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Paul Elliott

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Creating a high school class where students can look into the possibilities of the future.

Every high school has a history class. I agree that is is nice to know certain things about our past. I also know that it might be slightly important to know how our countries came to be.

But, I honestly think it is all very pointless. Wouldn't a class based on focusing towards the progression of life and awareness of what we could become be a better investment than teaching us things we don't need to know?

Topics: better life education future learning
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Closing Statement from Paul Elliott

History is interesting, and if it was ever actually used to help us learn from our mistakes, it would be necessary. We do not use it that way though.
Most high school students do not have a care about it. That's why I was suggesting that we make it a choice. Classes for the students future and the future of the people around him should be established. Somethig like a group discussion. They can talk about what the world has to offer them and what they can do for the world. Or discuss interest in career(as a group). This could break them from the disrespect and pointless feeling that they direct towards their teachers. I feel it could also help troubled kids that weren't given a direction. Too many do not know what there could be.

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    LESLIE SAUNDERS

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    Oct 9 2011: Suggestion: get a class membership to the World Future Society and have students explore ideas with futurists in various subject areas.
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    Steve Cho

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    Oct 8 2011: Just an idea -- a self-guided curriculum in which students draw just from TED conversations on a topic that is meaningful to them. They then pull in research, insights from various sources, and present a report or a solution to a problem -- it could be entrepreneurial, philanthropic, etc.

    It could even be a group project and people try to build a working prototype. This kind of class with this curriculum would be a very good preview of creative, collaborative project-based classes in college.

  • Bob Shingles 10+

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    Oct 5 2011: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" - George Santayana

    The past is just as important as the future because the past was once the future to someone. Learning how people dealt successfully with change in their time helps future students deal with change their own future.

    That all being said, I always figured High School stressed the basics so that students could integrate into society while College should educate students on how to create a future in that society.
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