intro to programming! ive been told I’m pretty good at breaking things down in a way a beginner would understand and programming is something that can be so intimidating to outsiders, I’d want to help lower the bar to entry and enable people to become passionate in programming when they otherwise wouldn’t
Real politics. None of this Mr. Bill stuff. How to find and get involved with your state party, how to get a protest permit, how to get signatures for a campaign, how to read statistics and polling, and finally factual primers on issues.
How to say “No”, there are many people who are afraid to.
Oral communications. I have no formal education or interest in performance, but learned how to get over strong stage fright when I was young. Confidence, when it’s not natural, is mostly “fake it till ya make it.” Also nihilism and cynicism that the kids will naturally grow into as adults.
Traditional subject?
Physics, but applicable physics. Not just the boring memorization of formulae to do math with. Stress on beams like you might calculate for a building structure. Heat generated on a electrical transmission wire causing it to sag. How thrust and mass interact to put a satellite in orbit. Stuff that could be applied in a job or just be really interesting to figure out.
Wine, Ihave been studying it for years
Physics. Sometimes I can’t resist nerding out about it and teaching it to others! I didn’t get the title of “physics girl” in school for nothing haha.
I’m actually starting physics right now, new best friend.
Computer programming and related tech skills. Why? Because I’ve been doing as a job and for fun for over 35 years and have been teaching it for 5 so I guess it works out.
Would teach: Apathy
Why? Apathy
How to pass the final? Not show up.
Nobody likes a kiss ass!
How to adult.
Basically how to choose your internet and phone provider, compare the contracts etc. Same with power supplier. How to choose from the different suppliers and the impact of base price with the price per unit (and when it makes sense to choose a higher line price when the power price per unit is cheaper).
Insurance. Regulations for the driving license (like if you study and still are registered at home, you might have a hard time to make your license at your study place).
And all nitty picky things you have to remember when you grow up and rent your own place.
As well as learning and working contracts. Like how many vacation days are mandatory and what is usual.
Edit: If and how you do taxes. When they are mandatory and when they are optional.
Well, i guess you get the point. All those nasty responsibilities nobody explains you before being confronted with.
I really like this one. It’s modern Home Ec. And sorely needed.
Finance, credit, investing, retirement, savings. How money works. I’ve worked with way too many younger folks that don’t know anything about finance.
I had that opportunity once. But
“Nah, I want to get a feel for the market first, ya know? That’s why I’m investing short-term for now – I’ll do long-term later.”
VT ain’t as hip as Nvidia options, eh?
I grew up around finance people. I recall one guy at church, who used to run the Bank of NY, telling a bunch if us after the 1987 crash that he didn’t get why so many people under 65 were freaking out as their investments weren’t getting cashed in any time soon. It gave me perspective on how that race is run.
Earth Science!
Cmere class, look at these clouds! They’re really really cool!! Okay, now here’s a five gallon bucket of water, try to lift it. Heavy, right? Now imagine six hundred of these and look at that cloud again. That’s how much that sucker holds. Crazy, right?!
Now hold this rock. Pretty heavy. Throw it, it falls. Then what about hailstones that are that size or larger. How can they keep something like that, along with five hundred tons of water alllll up in the sky?
Today we gon learn
Uncle Billy Bob teach’ said we gon’ learn. We learnt lots t’day
History, with an emphasis on grassroots struggles. If labor history were a real course in schools, I’d probably actually go back to college for an associate’s to actually teach it
I live in Texas, and we focused on the glories of “free-market” “laissez faire” capitalism in our American history class.
Not a word about things like the Triangle Shirtwaist fire or the Homestead Strike or the Great Railroad Strike of 1922. I’m frankly shocked that we talked about the civil rights movement at all.
Since you live in Texas, you might be interested in your own version of Blair Mountain, the Grabow Massacre during the Texas Lumber Wars
Computer hardware and administration are probably my best subjects worth teaching.
I’m certified and have plenty of industry experience. I could even bring my own hardware for lessons.
Debate class. Have people choose a subject. Ask which side they want to support. Then assign them the opposite side. Get them to look at other angles of subjects
Hilarious story. I had that happen to me. I argued it so passionately they thought I actually believed in it. Surprised the hell out of them a year later when I wrote an opinion paper from the exact opposite direction.
