We all love a good throwback subject. Maybe it was something you miss teaching, like typing, sewing or cooking. Or maybe it’s a subject you remember fondly learning when you were a student and wish you could teach it today. Here are the subjects our teachers want back in the classroom…
Home economics
Cooking class and woodshop. The best memories I have from middle school and high school. —Maria P.
Check out: Why Your Students Should Trade Homework For Cooking One Night A Week and 19 Awesome Tips & Tools for Teaching Kids Sewing and Fiber Crafts
Writing in cursive
It is an art form that allows self-expression. Once a student learns the basics, individual style can lead to variations on a theme! Also great for future genealogists to know to able able to interpret old documents until technology can convert digitalized documents straight to text. —Viola B.
Check out: Research Shows Huge Benefits to Learning Cursive, but Most States Don’t Require It
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Diagramming a sentence
Diagramming is a tool to help one understand correct grammar. I was taught diagramming in the 1960s, and I use that skill mentally in my daily life. It’s almost subconscious, second nature. I use it to be sure my work correspondence is clearly understood, and sometimes I use it when I receive a communication that is not clear. And it can be taught in a fun way, like completing a puzzle. —Gail M.
How to read an analog clock
Teaching kids how to read an analog clock! I’m amazed at how many high schoolers can’t tell time unless a clock is digital. —Heidi R.
Check out: 15 Meaningful Hands-On Ways to Teach Telling Time
Formal note-taking
Scientific (formal) note-taking. A skill that reinforces reading comprehension, organization/structure, informal shorthand, and self-made study guides. My seniors have never seen it or knew mindlessly copying the book’s sentences weren’t “notes.” I take it upon myself to train them. —Heather L.
Check out: Note-Taking Is Becoming a Lost Art. I Decided to Do Something About It
Shorthand
Useful to taking notes. —Kerry C.
Typing
Keyboarding… my kids spend all day online learning but neither can type quickly. It slows everything down for them. —Jamie F.
Check out: The 25+ Best Typing Apps for Students.
Memorizing math
Rote learning for things like times tables. It actually frees up working memory for more complex operations. Rote did work—not everything has to be entertaining or fun. —Karina D.
Check out: 35 Fun Hands-on Ways to Teach Multiplication.
Business math
How to count back change in a transaction! (And do simple math in your head-example: be able to figure 10% without a calculator.) New math seems to have left many clueless at cash registers. (A cashless society hasn’t helped either, I guess.) —Holly D.
Check out: 21 Best Online Apps and Websites to Teach Money Skills
Geography
I loved getting a new Geography book and going through it. —Sally J.
Check out: 13 Unexpected and Fun Geography Lessons to Enhance Your Curriculum
Poetry
Memorizing, then reciting poetry. —Sally A.
Check out: 35 Inspiring Poetry Games and Activities for Kids and Teens.
Baseball spelling bee
The baseball spelling bee was a hit (no pun intended) with junior high level students. I’m going to Google it to see if any teacher has written down the game rules! —Sarah C.
Measuring with a ruler
It blows my mind that I have high school students who have no idea how to use a ruler. —Ronda C.
Check out: 20 Clever Ideas for Teaching Measurement of All Kinds.
These are just a few subjects teachers want back in the classroom. If you haven’t added your own, hop on over to our WeAreTeachers Facebook page and add yours!
Plus, read how Research Shows Huge Benefits to Learning Cursive, but Most States Don’t Require It
