Premarital Education?

[lahnnabell]

Just read a brief article about how some education systems are attempting to set up criteria for premarital education. I find this interesting. Not sure if this is at a high school or college level. I would hope at a college level as I don't think anyone younger than the age of 18 will really benefit from the education in the following several years.

I'm a fan of Life Skills class. Or something of the sort. Sadly, this should typically fall under the responsibility of the parents. However, more and more I keep finding that the people I meet have parents that are content to support them through college while they dick around. I registered and financed my own car by 17. What happened to taking responsibility?

What do you all think?

[girl68]

As in a relationship class?

I think it's an ingenious idea. Though it's gonna be a bitch to implement for cultural/ religous differences.

Where I live we have a very large east indian population a class like that would not be acceptable for them.

[doppelgaenger]

Yeah, it could compliment the sex education. They should read books like Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus; books that help someone to understand the opposite sex and communicate with them.

[Alvy]

Isn't that just premarital counselling? Which most couples should be doing anyway if they're thinking of marriage. As for parents being responsible for 'life skills', I think it's safe to say that not everyone is fit to become a parent, so relying on them for advice isn't the wisest move. In which case, the school or whatever education system is in charge should be taking the initiative.

[lahnnabell]

As in a relationship class?

I think it's an ingenious idea. Though it's gonna be a bitch to implement for cultural/ religous differences.

Where I live we have a very large east indian population a class like that would not be acceptable for them.

I agree which is why I think a Life Skills class is more appropriate. I think part of the reason marriages are failing is the lack of functional adults in this world.

[Gigabitch]

I think it's a great idea. While things like life skills and relationship skills should be taught by parents, it's an undeniable fact that they don't always do a good job.

[lahnnabell]

Yeah, it could compliment the sex education. They should read books like Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus; books that help someone to understand the opposite sex and communicate with them.

That novel is an over-hyped crock of shit. Sure, there's a lot of truth to it, but not every relationship will ever fit into the type of box those books present. Those books are great for guide-lining, but are never truly replaced by a well-educated, experienced teacher. This is the reason I hate text books as well.

[cancankant]

I'm a fan of "Life Skills" type training. I like the idea of "Pre Marital Counseling" or heck...even "Successful Relationships 101". I might even sign up.

I like the idea of having guest speakers at these types of classes from all walks of life - couples that have been married 50 yrs, couples who are newlyweds, divorced people, those who've had a spouse become physically disabled or terminally ill, single mothers/fathers, etc. People who've lived life, weathered storms, and either made it or didn't or in the case of singles, how difficult it is to go it alone. That's covered by some high schools already in Sex Ed, though.

The fact is, no matter how much counseling anyone gets, we live in a "disposable" society. I see a lot of relationship turnover, even with people who seemed "perfect" for one another. At one time, people did stay together "for better or for worse" (for better or for worse), but now what I see is when the going gets tough, people just give up. Some divorces are definitely justified - abuse cases, infidelity (especially serial infidelity), spousal abandonment, but I know at least one person who divorced her otherwise suitable husband because he didn't like to go out as much as she did. He was always a more socially restrained person, and once they got married and had a son, he just couldn't run around every night of the week like she wanted to. So, she started up an affair with a coworker and divorced him. *facepalm*

I think the first lesson you have to learn is that you can't change him or her. Only they can change themselves. They are at their best when you two are dating. It is not going to get better. Do not believe that they are necessarily going to get more mature or responsible simply because you are married. If they weren't motivated before, they are not likely to be motivated just because they are married. Yes, it CAN happen, but it is because the person wanted to change. Buying a "fixer upper" is no way to snag a good husband. If you start with a good, responsible guy or girl to start out, you have a chance. If you don't, you probably won't make it.

[doppelgaenger]

That novel is an over-hyped crock of shit. Sure, there's a lot of truth to it, but not every relationship will ever fit into the type of box those books present. Those books are great for guide-lining, but are never truly replaced by a well-educated, experienced teacher. This is the reason I hate text books as well.

It may be a crock of shit, but it's well worth reading. A good teacher would only amplify teaching the subject by giving the students a critique of the book and other perspectives. At least it would generate a fruitful discussion about gender differences.

[lahnnabell]

Yeah, I think our innate sense of selection really sucks. We're less in tune with our bodies and minds thanks to the way our society is headed. I think we'll eventually evolve into robots. I hope I get to be a Transformer

[lahnnabell]

It may be a crock of shit, but it's well worth reading. A good teacher would only amplify teaching the subject by giving the students a critique of the book and other perspectives. At least it would generate a fruitful discussion about gender differences.

Yes. Man, I hate my high school. Thank the heavens for my literary criticism professor in college. That woman saved my intellect.

[doppelgaenger]

Yes. Man, I hate my high school. Thank the heavens for my literary criticism professor in college. That woman saved my intellect.

I had a really astounding English teacher in HS. She was growing old and senile, but she forced us to question the value of what we were reading and she was open to our opinions, even if we totally disagreed with her. She was fired a few years ago, unfortunately.

Most teachers do not teach how to ask questions and that, in my opinion, is the true value of education. It's also my teaching philosophy. Of course, they are encouraging and everything, and tell you to ask them questions, but that is never good enough.

[lahnnabell]

I had a really astounding English teacher in HS. She was growing old and senile, but she forced us to question the value of what we were reading and she was open to our opinions, even if we totally disagreed with her. She was fired a few years ago, unfortunately.

Yeah, the good ones always lose to the administration. I spent my time during high school reading poems and writing papers that did nothing more than toe the surface of true literary criticism. I never even learned proper MLA format until my junior year of college. Pathetic. My degree was almost all fluff until I started taking lit crit courses. I discovered a whole new side of myself after those classes.

[doppelgaenger]

Yeah, the good ones always lose to the administration. I spent my time during high school reading poems and writing papers that did nothing more than toe the surface of true literary criticism. I never even learned proper MLA format until my junior year of college. Pathetic. My degree was almost all fluff until I started taking lit crit courses. I discovered a whole new side of myself after those classes.

How could you not know MLA format until college??? I knew that like back in junior high!!! They threw a new one at me when I came to college - APA.
Then again I went to private schools for most of my life..

Clearly there needs to be more standardization in how things are taught. I don't know about Cali, but in every state I've lived, there's a certain requirement of skills needed in order to get a high school diploma. Before I graduated high school, I had to take an exam that demonstrated I was capable of doing all those things.

[lahnnabell]

My news gets worse... I'm from Boston. The capital of one of the most highly educated states. Sad, isn't it?

I was taught basic MLA format through high school, but they never called it MLA. They taught us how to string compound and complex sentences together like puzzle pieces. I never heard the words "Annotated Bibliography" until late in college though.