>We’ve all been there. Sitting in a classroom, learning about algebra, geometry, and Shakespeare, wondering when we’re ever going to use this information in our daily lives. While some of these subjects may have their merits, there are certainly aspects of our education that could have been better focused on preparing us for the real world. Specifically, the lack of financial education in schools is a glaring issue in Canada. In this blog post, we’ll take a humorous look at some of the useless things we were taught in school that didn’t help us with our personal financial literacy as adults.
1. Calculating the volume of a cylinder
Listen, we get it. Knowing how to calculate the volume of a cylinder may come in handy if you ever become an engineer or architect. But for the vast majority of us, this information is entirely useless. Meanwhile, we were never taught how to create a budget or manage our credit score, which are much more relevant skills for everyday life.
2. The periodic table
Unless you’re planning on becoming a chemist, the periodic table is another example of information that has little practical use in our daily lives. But imagine if we were taught about compound interest or the basics of investing instead? That could have a significant impact on our financial futures.
3. Reciting poetry
While there’s certainly value in appreciating the arts, memorizing poetry is not a skill that will get us very far in life. However, if we were taught about the importance of saving for retirement or how to navigate the complex world of taxes, we’d all be better off.
4. Dissecting frogs
Okay, this one may be a bit controversial, but hear us out. While there may be some value in learning about anatomy and biology, the truth is that most of us will never need to know how to dissect a frog in our day-to-day lives. Meanwhile, understanding the basics of credit and debt or how to negotiate a salary would be much more beneficial for our personal financial literacy.
5. Cursive handwriting
Yes, cursive handwriting is a dying art form, but is it really worth spending countless hours learning how to write in a way that most people can’t even read anymore? Meanwhile, we were never taught how to create a financial plan or manage our student loan debt, which are skills that would be invaluable as we navigate our adult lives.
6. The Pythagorean Theorem
We’re not saying that the Pythagorean Theorem isn’t important, but let’s be real – how often do you actually use it in your daily life? Meanwhile, understanding how to save for a down payment on a home or how to invest in the stock market would be much more practical knowledge for most of us.
7. Learning a second language
Don’t get us wrong – being bilingual is a valuable skill. However, when it comes to personal financial literacy, it’s not exactly the most pressing issue. Instead, we could have been taught about the importance of creating an emergency fund or how to negotiate with a lender when applying for a loan.
All in all, it’s clear that our education system could do a better job of preparing us for the real world, particularly when it comes to personal financial literacy. While learning about algebra, chemistry, and Shakespeare may have some value, there are many more relevant skills that we should have been taught. So the next time you find yourself calculating the volume of a cylinder, just remember – there are much more important things that you could have been learning instead.
So if you’re going to start learning again, start simple. Here are some basic Financial Concepts that will help you start building your foundation. Next, take some time to figure out your relationship with money by taking the following Money Mindset Quiz. Once you’ve got a grip on how you view/handle money, take a real look at your true Cash-Flow situation to identify what you need to work on and where you can achieve some long, medium and short term financial goals!
