As I mentioned last week I am doing a little supply teaching this week which gave me reason to reflect on how teaching has changed. Today I was teaching a lovely group of year 10’s (so 14/15 yr olds) about the functions of the family and it led to a really interesting discussion. We had watched a documentary about feral children previously, these are children raised by animals and children that have been so badly neglected that it has had a profound impact on their ability to develop language and empathy.
The purpose of the lesson was to understand that primary socialisation and emotional gratification are paramount to becoming a member of society. We then went on to explore which functions the state has taken over. Naturally we discussed health and education. I used the example of how the Education Department has introduced free school dinners for all KS1 children. I said that it suggested that parents were not not being left responsible for ensuring their children were fed a balanced diet I also discussed that schools weigh children in reception and told them how I had revoked permission to have my daughter weighed at school. What was discussed next surprised me somewhat as we started talking about what they learn at school.
The young people in that class told me that they wished they had more cookery lessons, not sewing (they were quite adamant on that one) but they wanted to know how to cook nutritious cheap meals. I suggested that there parents should be covering this with them at home. Many of them replied that there parents were too busy because they work shifts or long hours. The class shared that often they are expected to feed themselves and this often equates to a pot noodle as they didn’t know what else to cook. it would also be a good time to introduce batch cooking.
Other suggestions were that they should be taught how to budget and use coupons (it seems the American TV programmes on extreme couponing was a hit with this age group). The class also suggested that they wanted to understand tax and how it works and how much you pay.
Now, I have a daughter in the same year group and it really resonated with me what they wanted to know. I do have conversations with Chloe about tax and things, she also knows quite a bit about money saving – afterall we also blog over at Mums savvy savings where we look at how to make our money go further and also how to spend less but live well. But i do concede she doesn’t do much cooking apart from poached eggs, bacon and bowls of pasta.
However whilst I think all their suggestions are important things to learn I don’t believe that schools should be leading on all of that. It left me wondering just what exactly are the functions of the family. Maybe we have gone to far, I do think the state has too much influence and interference in some areas. The family has had it’s functions reduced by the state and maybe this is why those students of mine thought it was the schools responsibility to teach them to budget and cook.
Therefore today’s question is – what do you think the functions of the family are? Do you think there is too much state intervention now that has reduced the family’s functions causing us to be even more reliant on the state?
9 Responses
Really interesting read. I was so lucky that my Mum taught me how to cook and I cook with each of the boys at least once a week. Even though my Mum was a SAHM it was expected that me and my brother cooked dinner for the family at least once a week.
I see life skills such as budgeting, cooking and tax etc as MY JOB, but I understand that lots of parents do not teach their children.
We were laughing the other day as we bought MadDad some pot noodles for lunch at work (January is a HARD month for him) and the boys commented they had never had one!
I enjoyed reading your article, my daughter is 12 so a little younger – she loves to cook at school but at home although she can cook simple pasta dishes when I ask her if she would like to help make tea she always has homework to do or finds something else to do. Its very occasionally she will come help – and when she does Im not sure she takes it all in just stands around chatting! haha However when she has been cooking at school excitement comes with it – I think its the bouncing off friends excitement too – this week she made Chicken fajitas (super tasty!) and I knew about it the 2nd she walked through the door! Mum, Mum, come and taste this – its so good – I made it at school. So although I agree that cooking and talking about budgeting etc starts at home – I think being around school friends whilst learning is a very healthy way of instilling lots of fun and pride!
I think perhaps basic budgeting skills could be taught as part of a maths curriculum. I learnt to cook at school…well, badly. I only really learnt how when I met my husband. A thought provoking post. I will read the comments with interest.
Oh yes, cheap sensible cooking would be fab – my daughter did food GCSE and learnt pretty much nothing useful! Am currently teaching her a range of stuff to rely on at uni next September, and I know it is a parents job really, but even as a SAHM sometimes it’s hard to find the hours in the day to start cooking lessons by the time have dealt with the other two and fitted in clubs, homework, Saturday jobs and all that!!
Practical maths should be part of the curriculum, and so should cooking – not every knows how to cook and we can’t expect a generation of parents who can’t cook to teach their kids! Maybe there would be less obesity and debt if we taught children the skills they need and in time hopefully they’ll pas it on to their children, like our parents did for us!
Interesting question Emma. I still use recipes from my school days – from the book I wrote stuff in at the time. Our school had its own kitchen and taught us nutrition. it’s probably the most important thing they could do. It’s true that lots of parents are working but they are also more isolated and it can be tricky but it still must be done – either as primary teachers to them or as back up to schools. Like Mary said though, we have a generation of people who can’t cook! We also learned budgeting at school but my mum taught me that better than anyone. I went to school a long time ago though …. 😉
Really interesting discussions Emma!
The state has stepped in far too far into the family domain. How we reverse this I don’t know.
I learnt to bake at the age of 8, but only learnt to cook when I was 19 and at uni.
Budgetting is something my folks never taught me, but I am pretty good with it. It is a vital life skill and basic maths skills surfice to be ok at this.
Interesting Emma. I’m not sure what I feel about the state and parents and the cross over. I know that it’s necessary for some family set ups but then again my mum never taught me cookery so I’m glad school did!
If children aren’t taught cooking at school then they can’t teach their children.My kids are fortunate as I was a chef before I had them, but I had very little cooking skills when I left school as my mum never taught me.All cooking programs on telly are too advanced or use ingredients too expensive for the average family.