But I do not understand the angst about Erica Stanford dropping home economics from the NCEA curriculum.
There is an opinion piece in The Spinoff today, and it's arguing against Erica Stanford removing this 'vital' subject from our school subject list because it's a 'moral decision,' - because, quote, 'everyone deserves to know what's in their food, how it affects their health, and how to make choices that support their overall well-being.'
Now, I tend to agree with that. You should know what's going on in your food. But from what I understand, home ec is still being taught and will still be taught to years 9 and 10 in some form or another, that's not going to change.
And if you cannot learn in the space of 2 years that you need to eat your fruit and your vegetables and your meat and maybe avoid the processed stuff and the sugar, then I don't have much hope that you're ever gonna learn this stuff.
And what's more, we are already one of the most obese nations on this planet. So home economics hasn't done very much for us in helping us to keep ourselves healthy in the last 114 years that it's been around, has it?
But also, and I think this is the most important thing, come on - did you actually learn anything in home ec?
Libby, who works with us, reckons that in one class, she spent the entire class just learning how to make a sandwich.
I remember setting a pot of oil on fire and and then running around with it and being taught how to put the fire out. So I suppose that's semi-helpful, but I also learned how to cut carrots, which, frankly, I should have known anyway.
All of this stuff, you can learn at home.
Now, home economics strikes me as one of those subjects that the country would be better off dropping altogether and replacing with another session on maths.
Don't you agree?
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show HERE - where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
"Home Economics" should be just that - rather than teaching kids how to cook basic stuff, they should be taught the economics of running a home - budgeting for food, rent, power etc; how compound interest on credit card debt works; how to make a dish cheaper by finding the in-season products in the veggie aisles; how managing to save small amounts of money each week leads to great long-term benefits. That would be far more useful for our kids, some of whose parents don't know these basic skills, so they won't learn them at home.
The details of the syllabus may need attention but I would have thought so called Home Economics is one subject which should be promoted. It is fine for persons of HdPA intellect. By observation, intuition or a glance through any basic cook book they grasp all. But many simpler souls now grow up in a vacuum and do not have the nous to seek knowledge. Without the often close and long association of capable at home mothers many moderns have no idea of basic cooking, home maintenance (and parenting). Little wonder such reliance on take aways. Most of the skills as taught are colonist practice derived so that is a factor against. I guess the time saved can be spent learning about Maui, Kupe, and the evil Treaty.
Running a household is a multifaceted task that both men and women are engaged with. Some people may feel uncomfortable about what they still consider to be a "girls' subject" but in these days of two-income couples and couples where the woman has the greater earning power and the guy spends more time doing household chores, that's a demonstrably obsolete view.
Education is supposed to be about preparing youngsters for the adult world. That includes learning how to run a household, and to labour the point, that's for both sexes. I agree with June above that the 'economics' aspect is very important - most 'poor' people are poor at least in part because they are lousy domestic finance managers - but I do not see why that should displace nutrition and culinary skills. There is room enough in the curriculum for both.
Sorry Heather, I am with all three above respondents. Rather than tip the baby out with the bathwater...let's tweek Home Ec to accommodate the modern world, as a counter to "fast-food", "wheat gain" and general lazy eating. Okay, there are some people who have a "congenital disposition" to stand back and let others do the heavy-lifting in the kitchen. But - there is more to fishing than catching fish, and more to cooking than preparing food. It's an evolving skill, and should involve budgeting, "preparing something from nothing", laying a table (also becoming obsolete, like ironing), and taking a pride and joy in feeding others. Parenting. Passing it on. Enjoying it, not enduring it.
Learning how to be clean/keep clean is something sadly missing also. I gave my daughter in law some "pure wool" baby clothes, and advised "hand washing". "What's handwashing?' she said. Aww.
Domesticity is not a dirty word. It is something we learn by standing at the shoulder of our mother, father, grandmother, aunty. Just like those who "love gardening" usually have been brought up to enjoy the thrill of seeing seedlings sprout and flowers bloom. But if we don't learn at home, then school is the place. Boys love to cook, given the chance.
Home Economics are also a constructive relief from the classroom. I used to look forward to it so much.
Successive governments have prioritised the need to teach our kids how to apply a condom and "having safe sex", how to access an abortion et al. (How's that going then?)
In my view, as a rule, too few know how to cook even basic stuff these days eg boil an egg.
Convenience foods are expensive and generally crap, but the alternative of regular, quality, home cooked meals are an unknown experience for far too many.
It's no good knowing how to budget if all you know is kfc, mcdonalds or frozen pizza.
Food is a sharing, giving thing, and imho, a lot more families could be more cohesive (perhaps less violence?) if a family was involved in daily food preparation and consumption of same.
Food is one of our most important, interesting and pleasurable human experiences.
Look at European population where food is the essence of living (eg Italy). It is a core feature of family life. Regular conversation results amongst family members, and a greater probability of resolution of day to day issues.
NZ has come a long way with the diversity of cuisines we now take for granted, thanks to our immigrant population largely, but in many ways we have gone backwards.
I think that basic cooking skils should be mandatory in our school programs - far more practical and important than some other 'topics' being forced on kids.
We all eat, or we die.
Should be an easy, captive market that our society in general could benefit from.
Ameni
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