Modern home economics teaches students to make economic decisions and to take care of themselves in addition to cooking and cleaning skills.
The home economic courses of the 1960s and 70s are often described as doing little more than teaching young women cook, clean and take care of a husband, according to the California Department of Education's Home Economics Careers and Technology Unit (HECT). Modern home economics courses reflect the changes that have taken place in our society during the last 50 years and now teach elementary, middle and high school students -- both male and female -- navigate the challenges of day-to-day life.
Child Care
The changing dynamic of families including both parents in the workforce, single parenting either by life events or by choice or blended families due to remarriage means that it's more important than ever before to teach child care and parenting skills since today's families have different needs and challenges than they did 50 years ago, according to HECT. Modern home economic courses provide information about prenatal care and child development such as techniques to make sure children have high levels of self-esteem, according to the unit's website.
Consumer Protections
Modern home economic courses can prepare students to defend themselves as a consumer and to take action when a company or product has not lived up to its claims, according to Teachnology.com, an on line resource for teachers. For example, one classroom exercise listed on the site teaches middle school students think through a decision-making process, identify options to resolve issues where they believe they have been mistreated and draft an effective letter of complaint. Other consumer education skills taught by home economics include purchasing and sales information and consumer rights and responsibilities, according to HECT.
Family and Relationships
Students can learn build strong, loving families by learning skills like interpersonal communication, conflict and crisis management and balancing work and play, according to HECT. According to HECT's website, modern home economic courses can expose students to these skills. For example, Teachnology's website has an exercise that teaches junior high and high school students recognize and develop healthy relationships.
Health and Wellness
Home economic courses can help students live a healthy lifestyle by teaching nutrition, injury prevention and wellness issues like stress management, according to HECT. One home economics lesson plan teaches third graders about stress by having the kids create cans labeled with feelings and then requiring them to literally walk around with negative feelings to realize the effect of emotions, according to Teachnology.com. Takeaways from the lesson include exposing kids to the ideas of relaxation, flight or fight response and linking emotions to physical feelings, according to the website. Other health topics listed on Teachnology.com include illustrating the causes of tooth decay with vinegar and egg shells and teaching nutrition by menu comparison.
Creating a Home
While the topic home furnishings might remind some of the home economics classes of the 1950s, today's version of creating a home also deals with topics such as energy conversation and economics of housing decisions in addition to select decorations that are pleasing to the eye, according to HECT.
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