Some people contend that schools should concentrate on students’ academic performance on an examination-based approach. Cultivation of practical skills such as cooking and dressmaking should be shifted to parents. I mostly agree with this contention from the social perspective of labor division and cooperation, but I disagree that there should be a distinct line separating the roles of teachers and parents in education.
In essence, the contention brings us back to the division of labor. A meticulously run society divides labor in a way to ensure upmost efficiency, and schooling is more efficient than parenting in academic teaching because teachers are qualified and able to impart knowledge to students in scientifically-proved pedagogies. In contrast, parents may not be fortunate enough to receive good education that enables them to teach kids courses. Therefore, the current approach is cost-effective and has withstood the test of time.
Seeing schools understaffed further convinces me of this argument. In some countries, teachers are complaining of excessive burden. Take China as an example, where teachers are already overstretched by filling in loads of forms, attending countless seminars, and participating in teaching contests in addition to their teaching responsibility. Adding basic life skills, such as cookery, dressmaking and woodworking to their curriculum would setback their faith in the noble cause of education.
However, I disagree with the proposition that courses only be taught at school while life hacks be passed on just at home, because apart from labor division, cooperation is equally crucial behind society’s running. Parents can help check kids’ homework, thereby participating in kids’ schooling. Likewise, teachers can leave tasks of learning life skills in the summer vacation and review the work guided by parents when kids are back in the new semester.
In conclusion, while shouldering different responsibilities in education is win-win for both teachers and parents as it enhances efficiency, they can integrate with and promote each other. Therefore, while schools and families undertake the majority of cultivating academic competence and teaching life skills, respectively, they can assist each other with not much effort.