Teaching essential life skills

[Little waster]

In my ideal world shoes with regular laces are illegal and the f.ckers who have supported them in the past are hunted down with packs of dogs. while wearing a combination of Roman gladiator sandals, Amish-style toggle coats and hand-tied bow ties and the only motor vehicles they are allowed to use have Model T Ford era gearings and pedals

FTFMe

[Chris Preston]

I totally get that people might have reasons for changing a plug. The point I'm making is it isn't an essential skill.

Changing a plug isn't an essential skill, but children should be taught that when they need to do that sort of task they should start with a presumption they can learn how to do it rather than assume they're incapable and have to get someone else to do it. And this is especially the case for things which might be subject to sterotyping - they should be very suspicious of ideas that a type of task is not really suited to whole groups of people.

Where have I said people should get someone else to do it?

Well I have to get someone else to do it. Government regulations prohibit me doing any electrical work more technical than changing a light bulb. I can change a fuse, provided I have been properly trained. All other electrical work needs to have a licensed electrician and I have to keep the certificate they provide as proof that the work was done properly.

[Opti]

It's Elf and Sushi gorn mad innit?

[Chris Preston]

It's Elf and Sushi gorn mad innit?

There is that about it, but given the stupidity of some people, it is probably just protecting the innocent and not so innocent.

I am also not permitted to do any plumbing more complex that changing a tap or building an irrigation system. That is because people in the past have connected their storm water to the sewer causing blocks worth of back up during heavy rains.

[Opti]

It's Elf and Sushi gorn mad innit?

There is that about it, but given the stupidity of some people, it is probably just protecting the innocent and not so innocent.

I am also not permitted to do any plumbing more complex that changing a tap or building an irrigation system. That is because people in the past have connected their storm water to the sewer causing blocks worth of back up during heavy rains.

Why don't they just get a professional in, or google it?

[El Pollo Diablo]

Not knowing how to use a compass or map is the reason for a lot of mountain rescue callouts, endangering the lives of the rescuers (see RNLI for the maritime version). Google coverage is not universal in places like moors and mountains and phones run out of batteries. I also know several people who were navigating on known waters on 9/11 who suddenly found that their nav system was telling them that they were several miles from where they knew they were (800 feet up a volcano in one case).

Whilst this is true, the lesson here is not "using a compass and map is a vital life skill", it is instead "make sure you know what you're doing when you do something potentially dangerous, and that you have backup in case the tech fails". It's a situation specific problem for a minority who enjoy a particular hobby.

On this logic, I should learn Swahili, lest I ever find myself abandoned in Kenya.

[Stephanie]

Oh no, you've interrupted their epic plug shagging and compass w.nking fest, EPD.

Just hanging around now to see if Millennie Al quotes you to explain things you never mentioned, or if that was just a lucky treat for me.

[bjn]

Not knowing how to use a compass or map is the reason for a lot of mountain rescue callouts, endangering the lives of the rescuers (see RNLI for the maritime version). Google coverage is not universal in places like moors and mountains and phones run out of batteries. I also know several people who were navigating on known waters on 9/11 who suddenly found that their nav system was telling them that they were several miles from where they knew they were (800 feet up a volcano in one case).

Whilst this is true, the lesson here is not "using a compass and map is a vital life skill", it is instead "make sure you know what you're doing when you do something potentially dangerous, and that you have backup in case the tech fails". It's a situation specific problem for a minority who enjoy a particular hobby.

On this logic, I should learn Swahili, lest I ever find myself abandoned in Kenya.

Yeahbut, it's realising that something is potentially dangerous in the first place that many people fail on. "I'm just going on a walk, why can't I go in flip-flops? Oh-god-oh-god-oh-god-I'm-freezing-to-death-in-a-summer-storm-halfway-up-a-mountain-much-bigger-that-I-expected!!!!!!!"

ETA: I've helped drag people off mountains in the past when I've found folk WAY out of their depth when I was just out and about.

[Opti]

Yeah, humans, by and large, are pretty sh.t at risk assessment. Maybe they should teach the basics of that?
Essential life skill, innit.

[El Pollo Diablo]

Yeah, humans, by and large, are pretty sh.t at risk assessment. Maybe they should teach the basics of that?
Essential life skill, innit.

See, now we're talking. Maybe they should do videos for kids about safety around electricity infrastructure and railways, how to cross the road properly (some kind of code for crossing? Maybe using a particular colour to emphasise when it's safe and when it isn't?), and avoiding strangers?

Oh wait

[bjn]

It’s a bit more meta than that though. Being taught X is potentially dangerous is fine and necessary but is a laundry list. But being taught how to assess the risks of something new or new-ish is a better skill. Eg “I have been on walks before, but I have never been on a walk up a remote mountain before. Hmm, what could go wrong?”

[Opti]

Exactly. Laundry-listing doesn't get to the root of the problem.
OK, kids are taught not to f.ck about with high-voltage electricity pylons but not taught the essence of why they shouldn't. "Don't f.ck about with electricity" doesn't really cut it.

[shpalman]

Yes toddlers definitely need to be taught Maxwell's equations and the Drude model so that they can figure out not to stick a fork in the socket for themselves.

[El Pollo Diablo]

I think we're concluding that the only life skills people need are

- How to figure out what to do
- How to figure out what not to do

[bjn]

I think we're concluding that the only life skills people need are

- How to figure out what to do
- How to figure out what not to do

Surely it's just how to figure out.

[Opti]

I think we're concluding that the only life skills people need are

- How to figure out what to do
- How to figure out what not to do

Surely it's just how to figure out.

Are we getting to the point where we can agree that critical thinking should be high up the core syllabus?

[bjn]

I think we're concluding that the only life skills people need are

- How to figure out what to do
- How to figure out what not to do

Surely it's just how to figure out.

Are we getting to the point where we can agree that critical thinking should be high up the core syllabus?

f.ck yeah.

[dyqik]

I think we're concluding that the only life skills people need are

- How to figure out what to do
- How to figure out what not to do

- How to figure out when not to do something
- How to figure out when to do something
- How to figure out how to do something properly
- How to figure out when not to do something properly and do it quickly instead
- How not to overthink things
- When not to overthink things

[lpm]

- How to not give a f.ck

[shpalman]

There's a book for that.

[Herainestold]

Unf*ckology:

http://advicegoddess.com/amys_books/

[shpalman]

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a f.ck

[bolo]

I think we're concluding that the only life skills people need are

- How to figure out what to do
- How to figure out what not to do

- How to figure out when not to do something
- How to figure out when to do something
- How to figure out how to do something properly
- How to figure out when not to do something properly and do it quickly instead
- How not to overthink things
- When not to overthink things

- how to express your options in bullet lists
- when to express your options in bullet lists
- when to omit the cockend option

[Cardinal Fang]

Ironically although I can put up a shelf, hang wallpaper, change a plug, change my car's sparkplugs etc, but I'm not so good at "girly" things like following a sewing pattern.

CF

Not properly taught at the College of Cardinals?

Nope - more things like comfy chair maintenance

CF

[jimbob]

Yeah, humans, by and large, are pretty sh.t at risk assessment. Maybe they should teach the basics of that?
Essential life skill, innit.

See, now we're talking. Maybe they should do videos for kids about safety around electricity infrastructure and railways, how to cross the road properly (some kind of code for crossing? Maybe using a particular colour to emphasise when it's safe and when it isn't?), and avoiding strangers?

Oh wait

The story I remember was of the Boxing Day Tsunami. One Scottish family and those near them were saved because when the water suddenly receded, their daughter remembered learning about tsunamis at primary school and told them what was happening, so they found high ground.