There was an interesting article in the Washington Post this weekend, about specialized classes in sewing, cooking, wood-working, among others, skills that used to be taught in school but aren't now.Back in the paleolithic, I learned sewing & cooking when I was about 12, along with all the other girls in my public school. The boys went to wood-working. (I don't even know if they had 2 classes, or just one.) I was lucky because my mother cooked & sewed and so I already knew most of what was being taught, which were quite basic skills. So when I wanted to make something at home, I had my mom's advice & know-how to back me up.
It's interesting that parents find such classes worth paying for, perhaps to ensure their children are more creative or learn some hands-on problem-solving skills? I also liked seeing the co-ed classes; I definitely would have enjoyed a wood-working class back when I was 12...if nothing else it might help a bit with shelving in our tiny closets!!
What do you think? Should public schools include this type of class? Do you wish you'd learned to sew at an earlier age? Why/Why not?
