Ask HN: What skills should we teach our kids to prepare them for the future?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3869719

by hoppster • 14 years ago

1 3 14 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I mean, specifically, what useful skills should our kids acquire that are above and beyond what they're likely to be taught in public school (before college). I don't want to hear about teaching them values, character traits, or philosophies. I am really just interested in hearing your suggestions for hard, tangible skills that will give kids a better opportunity to succeed. I'll start with a few...

- fundamentals of programming - understanding/calculating risk - important words to understand - media literacy - budgeting - investing - business start-up - small business economics - real-estate economics - fundamental of robotics - creative/lateral thinking - critical/rational thinking - system thinking - study hacks - memory hacks - and...

Yen• 14 years ago

IMO, a lot of what is important are the little nuggets of truth that straddle the line between values/philosophies and hard skills.

In response to your list:

+ numerical literacy - risk, budgeting, and investment all stem from this. The value of approaching a problem numerically (as a ballpark estimate or exact answer), and general guidelines for doing so.

+ Negotiation, and corresponding traits of empathy. Even if you don't agree or sympathize with another person's view, being able to navigate an agreement is hugely important, and , I believe, largely lacking in today's society.

+ The value of lawyers, contracts, and "getting it in writing".

+ The value of lawyers, and not talking to the police without one. (this particularly applies to U.S.)

+ Common scams to avoid. In the same vein, how to recognize and avoid medical quackery and bad investment advice (or scams). Some would lump this under 'critical/rational' thinking. Arguably, it's a subset of that, but the differences are having a specific framework, awareness of the problem, and the intention to actually apply the critical thought.

one quibble:

- fundamentals of robotics. I'm a big fan of robotics, and I agree that fundamentals of programming is an important concept. (specifically, I'd say 'procedural literacy', the understanding of a process or computation, critique it, and create processes in code)

That said, while robotics does have huge potential in industry and everyday life, I don't think it's so fundamental that everyone has to be familiar with the fundamentals. It could be argued, in the U.S., that everyone should be capable of driving a manual transmission automobile or riding a bike, but I wouldn't expect the average person to know how to build a car. (car repair is a middle area, arguably a good life skill to have, even if not a fundamental)

cwhittle• 14 years ago

self-determination (maybe this falls under your excluded values, character traits, or philosophies), but its a rather important skill in my opinion.

a second language - doesn't matter which one really, but it has clear cognitive and practical benefits. Bonus points for spending time in another culture for a different perspective.

edited to add: Really many of these skills can be learned as needed, but the desire and skills to learn new things are an important skill to have. If you're successful in teaching them the fundamental ones, like critical thinking, then they have the tools to learn what's needed.

jf271• 14 years ago

I the US I can think of two.

Number one: you are in charge of you life and education. Don't depend on teachers to teach you everything or the government to guarantee your happiness.

Number two: learn to accept criticism and act on it. You won't get much of it during your years in school but you will get it eventually. It isn't the worst thing in the world and you might benefit from it if you don't just react against it.

Ask HN: What skills should we teach our kids to prepare them for the future?

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