Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Interdisciplinary

First Advisor

Robert J. Nash

Second Advisor

Jessica DeMink-Carthew

Abstract

(Teachers) are engaged in work that will influence not just students’ immediate level of knowledge but their entire lives, and thereby they have the potential to contribute to the future of humanity itself. –

Dalai Lama (Spiritual Leader)

The world of public education is much different now than when I was a student not so long ago. In only ten years, the world has opened up and changed in a way that no one imagined, thanks to cell phones and social media. Students can now walk through the halls of school with a device in their pocket that allows them to look up information in seconds, communicate with their friends not in person but probably more often, and the answers to last night’s homework thanks to a picture sent from their friend. Students may communicate less in person now, but they now can communicate with people at any time, from anywhere. We have become simultaneously more accessible and more casual in our relationships, as shown in the one sentence, no punctuation emails I am sent from students at midnight.

As the world has changed, there has been a call from some to go back to our roots. To rediscover what it means to live off the grid, disconnected, and fending for ourselves. In a sense, we have to go back to basics to rediscover our human needs and strengths. Family and Consumer Science (FCS) education is about being the best holistic person one can be. FCS education teaches students to make strong and meaningful decisions while taking care of themselves and others now and in the future. It is a foundation of learning that sets a tone for lifelong health, both in mind and body. I teach FCS, and I strongly believe it should be taught in all schools.

Throughout this paper, I hope to prove to my readers why I think FCS should remain in, or be added to, schools. I will reflect on my time as a new mother and how it has changed my perspective on the education I hope my son will receive. I also cover topics such as the influence of STEM education in schools, the climate of today’s schools surrounding gun control and safety, and I end with my educational philosophy and personal stories of my time with students. Throughout, I will add quotes from my current and former students, as they are the ones that can truly attest to what they learned and value from FCS. I hope to convey my passion for the subject that I teach, while telling stories that readers can relate to their own lives. Education breeds the future leaders of America, and if we are not careful, we may not like what we see out of the next generation, and it will be no one’s fault but our own.

Language

en

Number of Pages

93 p.

Download

Share

COinS