't teach my kids Mandarin and how to play the trumpet at home (which is what my current 6th grader opted for.) I can and do teach them to sew, cook, use power tools, ect.

Certainly, I'm not against learning these skills but I don't see requiring them.

Edited by whatsnextmom - 9/6/11 at 10:13am

[KCMichigan]

I took both. I think they are great.

1. They provide functional living skills. Honestly, many kids cant sew on a button, hem a line, change a spare tire, top off the oil in the car, or cook a simple meal. They also lack nutrition information to make wise choices. It also is a fantastic way to practice living skills under the eye of a teacher (vs parent).

2. Those classes often lead kiddos to explore careers like chef, seamstress, fashion design, car mechanic, etc. Many kids today dont get as much exposure to those careers- the classes provide a good fundamental outlook on them.

3. They provide a 'non-academic' class that some students may appreciate. Some student struggle with academics and those classes really give them something to do 'with their hands'. It is a great way for ALL students to see that each one of us has different talents/interests/skills.

If they are not required- they are an elective. If they are required- there still should be room in the students schedule to take 1-2 electives. Some of it may depend on the year (6.7.8.9). I was able to be in Band and take French in addition to my required classes the entire Middle School.

If you feel your DC has these skills already, you could try to bypass them. But as I posted- I think a lot of these skills is something that all students need rudimentary exposure to AND they are great subjects to learn alongside your peers.

Many areas are attempting to have high school students take a personal finance class since so many college students struggle with balancing bills, etc.

Edited by KCMichigan - 9/6/11 at 11:08am

[Imakcerka]

Well, if she has to take it make the best of it.  I remember make stuff and cooking.  It was a nice break from a busy day.

[Coral123]

I won't try to bypass it...that isn't my style.

[philomom]

As long as they make the boys take it , too. Everyone should know how to put back on a button, make a simple meal, do laundry and shop well. Some working parents are so busy they forget to teach these things.

[meemee]

i think home ec should be a necessary - a class one has to take. i dont think we have any home ec classes in any of our schools in our school dst. 

i am blown away by how many people dont cook. period. never cooked ever in their life. they know how to assemble - throw things from cans, in the microwave but never from scratch cooking. and the scary part. many have parents who themselves dont know how to cook. yeah 2 to 3 generations who have never cooked. 

and as others have pointed out - simple basic sewing and all the other good stuff. i guess that's why men's warehouse has (Or is it had?) lifetime guarantee on their suits so they would sew on a button for free. 

[mooshersmama]

Originally Posted by philomom 

As long as they make the boys take it , too. Everyone should know how to put back on a button, make a simple meal, do laundry and shop well. Some working parents are so busy they forget to teach these things.

And some "nonworking" parents too!
 

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by meemee 

i am blown away by how many people dont cook. period. never cooked ever in their life. they know how to assemble - throw things from cans, in the microwave but never from scratch cooking. and the scary part. many have parents who themselves dont know how to cook. yeah 2 to 3 generations who have never cooked. 

and as others have pointed out - simple basic sewing and all the other good stuff. i guess that's why men's warehouse has (Or is it had?) lifetime guarantee on their suits so they would sew on a button for free. 

I totally agree with this. We cook  from scratch, and when other children visit here, they are often amazed that it's possible to actually make one's one chocolate chip cookie dough because they've only seen it come from a tube, or make pancakes from actual flour rather than a mix. One girl (who was in 4th grade) was very upset visiting our family for a "build your own pizza event" because we didn't have the kind of cheese she liked. She wasn't sure what it was called, but ours didn't look right. She had never seen shredded mozzarella. Pizza is something that is ordered and delivered at her house (moms a lawyer, dad's a dentist, no one ever cooks).

I suspect they will also work in some basic information about nutrition. It will most likely be uber basic -- vegetables good, sugar bad -- but it's still stuff that many of the kids need to hear.

They'll most likely teach the kids to follow a recipe, which will require a review of basic measurements - fractions, ounces, teaspoons vs tablespoons

I can see why a school would have this class and require it.

It's an elective at our school, but my kids have tried new foods that they wouldn't have tried at home, and come home with healthy recipes excited about adding them our family's regular dishes.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Coral123 

I won't try to bypass it...that isn't my style.

Oh, okay, I thought you were wondering how to go about getting a study hall period substituted for the home ec class. I guess I read too much into the bolded statement below.  

Originally Posted by Coral123 

At my DD's junior high, all students are required to take an introductory home ec class.

This isn't something I did growing up.

I'm not against it, for students that want to take it.  DD doesn't necessarily mind it.  However with the amount of electives that she takes, it would be nice to have that time instead as a study hall.

Do kids actually learn much in this class?

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by philomom 

As long as they make the boys take it , too. Everyone should know how to put back on a button, make a simple meal, do laundry and shop well. Some working parents are so busy they forget to teach these things.

Are there places where they still segregate by sex for these classes? Wow. It didn't even occur to me. I recall both boys and girls taking home ec and industrial arts when I was in middle school, and that was several decades ago. 

And, yeah, there are parents who don't teach basic sewing and cooking and home maintenance. Working and stay-at-home both. Too busy is one reason. Don't have skills or interest is another. Or they consider these things are for "the help" and it would never cross their minds to teach their kids how to do these chores. I know a few stay-at-home moms who think that way. 

[choli]

I think Home Ec should be required for all high school students. I can honestly say that what I learned in Home Ec was of more use to me than anything else I learned in High School.

[Annie Mac]

I learned useful things in home ec. Things that, btw, my mother *would* have taught me, but I just wasn't interested in learning from her! Moms, what do they know? Pfft!

[ollyoxenfree]

BTW, on the "is it useful" question....yesterday DD went to school (10th grade) carrying a shoulder bag she made out of men's ties from Goodwill. It took her about an hour or two to whip it up on our home sewing machine. She did it one afternoon this summer while she was bored. She came home with an order to make one for a friend, and wondering how much to charge if she gets more orders. 

Her BFF (11th grade) has run a small bakery business for the past couple of years. She does monthly specials - pumpkin cookies for Hallowe'en, Christmas cookies - as well as special order birthday cakes etc. She has a website and an e-mail list and sells mostly to friends and family, but has done pretty well. She's a visual arts major at their art school, and part of her audition portfolio was scrapbook of photos of her decorated cakes. 

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 
I recall both boys and girls taking home ec and industrial arts when I was in middle school, and that was several decades ago. 

Shop is also an elective at our school, and few girls participate. The teacher (super nice guy) is trying to get more girls interested.

Cooking is more popular because it always smells goods.

Sewing is an option in our art center. The students' schedules have blocks of unscheduled time, and the art center is always open. So one of their options is to sew. The teacher who runs the art center is a amazing and can provide help and guidance.

Shop can be taken as a class, but it also has blocks of time where it is open and students can do it as a drop in. It's hours aren't as extensive as the art center, though.

(The students can do what they want for part of their school week -- read a book, play a game with a friend, build something in shop, sew something, build with clay, etc.)

Cooking isn't a regular, for credit class, but a Friday afternoon activity. Some students end up just sampling the food and bringing the recipe home.

They also squeeze in their regular classes, but a lot of classes don't meet 5 days a week.

[philomom]

Originally Posted by mooshersmama 

And some "nonworking" parents too!
 

Sorry, I threw that in cause I'm kinda making a career of SAHMing and I do make sure my kids know how to keep the house running in case I kick the bucket suddenly.

[Alyantavid]

I enjoyed Home Ec.  There were boys in my class and I think everyone learned something beneficial.  Even if I still can't sew well.

Originally Posted by philomom 

As long as they make the boys take it , too. Everyone should know how to put back on a button, make a simple meal, do laundry and shop well. Some working parents are so busy they forget to teach these things.

Does every sahm teach their children these things?  Cause my kids can do all of those things (I haven't taught my 5 year old how to sew on a button yet, but otherwise) and I work.  Not quite sure what working has to do with teaching your kids basic life skills.