|
|
Post by lasteve1 on Nov 12, 2019 20:22:41 GMT
I can report that the still do home ec classes! My daughter took it last year in 8th grade, but they call it "FACS" around here. I can't remember exactly what that stands for but it's like Fundamentals of? Cooking & Sewing. They sewed a pillow and baked cookies. I can't remember what else. It was just one semester, they did computers the other semester. It is mandatory for all kids around here in 8th grade.
When I was a kid they renamed home ec "life skills" and everyone took it in 7th grade. They were supposed to teach additional things also, like how to balance a checkbook and basic budgeting, but I remember my teacher being pretty disorganized and we didn't do much. I can't remember what we sewed or cooked, but I do remember the classroom having stoves and that we did some stuff. I remember I also took sewing in 9th grade, but that might've been my choice? I do know my high school offered some cooking electives but I didn't take them... I already cooked/baked a lot at home so it would've been pretty basic.
|
|
|
|
Post by hop2 on Nov 12, 2019 20:24:12 GMT
No Home Ec classes in the French public education. However, my mother is a good seamstress and terrific knitter so I picked up all the basics from her. Ironically, the threads craft I developed the most are the useless ones (embroidery and lacemaking).  Considering the state of budgets allocated to public education (and *cut*) + the difficult conditions teachers are working under these days, I doubt many Western governments are interested in investing in Home Economics and Personal Finances classes. I wish things were different, however. Finances, in particular, should be an essential pillar in education. ETA: I did have a class called Technology in France. Always 100% chaos. I remember making an electric mosquito killer that we had absolutely no use for living in a Mediterranean climate of drought, drought, drought.  I have no clue what I learned in that class. I only remember soldering stuff (and the teacher shouting threats to whomever thought about "prank burning" a classmate, ahem). The state of NJ requires a class called financial literacy. Which would be fine & id fully support it. But the info they were taught was slightly outdated. They were taught how to keep a check book. I get that you should still balance an account when you use a debit card, but they weren’t taught a single modern way to do that. Do they seriously think a 20 yo with a debit card, a credit card, & a phone is going to whip out a paper register to write their purchases down? lmao |
|
|
|
Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 12, 2019 20:27:16 GMT
ETA: I did have a class called Technology in France. Always 100% chaos. I remember making an electric mosquito killer that we had absolutely no use for living in a Mediterranean climate of drought, drought, drought. I have no clue what I learned in that class. I only remember soldering stuff (and the teacher shouting threats to whomever thought about "prank burning" a classmate, ahem). Oh yeah. 😂 It wasn't about technology per se though, more like creating an electronic object from start to finish. This was a class I dreaded--I was long-sighted and have no binocular vision: tiny things to cut with big tools or even to solder were often a mess. And it was chaos in the classroom indeed! I remember teeenage boys running around with some kind of baby welding torches or middle-sized saws. I remember making an egg timer when I was 12. The thing was big, red and yellow with a button on top--they all looked like dangerous devices. 🤔 Oh good, I wasn't the only to walk away from years of "classe de techno" madness with no practical or academic knowledge! I remember it took place in some kind of one-off basement classroom and frankly, looking back, I can see why: fire would at least temporarily be contained, off-the-charts volume level the least bothersome from down there, perfect killer room setup in case the teacher would finally snap (I don't know how he didn't, poor guy). I want to see a pic of the egg timer now! #yourstorymatters #shareyourstory  |
|
blemon
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,582 
|
Post by blemon on Nov 12, 2019 20:36:13 GMT
To go with the off-topic flow, I am really struggling to balance my checkbook. I basically end up every month writing everything down from the statement which is stupid. What am I supposed to do?
I took home ec in high school for one semester. I made lots of muffins. I learned to sew by making my mom teach me (I also learned all my curse words from her during these sessions!). I was in 4H and chose sewing as my project so I had to get some help from her. Now I sew all the time. I can make anything from a pattern.
Anyway, I'm totally struggling with the challenge this week. I am trying to pare down my DD supplies but I don't want to. I love it all. But there are too many stickers in the sticker bin. I know it. I'm going to make a few pages first. I am working on my title page.
I printed out that merry merry merry xmas word art posted here a couple of days ago onto transparency paper. I have it on top of solid red and just want to add a star and December or something.
I'm using the simple stories album from last year and it's go polka dots on the inside. With the curvy text and polka dots, everything was too busy. I'm stuck.
I'll play around with it more tomorrow.
I'm trying to buy a car today. Ugh.
|
|
|
|
Post by janamke on Nov 12, 2019 20:40:44 GMT
I can report that the still do home ec classes! My daughter took it last year in 8th grade, but they call it "FACS" around here. I can't remember exactly what that stands for but it's like Fundamentals of? Cooking & Sewing. Family And Consumer Science  |
|
|
|
Post by lasteve1 on Nov 12, 2019 20:47:35 GMT
I can report that the still do home ec classes! My daughter took it last year in 8th grade, but they call it "FACS" around here. I can't remember exactly what that stands for but it's like Fundamentals of? Cooking & Sewing. Family And Consumer Science Ah yes, that's it! I was way off haha. Are you in New York too? Or is this a common name for the class around the country? |
|
|
|
Post by janamke on Nov 12, 2019 20:51:38 GMT
Family And Consumer Science Ah yes, that's it! I was way off haha. Are you in New York too? Or is this a common name for the class around the country? Nope, Minnesota. I still call it HomeEc, my kids roll their eyes. |
|
|
|
Post by lasteve1 on Nov 12, 2019 20:54:55 GMT
To go with the off-topic flow, I am really struggling to balance my checkbook. I basically end up every month writing everything down from the statement which is stupid. What am I supposed to do? My mom tried to teach me to use a check register when I first got a bank account but I don't think there is a need for this anymore? I'm probably the wrong person to answer you because I never really got the hang of it, but I just use my banking app so there is no need to balance my checkbook at all. The point was for you to know what your account balance was at all times so you didn't overdraft with your debit card/writing a bad check (or is there another point that I am missing?). But nowadays you can just check your account balance on your phone at all times and that's just as easy as pulling out a paper check register, so why not just check the app? I don't know that banks even give out the registers anymore. The only thing you would need to keep track of outside of the app would be if you have outstanding checks written that haven't been cashed. But I write like 5 checks per year, so that's not really a thing I have to worry about. Debit card purchases hit my account pretty quickly and other outstanding online payments will within a day as well. I've always found that instead of worrying about this stuff I just keep a minimum balance of $1000 in my account and pretend like it's not there... it's there in case I spend more than I thought or in case there is an emergency I need some quick money. Totally off topic I know... how did we even get to this topic? HAHA. |
|
|
|
Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 12, 2019 20:55:15 GMT
The state of NJ requires a class called financial literacy. Which would be fine & id fully support it. But the info they were taught was slightly outdated. They were taught how to keep a check book. I get that you should still balance an account when you use a debit card, but they weren’t taught a single modern way to do that. Do they seriously think a 20 yo with a debit card, a credit card, & a phone is going to whip out a paper register to write their purchases down? lmao Just a smidge outdated...  Considering the difficulties of navigating the American system and the amount of money it costs to live, study and stay alive, it's especially crucial for US kids to learn the basics of financial literacy. A friend of mine migrated and had to learn how to properly (and quickly) build his credit score over there (doesn't exist here) as a an adult and that was difficult enough. I would be frightened of dealing with crushing student debt loans, the ease of access to credit lines, personal retirement savings, etc. as a young person. When I was a kid they renamed home ec "life skills" and everyone took it in 7th grade. They were supposed to teach additional things also, like how to balance a checkbook and basic budgeting, but I remember my teacher being pretty disorganized and we didn't do much. I can't remember what we sewed or cooked, but I do remember the classroom having stoves and that we did some stuff. I just checked this year's French national education programmes and definitely nothing Home Ecomics-y. However, we have mandatory Philosophy which should make up for not being able to sew or make baguettes, right? Mind you, Philosophy was one of my favourite subjects. |
|
|
|
Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 12, 2019 21:02:12 GMT
ut I don't think there is a need for this anymore? I'm probably the wrong person to answer you because I never really got the hang of it, but I just use my banking app so there is no need to balance my checkbook at all. The point was for you to know what your account balance was at all times so you didn't overdraft with your debit card/writing a bad check (or is there another point that I am missing?). But nowadays you can just check your account balance on your phone at all times and that's just as easy as pulling out a paper check register, so why not just check the app? I don't know that banks even give out the registers anymore. The only thing you would need to keep track of outside of the app would be if you have outstanding checks written that haven't been cashed.  There's no longer a need to balance one's checkbook. It's all done for you in real time with the exception of the "circulating" checks if you wrote any. |
|
|
|
Post by lasteve1 on Nov 12, 2019 21:10:44 GMT
The state of NJ requires a class called financial literacy. Which would be fine & id fully support it. But the info they were taught was slightly outdated. They were taught how to keep a check book. I get that you should still balance an account when you use a debit card, but they weren’t taught a single modern way to do that. Do they seriously think a 20 yo with a debit card, a credit card, & a phone is going to whip out a paper register to write their purchases down? lmao Just a smidge outdated... Considering the difficulties of navigating the American system and the amount of money it costs to live, study and stay alive, it's especially crucial for US kids to learn the basics of financial literacy. A friend of mine migrated and had to learn how to properly (and quickly) build his credit score over there (doesn't exist here) as a an adult and that was difficult enough. I would be frightened of dealing with crushing student debt loans, the ease of access to credit lines, personal retirement savings, etc. as a young person.When I was a kid they renamed home ec "life skills" and everyone took it in 7th grade. They were supposed to teach additional things also, like how to balance a checkbook and basic budgeting, but I remember my teacher being pretty disorganized and we didn't do much. I can't remember what we sewed or cooked, but I do remember the classroom having stoves and that we did some stuff. I just checked this year's French national education programmes and definitely nothing Home Ecomics-y. However, we have mandatory Philosophy which should make up for not being able to sew or make baguettes, right? Mind you, Philosophy was one of my favourite subjects.It really is a shame that the home ec class they have here doesn't teach financial literacy. I have actually considered looking into teaching a class at our local community college on this... basic financial literacy and income taxes (I am a tax attorney). But honestly, it needs to be taught in high school. I have started teaching my daughter some stuff... she is 14 and is just now getting the idea of what credit is and a credit score. Until we talked about it recently it never occurred to her that people bought things they didn't have the money for yet (my response was how do you think we bought our house? haha). Related... I don't think kids understand how expensive it really is to live, e.g. how much a house really costs in relation to what people earn. |
|
|
|
Post by lisacharlotte on Nov 12, 2019 22:10:37 GMT
Oh, what’s this I found on Google? Why, it’s the pattern for my home ec sewing  project. |
|
|
|
Post by karinec on Nov 13, 2019 0:38:18 GMT
Oh, what’s this I found on Google? Why, it’s the pattern for my home ec sewing project. Dear God I think my mom actually made me that top! |
|
|
|
Post by joblackford on Nov 13, 2019 1:19:52 GMT
I can report that the still do home ec classes! My daughter took it last year in 8th grade, but they call it "FACS" around here. I can't remember exactly what that stands for but it's like Fundamentals of? Cooking & Sewing. Family And Consumer Science Typical American love of nonsensical acronyms! Home Economics was a perfectly good name that wasn't gender specific or biased, everyone hopefully has a home, even people who are a family of one, and easily includes basic financial literacy and whatever "consumer science" might be. eye-rolllll In intermediate school we all studied woodwork, metal work, cooking, sewing. Boys and girls both. It was split evenly so I guess we spent a quarter of a school year in each to see which ones we might want to pursue later/to gain basic skills. I recall an ugly velvet pillow. I don't know if the velvet was my idea or the teacher's but isn't anything slippery or plush a nightmare to sew? I recall a lot of mess in cooking class, and I still don't think I could confidently crack an egg at the end of that term. In the first year of high school we could choose to do a) Latin or b) Japanese or c) cooking, sewing, typing, woodwork and metalwork. Weird choice, huh? And what you picked determined your way forward - we couldn't go back and take first year typing or Japanese later if we hadn't taken it that first year. I picked the practical stuff. Probably not my best choice (but I was 13, so... yeah. It was my first year learning languages - we all did half a year or French and German (so useful for kiwi kids) so I wasn't game to add a 3rd scary language on top of that) I believe that balancing a checkbook was also to check for mistakes that the bank might have made. I've been balancing the darn thing every month since 2002 and have yet to find any mistakes they have made, although I do find plenty that we make. I'm not quite sure why we still do it - we only write a couple of checks a year, and everything else is direct deposited, with some float in the account to cushion against surprises. I suspect I still do it because hubby thinks we should still do it. Maybe we'll stop if we run out of check registers... but hubby has a stockpile... |
|
cbscrapper
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,483
|
Post by cbscrapper on Nov 13, 2019 1:23:56 GMT
I sewed an apron in Home Ec in 7th grade, and then we used them in our cooking unit. In 8th grade, I made jams. That term will date me! sleepingbooty what you describe sounds like shop class. Ours was in the basement too. I remember making a metal box and soldering the joints. I also made a wooden shelf. My second year I made a wooden shelf for my closet to hold shoes. I still use it decades later! We had a class called “Consumer English” where we learned to write a check and balance a checkbook, and also how to write letters to companies to complain about stuff - comes in handy for Inked Brands! Ha! |
|
|
|
Post by mom on Nov 13, 2019 1:30:03 GMT
Im just sayin' - I learned to make a Pig shaped cutting board (that I still have) but never learned to balance a checkbook in school. Go figure.
|
|
|
|
Post by Skellinton on Nov 13, 2019 3:13:01 GMT
We took Personal Finance in High School, senior year. We learned how to “ buy insurance”, write a check, budget monthly expenses, stuff like that.
|
|
blemon
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,582
|
Post by blemon on Nov 13, 2019 3:47:00 GMT
This is such an enabling thread!
No more checkbook balancing for me!!
I’m just going to make sure that all the charges are legit.
|
|
craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,798
|
Post by craftymom101 on Nov 13, 2019 4:12:30 GMT
I was going to say this as well! It was so long ago I don't remember at all, haha. I made a light bulb pillow and "something" else. I don't think I ever even finished. lol Then when my daughter was little I made her a short outfit with the help of my mil. But I would love to get a sewing machine now just for crafting! We made an apron and a pillow, I chose a hamburger. I think my mom gave my pillow to my nephew. We also made a stuffed animal. I most distinctly remember Chad Peterson kept calling me monkey fingers because the teacher made an off hand comment about how we should use chopsticks or pencils to help push out parts of the stuffed animal before stuffing, “unless you have monkey fingers”. Right as she said that I was merrily pushing out the stuffed animal with my fingers (they are long, my mother always said it was a shame I didn’t want to play piano, so for the rest of the term CP called me monkey fingers. Damn Chad Peterson.  I went to school with a Chad Peterson, too, and he would have said the same thing! He was a little punk, ha! I made an alien pillow for my home ec project. I wish I had kept it! I was so proud of it when I finally finished. |
|
|
|
Post by amidwestkingdom on Nov 13, 2019 4:49:18 GMT
This is on my list for December/January to learn how to use my machine which is unopened since 2017 I guess you gals weren’t forced to take Home Ec in middle school lol. Wow, do I feel old! It was an elective. I can hand stitch and I am an advanced embroiderer, yet I was intimidated for so long by the sewing machine. I’m most likely going to kick myself once I try it and get the hang of it and then I will be obsessed with machine sewing lol! |
|
|
|
Post by hop2 on Nov 13, 2019 4:53:39 GMT
Family And Consumer Science Typical American love of nonsensical acronyms! Home Economics was a perfectly good name that wasn't gender specific or biased, everyone hopefully has a home, even people who are a family of one, and easily includes basic financial literacy and whatever "consumer science" might be. eye-rolllll In intermediate school we all studied woodwork, metal work, cooking, sewing. Boys and girls both. It was split evenly so I guess we spent a quarter of a school year in each to see which ones we might want to pursue later/to gain basic skills. I recall an ugly velvet pillow. I don't know if the velvet was my idea or the teacher's but isn't anything slippery or plush a nightmare to sew? I recall a lot of mess in cooking class, and I still don't think I could confidently crack an egg at the end of that term. In the first year of high school we could choose to do a) Latin or b) Japanese or c) cooking, sewing, typing, woodwork and metalwork. Weird choice, huh? And what you picked determined your way forward - we couldn't go back and take first year typing or Japanese later if we hadn't taken it that first year. I picked the practical stuff. Probably not my best choice (but I was 13, so... yeah. It was my first year learning languages - we all did half a year or French and German (so useful for kiwi kids) so I wasn't game to add a 3rd scary language on top of that) I believe that balancing a checkbook was also to check for mistakes that the bank might have made. I've been balancing the darn thing every month since 2002 and have yet to find any mistakes they have made, although I do find plenty that we make. I'm not quite sure why we still do it - we only write a couple of checks a year, and everything else is direct deposited, with some float in the account to cushion against surprises. I suspect I still do it because hubby thinks we should still do it. Maybe we'll stop if we run out of check registers... but hubby has a stockpile... I did and it wasn’t my account but a club account. It was a 10cent mistake. The bank couldn’t be bothered fixing it for real so they handed me a dime - which I had no way to put in to fix the problem since the problem was that a check didn’t match by 10 cents. So the check forever was ‘wrong’ and I had to deposit this random dime that also didn’t match since it was supposed to be in the check amount. |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 28, 2024 11:00:43 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 11:13:35 GMT
sleepingbooty I was so ashamed I begged my Mom to throw it away. Sorry. 😉
|
|
|
|
Post by Linda on Nov 13, 2019 12:27:47 GMT
I took a rotation of sewing/cooking/metal/woodworking/ceramics/life skills in Junior High - one semester of each. Life Skills (which wasn't the name - I can't recall what they called it) including balancing a cheque book and job applications and budgets. I made a pig pillow in sewing.
I haven't balanced a cheque book in over a decade - but I also haven't written a cheque in that time. I do pay attention to my bank account (watching for errors/fraud)
|
|
|
|
Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 13, 2019 13:09:47 GMT
This is such an enabling thread! No more checkbook balancing for me!! I’m just going to make sure that all the charges are legit. Welcome to the 21st century!  As long as you keep checking your account online on the regular and keep track of any extra charges or withdrawals that you can't straight away recognise, you'll be fine. I check my account every 48h max. But then again, I love knowing where I'm at with my expenses these days (not so much when I was in my early twenties ). |
|
|
|
Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 13, 2019 13:12:56 GMT
sleepingbooty I was so ashamed I begged my Mom to throw it away. Sorry. 😉 A piece of great historical importance lost... (but never forgotten)  |
|
julie5
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,621
|
Post by julie5 on Nov 13, 2019 13:49:51 GMT
Y’all saying there’s no need to know how to write a check—you’re kind of wrong. I still pay everything with a paper check. Our accounts have never been hacked. All this online bill pay and Apple Pay and app pay, it’s really scary how much information is floating around out there. If you won’t take my check, you won’t get my money. Plain and simple.
And in a related subject, a few weeks ago my hubby and I had a flat tire. We couldn’t change it because cars don’t come with spares anymore. So I can’t teach my kids to change a tire. What is the world coming to? We’re getting so reliant on technology. I know I sound like a doomsdayer but seriously, if the zombie apocalypse ever comes, we’re all screwed. Lol
|
|
|
|
Post by sleepingbooty on Nov 13, 2019 14:57:39 GMT
Y’all saying there’s no need to know how to write a check *checks julie5 's selective hearing aid* I'm pretty sure nobody said not to learn how to write a check but rather that many of us no longer use checks regularly or need to balance a checkbook, that's all. It's all a matter of balance in life. Technology's been great but it also opens doors to new ways of getting to our data and money. However, checks can be forged and stolen. It's not a fireproof way to handle transactions (literally since it's paper ). You pick what suits you best. I've had one credit card's information stolen in my life and that was from a basic online transaction (and I almost didn't order because they didn't accept Paypal  ). Tech has not been all doomsday and naysay in my personal experience. Plus, I'm ready for the zombie apocalypse: never had a car, always lived everyday life walking. So long suckers when the cars break down, the gas runs out, I've got this, even in heels.  PS: Found scrap goodies to document your December cookie party? There was a cute 6x6 stack on AliExpress featuring some pretty Christmas cookies that made me think of you... |
|
|
|
Post by lasteve1 on Nov 13, 2019 16:24:29 GMT
Y’all saying there’s no need to know how to write a check—you’re kind of wrong. I still pay everything with a paper check. Our accounts have never been hacked. All this online bill pay and Apple Pay and app pay, it’s really scary how much information is floating around out there. If you won’t take my check, you won’t get my money. Plain and simple. And in a related subject, a few weeks ago my hubby and I had a flat tire. We couldn’t change it because cars don’t come with spares anymore. So I can’t teach my kids to change a tire. What is the world coming to? We’re getting so reliant on technology. I know I sound like a doomsdayer but seriously, if the zombie apocalypse ever comes, we’re all screwed. Lol I definitely get that some people prefer paper checks still... but I don't. My bank account has never been hacked and I've never had an issue. I have had credit card numbers stolen and fraudulent charges on a credit card but, thanks to mobile banking, I caught the charges quickly (because I'm always checking my app every couple of days) and the bank reversed them so I didn't have any out of pocket cost. Personally, I would be a lot more worried about doing everything via paper because there isn't that constant reconciliation with the banks records... when you are using the bank app not only are you confirming your balance/charges, but you are confirming the bank's records of the charges.
Of course, I still use the odd paper check for certain things here and there, but all my regular bills are paid online. Not only do I feel perfectly comfortable with the security of online payments (I've never had a problem and, if there is a problem, there are protections in place so I am not the one that has to eat the cost) but I love the peace of mind I get from the instant verification that my payment was received (as opposed to a check that can actually get lost in the mail). I don't think anyone is saying that there is no reason to learn how to write a check, we were talking about balancing a checkbook which is a different thing... but even when it comes to writing a check, there are other ways to do things these days and I wouldn't be surprised if our children's generation eliminates paper checks entirely. To each their own 
Also, my car still has a spare tire. Definitely not criticizing your point/way of doing things... I too agree that too much technology can be a bad thing and everyone is entitled to their own level of comfort... but I'm honestly not following your changing a tire point... how does technology change a tire for us? And isn't is a little ironic to argue that we are too reliant on technology because we can't change our own tires when, even if you can change your own tire, the car itself is a piece of technology you would be reliant on... I'm sure 100 years ago people were criticizing those who stopped keeping horses in favor of car ownership.
|
|
|
|
Post by Skellinton on Nov 13, 2019 16:50:24 GMT
I have been looking at new cars, they all have spares. Which cars don’t come with spares? That is just weird.
|
|
|
|
Post by hop2 on Nov 13, 2019 17:01:08 GMT
I have been looking at new cars, they all have spares. Which cars don’t come with spares? That is just weird. several in fact 28% of cars have no spare. Though some of those are equipped with run flat tires but not all of them. You can google which cars are not equipped with spares & you’ll find a list but the list doesn’t differentiate which have run flat. And some that have a spare it isn’t a full spare but a donut. I do have a full spare - it’s a feature I check before I buy. I want to know what I’m dealing with. ( I also look that it’s actually there too, got up & walked out just before signing on the line for our mini van because it wasn’t under there, bought the same model at another dealer with the spare. ) |
|
I have no clue what I learned in that class. I only remember soldering stuff (and the teacher shouting threats to whomever thought about "prank burning" a classmate, ahem). 
Considering the difficulties of navigating the American system and the amount of money it costs to live, study and stay alive, it's especially crucial for US kids to learn the basics of financial literacy. A friend of mine migrated and had to learn how to properly (and quickly) build his credit score over there (doesn't exist here) as a an adult and that was difficult enough. I would be frightened of dealing with crushing student debt loans, the ease of access to credit lines, personal retirement savings, etc. as a young person.
). Tech has not been all doomsday and naysay in my personal experience. Plus, I'm ready for the zombie apocalypse: never had a car, always lived everyday life walking. So long suckers when the cars break down, the gas runs out, I've got this, even in heels. 